Diane Arbus

Diane Arbus - March 14, 1923 – July 26, 1971

Diane Arbus was an American photographer who used the technique of creating portrait photographs which were black and white and squared.

She was famous for the way she would photograph the outcasts of society for example transgender, giants, dwarfs, nudist and circus performers. Arbus believed that a photograph could be "a little bit harsh." However she was interested in the ways a camera was able to show the flaws even though it was harsh she would say it was the photograph  revealing the truth.
The phrase "photographer of freaks" is often used to describe Arbus but a friend of hers said that she didn't want to be known as this.
Arbus always had a sense of love for her subjects but to critics they would say she was portraying her subjects in a negative light rather than giving them the attention of good that she wanted. this is also referring back to the idea of critics calling her the "photographer of freaks" however she did not see them as this but instead saw the beauty in their flaws.
She used street photography and today street photography is quite common. Despite it seeming odd taking a photograph of a complete stranger as Diane did you often come up with the most interesting shots and come across a number of interesting people. Arbus would say having a camera is like having a licence to photograph the lives of others so you can get insight of other lives rather than going to a complete stranger saying “I want to come to your house and have you talk to me and tell me the story of your life.” which she said would make people think your crazy and for that reason she said a camera is a licence which with todays photography is often used.
It was a great shock when Arbus committed suicide on July 26, 1971 but her style of portraiture still has a great influence on many photographers today.





In your posts you will need to discuss  the journey that Portraiture has taken over its' history. For example the movement from Rich and Powerful people having expensive portraits made for them to the works of Portraiture photographers depicting the inner conflicts and catching their subjects in moments when they are least prepared.