Aesthetic Influences: Ernst Haas and Irving Penn
- Laura Marsh
- Mar 5, 2021
- 3 min read
Ernst Haas:
I have found Ernst Haas use of colour and deep contrast an influence and inspiration for my work. His ability to focus on certain details of nature and ordinary objects to evoke a feeling of loneliness about them and the subject’s situation. I discussed his technique and method of observing the world around him during my Christmas tasks at the beginning of this module, but now my practice has developed to use more deep contrasts and high colour contrasts, I wanted to look at his nature work ‘Flora’ in his colour series.
His ability to capture the detail in dead and decaying leaves, the way they curl when drying out gives the viewer a sense of time and mortality, capturing the leaf’s end but making it beautiful at the same time.
Haas’s image of what appears to be a large leaf spotlighted against a black background, resonates with my work and how I am create deep dark background using light and vignette techniques within Lightroom and Snapseed. This effect makes the leaf seem intimidating, but also alone and vulnerable, with the light highlighting the details and lines that make up the leaf’s structure.
The image of the green leaf still on the tree, reminds me of my leaf skeleton images, only Haas’s image captures the leaf still alive, I assume having been eaten buy insects, therefore leaving small holes which against the sky and light of the sun give a beautiful effect showing the structure and the vulnerability of nature.
Irving Penn
Penn’s images of decaying flowers, part of his Still Life work, are much brighter than my own work, but the subject matter interested me. He is showing the detail and beauty with the decay of the flowers in a bright highly detail way. His still life work comes across as exceptionally clean and crisp, with specific lighting and contrasts to enhance the items depicted. There is also a softness to his images, something I am creating within my own work currently, but what I aim to achieve with still life as well. As with Haas, Penn’s use of colour within the images is incredibly effective, the flowers show all ranges from fresh pinks to browns from decay, which is highlighted more so against the crisp white background. I believe these images show the progression of time and the inevitable decay of these flowers, they have become disconnected from their surroundings, by being shot in a still life setting, making them more vulnerable to further damage and decay.
Within my own work, the choices I make concerning future still life practice, is something I am exploring. I have purchased both black and white sheets to use a backdrop, with them aim to explore the crisp but softness from the location photographs. I am planning to use natural lighting, but I have access to two small LED spotlights, which can highlight certain areas when needed.
References:
Websites:
Ernst Haas Estate. “ERNST HAAS ESTATE | COLOR: FLORA.” Www.ernst-Haas.com, 2021, www.ernst-haas.com/site/flora-1.html. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.
The Irving Penn Foundation. “Still Life.” The Irving Penn Foundation, 2021, irvingpenn.org/still-life.
Images:
Haas, Ernst. “Untitled,” Ernst-Haas.com, 2021, www.ernst-haas.com/site/flora-1.html. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
Haas, Ernst. “Untitled,” Ernst-Haas.com, 2021, www.ernst-haas.com/site/flora-1.html. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
---. “Untitled,” Ernst-Haas.com, 2021, www.ernst-haas.com/site/flora-3.html. Accessed 24 Feb. 2021.
Penn, Irving. “Iceland Poppy (A), New York, 2006,” The Irving Penn Foundation, 2021, irvingpenn.org/still-life. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.
---. “Rose ‘Blue Moon’, London, 1970,” The Irving Penn Foundation, 2021, irvingpenn.org/still-life. Accessed 25 Feb. 2021.
Figures:
Fig 1: Ernst Haas, Date Unknown, Untitled from Color Flora Series
Fig 2: Ernst Haas, Date Unknown, Untitled from Color Flora Series
Fig 3: Ernst Haas, Date Unknown, Untitled from Color Flora Series
Fig 4: Irving Penn, New York, 2006, Iceland Poppy (A)
Fig 5: Irving Penn, 1970, Rose 'Blue Moon'
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