Gregory Crewdson

1) Short Biography

Gregory Crewdson was born in brooklyn on September 6th 1962. He graduated early at John Dewy High School. He was part of a punk rock group called 'The Speedies' when he was a teenager. Hewlett Packard used one of the groups songs in an advertisement to promote digital cameras. Crewdson studied photography in the 1980s at SUNY Purchase and he also received his fine 'Master of  fine arts' at Yele University. He is now a professor at the same university.

2) Visual Style

Gregory Crewdson's photos are very dramatic and cinematic. They are staged photos in which he hirea models and places to set up a scene to take a picture. They often feature disturbing, surreal events. Crewdson is very different to most other photographers as he plans a photo and sets it up.

3) Photos

This picture almost looks like a painting. This is similar to Dan Boultons work although this is less urban city. The black and white suggests depression and negative energy The paths makes the viewer follow with their eyes to the centre of the image giving off the impression that there is something more interesting there. The greyscale effect hides the true atmosphere of the place and gives it a sense of mystery.

This is very different from the first image.This image is in it's natural lighting and effects. The sky is very dark and gloomy. It shows the empty-nee of a small town / city in the winter days.This could represent loneliness and seclusion. This was all staged and behind the scenes is lots of cameras and equipment taking the shot. The emptiness and darkness of this photo suggest exactly who someone viewing it is feeling.

This picture is taking inside unlike the other two pictures i have shown. This one shows the insecurities a woman goes through by displaying different displays of the same woman in the mirror.This gives a very powerful image that most people, not just women, can relate to.

The lighting is gloomy and faded witch could suggest depression and negative energy. Also, I noticed that the woman is not in the centre of this picture and slightly to the left. This makes it so the audience is not just focusing is her and is more likely to take in the whole image and appreciate it more.

• http://www.gagosian.com/artists/gregory-crewdson
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Crewdson