Lanvi Nguyen SPF '10-11 Research: artist entry: week 10: november 01

Clay Enos: photography: a kind of visual dialogue

interest and relations:
I am feeling the idea of meeting someone for the very first time photographing their portrait and getting them to write me a piece of their mind. I want to see how much of their self do they allow me to have, to take along with me. Will they confront the camera and let me look into their soul or will they shy away and look off into the distance? With that correlate with what they write for me? Will the ones who look straight into my "eyes", give me the most honest piece of thought? Can I read that thought through their eyes? Does it form a complete circle? I am facing my fear. I am stepping out of my comfort zone. Because to look into someone's eyes, is almost a sense of merging. A bit of me is exchanged with a bit of them. A bit of the private self is transferred, maybe?

biography:
Clay proved his eye for portraits in his first large scale photography project, Streetstudio. Launched in 2000, Streetstudio involved shooting portraits of random passersby on the streets of New York. By bringing his studio to the street he gains access to the most remarkable faces in the city. This access combined with his sheer enthusiasm and friendly rapport, allowed Clay to create quiet, poignant, portraits of everyday people that reflect the myriad beauty and electric spirit of New York City.

quotes:
"Portraits are a funny line between fiction and reality." -Enos

"I take most of my photos with the intention to share or honor. I am always aware that my pictures will be seen by others so I try to make images that are strong and compelling. But I am also aware that the people in my pictures need to be respected. Most of my portraits are a kind of visual dialogue between me and the subject. Since those interactions are usually steeped in gratitude and curiosity, the resulting images tend to share those traits. Make sense?" -Enos

images: