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| Bill Brandt, Nude London 1952 |
For the second episode of this series we are introduced to
another German immigrant, Hermann
Wilhelm Brandt, who in his adopted country of the UK went by Bill Brandt. The film is copyright 1983; Brandt died in December of the same year, age
79. His frailty is evident. It is often difficult to hear his thin
whispering voice. He seems reluctant to
speak, and says as much in a direct question from the interviewer.
In discussing
portraits, he expresses a preference for his subjects to affect a serious
look. A good portrait, he says, is meant
to last, and a laughing photo is very irritating to look at for a long
time. The most interesting moment in
the film comes when the interviewer remarks that most of Brandt’s portraits
are composed off-center. Brandt seems
genuinely surprised and begins flipping through a book of his portraits. Yes, he says, you’re right. The interviewer is himself surprised Brandt never considered this himself.
Brandt also notes that most of his work was spontaneous, that he rarely planned shots (though he does give examples of a few he directed). The interviewer asks him about the decisive moment, at which he chuckles and mentions Cartier-Bresson. He goes on to admit, though, that many of his images were the result of "luck," of being in the right place at the right time.
Brandt also notes that most of his work was spontaneous, that he rarely planned shots (though he does give examples of a few he directed). The interviewer asks him about the decisive moment, at which he chuckles and mentions Cartier-Bresson. He goes on to admit, though, that many of his images were the result of "luck," of being in the right place at the right time.
Brandt’s favorite set
of photos, he says, are his nudes, which he says he finds difficult to discuss,
but then does so at some length, lamenting that when he took them, nobody
wanted them. Brandt’s nudes are known
for their distorted bodies, an effect produced by a wide angle lenses that he first acquired for
shooting interiors. (Ironically, Brandt
began his career with ManRay but had until his nude series photographed in a
rather “straight” realist style.) His first book of nudes was a complete flop,
but then notes that his most successful picture (that with highest sales) was
in fact a nude (Nude London 1952, featured above).
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