the way in
“I’m more interested in a photography that is ‘unfinished’ – a photography that is suggestive and can trigger a conversation or dialogue. There are pictures that are closed, finished, to which there is no way in.”
- Paolo Pellegrin
I came across a truly brilliant portfolio of images that Paolo Pellegrin did for the New York Times. And when I say truly brilliant, I am not speaking in my typical tone of hyperbole.
The images not only represent access – both physical access, into the homes and lives of these people, and emotional access, revealing the unfinished bits in the private worlds of public people – but the presentation that the NYT has used is outstanding – the images are big and nothing about the site distracts from the image. I particularly liked the insight that Lynn Hirschberg adds in the commentaries.
And then there’s the edit; this is the part of photography that really sets the great stuff apart from the rest. I have to think that for each of the 8 subjects there are dozens of breathtaking images and yet, they’ve found a way to pare down each story to its essence, leaving you completely satisfied with what you’ve experienced.
There are a few of my favorites after the jump.
Mickey Rourke by Paolo Pellegrin/Magnum Photos, for The New York Times
Frank Langella by Paolo Pellegrin/Magnum Photos, for The New York Times
Robert Downey Jr. by Paolo Pellegrin/Magnum Photos, for The New York Times
Sean Penn by Paolo Pellegrin/Magnum Photos, for The New York Times
Although you didn’t highlight my favorites, there is without question no hyperbole going on here. I was drawn to a bunch of the lens obstructions and reflections.
Awesome. Thank you so much for putting this on your site. I was so impressed by his style. Very quieting.