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robwilson39 · Joined: 05 Jun 2008 Posts: 19

Check out the new official photograph of the new President of France.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2012/06/13/french-presidents-photo-portrait-by-raymond-depardon-stirs-controversy-mock

Anyone living in France care to comment?

ajancso · Joined: 18 May 2009 Posts: 1889 Location: Right Behind You

I agree that this is not a great photo. Specially considering that it came from a famous photographer.

It probably would be rejected here for uneven lighting :)

mikenorton · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 3:24 pm

Raymond Depardon is a very good photojournalists, check him out here: http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&l1=0&pid=2K7O3R14JLO1&nm=Raymond%20Depardon.

The roof of the building is going through François Hollande's head, he is captured in an awkward pose, his jacket appears to be too small and for formal portraiture the camera has been placed to low. All these problems can not all be laid at the foot of Raymond Depardon though. As any of us who have worked in the real world of photography can attest: it's not the photographer who makes the decisions on where, when and for how long a photo shoot will last. Art directors, PR people and the subject, especially the ones who are in a position of power, all make decisions that the photographer has to follow no matter how much the photographer knows them to be wrong. Even now and then a photographer wins and does get a chance to also shoot a few photographs his way. This rarity usually happens after the photographer has satisfied the powers that be. Even when the photographer makes an exposure that is better composed, in better light and one that captures a better expression it is the Art director, PR person or the subject, who get to choose and approve the picture. And they look for what they wanted not what the photographer knew was best. In the end the photographer looks bad but it is not his fault.

Follow the link and study the second picture in the article, the behind the scenes picture. In this one François Hollande is leaning forward just a bit, he appears more relaxed, confident, and his suit even seems to fit better. Raymond Depardon appears to be photographing from a higher camera position, up around his eyes not into the middle of the chest as in the first one. Wouldn't you like to see the picture Raymond Depardon shot at this moment? So would I but you can bet your last royalty check that an Art director or a PR person, someone with almost no knowledge of formal portraiture, picked and approved the Official Portrait.

rudyumans · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:58 pm

One of the comments on the link was that it didn't look like a picture of a president, but a picture of a normal guy in a garden and I think that was exactly the point they were after. A guy just like any other guy who happens to be president. I think this whole snapshot feel was done on purpose and I think they succeeded.

PaulCowan · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 4181 Location: Evolving

I agree. Intentionally unimpressive and somewhat snapshotish. I'm sure the palace has plenty of leather-bound books and slightly tacky Louis XIV gilt ornamentation which they could have used if they wanted to present the heroic conqueror portrait style, but Hollande is the first socialist to move into the palace for a generation and presumably wants to present the President as a Civil Servant rather than as a ruler.

mikenorton · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:27 am

The thing is the picture makes him look like an average Joe who happens to be a President, who was photographed by another average Joe who happened to have a camera. When in fact he is the President of an important European country who was photographed by a very accomplished photographer. Both deserve better.

PaulCowan · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 4181 Location: Evolving

I think the perception of presidents is probably very different in Europe from what it is in the US.

semmickphoto · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 3:00 am

Why hire a skilled and famous photographer if you are planning on telling him how to take the shot. The bodyguard could have taken the shot then, for free and probably better.

Why accept the job if you cant take the photo you want?

Its a crap photo and the photographer screwed it up. Either do it properly or refuse the job.

I wouldnt want to have my name against a photo like that if I was established and famous. He probably just wanted to get a big pay quickly and got on with it.

copidosoma · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 3781 Location: Canada

rudyumans · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 12:07 pm