Kaitlyn Innerst-Style Writing

Joel-Peter Witkin

Witkin is an American native who now photographs in most of his images based out of New Mexico. Witkin holds a unique style in his photography. Known for his unconventional use of cadavers, Witkin displays intriguing, and to some extent gruesome, images. His photographs can be best described as feeling like it is so disturbing you cannot stop looking at it. He is not afraid to get in close with his subjects. The purpose of his photographs are not to please the viewer, but rather to question everything. For this reason, Witkins finds the most unusual subjects to capture his vision and push the boundaries of what society is supposed to look like. I find his work to be inspiring. Every one of his photographs grabs your attention and makes you question what is happening and why. I love photographs that do not give you a direct story but rather offers a more dynamic perspective to the viewer. Witkins is not afraid to shy away from dark, unconventional subject matter. His photographs are a bold statement. With this being said, his taste is not for everyone.

Witkins used film photography to create his images. High levels of contrast are present. It appears that some of his photographs are negatives. Additionally, Witkins incorporates other various techniques such as scratching, providing a unique feel to the image. While complex, his images seem to be very flat, indicating that he definitely did not use a wide-angle lens. Despite the lack of depth in the photographs, Witkins continues to provide an intriguing perspective.

Teun Hocks

The Dutch photographer, Teun Hocks, practices contemporary photography. He has been practicing photography since the 1970’s, with many of his well-known images occurring between 1991 and 2006. Teun Hocks brings the concept of abstract into his photographs. Typically, his compositions involve one single subject with a complex background that interacts nicely with each other. He used himself as a subject in many of his photographs, demonstrating his interest in self-portraits.  Hocks used oil on top of toned gelatin silver print. By doing so, it provides the photograph with a completely different feel. His photographs are a mix between a photo and a painting, adding more complexity to his abstract ideas. Additionally, Hocks enjoys playing with scale. His photos hold a great deal of depth, indicating that either a wide angle or a telephoto lens was used in the process of his digital photography.

Sven Marquardt

Sven Marquardt was born in Germany in 1962. Marquardt is best known for his portraiture photography. He has been photographing since 1982. Many of his images are demonstrative of the nightlife scene, practicing conceptual photography. These photos demonstrate high contrasts. He holds a distinct style in that he incorporates a level of tension in each composition. All of his photos are in black and white. He used film in the making of these images. I enjoy this because it allows me to focus in on the subject and notice the tiny details, which provides the viewer with a sense of intrigue. Marquardt used either a telephoto or wide angle lens in the making of his photos. We know this by analyzing the depth of his subjects. I really like Marquardt’s photography style. He demonstrates high contrast in each image. He gets in very close with his subjects. His style is definitely unconventional, which is why I find it so appealing.