Photography Project: Initial Ideas

I am planning to do a chiaroscuro portrait photography project. Instead of a traditional portrait, I want to use the chiaroscuro style and focus on strong contrast between light and dark, like in the paintings of Caravaggio and Rembrandt (1st Art Gallery, 2023). I will focus on a minimalistic studio portrait and the use of artificial light, shadow and composition. Ideally, all the images will have the same bold style: dark background, limited expression, neutrality, and character anonymity. 

Rooney Mara by Platon

I was inspired by photographers such as Platon (minimalism, strong light),  Annie Leibovitz (expressive portraits, creative use of light and colour) and Steve McCurry. I am also inspired by Caravaggio’s paintings. His use of light brings the person out from the darkness and creates a dramatic feeling (ArtArtistsArtwork, 2023), as well as classic baroque paintings, where light and shadow build an ambience. I want my photos to be visually coherent and to build a specific atmosphere.

Judith Beheading Holofernes by Caravaggio

Whoopi Goldberg by Annie Leibovitz

I am considering several approaches to the subject:

• Focusing on a repetitive frame and model positioning to emphasise the universality and anonymity of the figure.

• Experimenting with different lighting arrangements (e.g. symmetrical lighting from two sides, side lighting).

• Introducing technical elements into the frame (e.g. visible studio lights) to emphasise the studio nature of the project. 

All the photos will be taken on a black background, with the use of artificial light. I’ll focus on form and light. The goal is to create a series that suggests more than tells a particular story.

The challenge is to keep the series coherent and to avoid monotony. I am planning to experiment with lighting and framing setups, to make each photo have a bit different atmosphere while keeping the general style of the project. 

I'm also inspired by Robert Moran's photographs. Both frames feature a strong contrast of light and black, an emphasised form of the figure, minimalistic and precise. In one photo, the figure sits, with the lines of the arms and legs highlighted, the light cutting out the silhouette against the black background (Adobe, 2025). The second photo shows the body and arms highlighted with side light, while the rest is drowned in darkness.

Moran, R. (2014) Kara.

Moran, R. (2014) Kara.

References:

1st Art Gallery (2023) 'The Tumultuous Life and Lasting Legacy of Caravaggio', available at: https://www.1st-art-gallery.com/article/the-tumultuous-life-and-lasting-legacy-of-caravaggio/ (Accessed: 22 July 2025).

Adobe (2025) Silhouette photography. Available at: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography/type/silhouette-photography.html (Accessed: 24 July 2025).

ArtsArtistsArtwork (6 May 2023) 'Discovering Caravaggio: The Master's Life, Art, and Legacy', available at: https://artsartistsartwork.com/discovering-caravaggio-the-masters-life-art-and-legacy/ (Accessed: 22 July 2025).

Leibovitz, A. (1984) Whoopi Goldberg, Berkeley, California. Available at: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/annie-leibovitz-whoopi-goldberg-berkeley-california-1985 (Accessed: 6 July 2025).

McCurry, S. (1984) Afghan Girl. Available at: https://aboutphotography.blog/blog/a-journey-of-discovery-steve-mccurry-and-the-search-for-the-afghan-girl (Accessed: 6 July 2025).

Moran, R. (2014) Chiaroscuro. Flickr. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7654576@N02/15109317981/ (Accessed: 24 July 2025).

Moran, R. (2014) Kara. Flickr. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7654576@N02/14765235339/ (Accessed: 24 July 2025).

Platon (n.d.) Rooney Mara. Photograph Available at: https://www.platonphoto.com/people?gallery=668ecf989e09b6542c922250&item=6a23f86f-5cdd-4d3f-8de8-9349dc8ce42a (Accessed: 6 July 2025).