Philippe Halsman
Philippe Halsman
Philippe Halsmanwas an American portrait photographer. He was born in Riga in the part of the Russian Empire which later became Latvia, and died in New York City...
NationalityLatvian
ProfessionPhotographer
Date of Birth2 May 1906
CountryLatvia
photography art reality
No photographer should be blamed when, instead of capturing reality, he tries to show things he has seen only in his imagination. Photography is the youngest art form. All attempts to enlarge its frontiers are important and should be encouraged.
beautiful photography writing
The word “photography” can be interpreted as “writing with light” or “drawing with light.” Some photographers are producing beautiful photographs by drawing with light.. Some other photographers are trying to tell something with their photographs. They are writing with light...
photography firsts prostitution
I drifted into photography like one drifts into prostitution. First I did it to please myself, then I did it to please my friends, and eventually I did it for the money.
character voice silence
[Revealing character] can't be done by pushing the person into position or arranging his head at a certain angle. It must be accomplished by provoking the victim, amusing him with jokes, lulling him with silence, or asking impertinent questions which his best friend would be afraid to voice.
important cameras photographer
The head of the photographer is more important than his camera
real fall self
In a jump, the subject, in a sudden burst of energy, overcomes gravity. He cannot simultaneously control his expressions, his facial and his limb muscles. The mask falls. The real self becomes visible. One only has to snap it with the camera.
god-love goddess phenomenal
Marilyn was history's most phenomenal love goddess.
real character self
Most people stiffen with self-consciousness when they pose for a photograph. Lighting and fine camera equipment are useless if the photographer cannot make them drop the mask, at least for a moment, so he can capture on his film their real, undistorted personality and character.
trying lenses actresses
I know of few actresses who have this incredible talent for communicating with a camera lens. She would try to seduce a camera as if it were a human being.
character intelligent men
I try to photograph her beauty; with a man I try to show his character. Once I photographed a man with a big nose, and emphasized his nose, and he was very pleased with the picture. That could not happen with a woman. The most intelligent woman will reject a portrait if it doesn't flatter her. Only once in my whole career did it happen that a blonde asked me, 'Please make me look intelligent.' Unfortunately it was impossible.
eye cameras looks
I make the woman look at the camera as a symbol of all the eyes that will see the picture I am making.
mother children asking
I am often asked which picture is my favorite. This is like asking a mother which child she likes the most.
lying portraiture lenses
Herein lies the main objective of portraiture and also its main difficulty. The photographer probes for the innermost. The lens sees only the surface... .
mother children people
Of the thousands of people, celebrated and unknown, who have sat before my camera, I am often asked who was the most difficult subject, or the easiest, or which picture is my favorite. This last question is like asking a mother which child she likes the most