This document contains summaries of portraits taken by famous British photographer John Hedgecoe between 1964-1999. It includes portraits of fashion designer Mary Quant from 1964, Queen Elizabeth II from 1966, artist Henry Moore from 1966-1967, artist David Hockney from 1972, and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from 1999. For each portrait, it provides factual information about the subject, context for the photo, technical details of when and how it was taken, and an aesthetic assessment of the photo.
2. Mary Quant
1964
Factual:
Mary Quant was a British fashion designer in the 1960's.
She claimed to start many new trends that are still
fashionable today.
Context:
This picture of Mary Quant is part of an album of
portraits of people. This photo fits in because it is black
and white and John Hedgecoe has used the rule of
thirds to make the subject be the focal point.
Technical:
This photo was taken in 1964 so John Hedgecoe will
have probably used an SLR film camera. The lighting is
very bright as Hedgecoe has lit up the left side of the
picture and the back wall.
Aesthetic:
I like this picture because of the composition in the
picture and the lighting techniques. Because the photo is
black and white there is a big contrast from the back
sofa and her hair to the white walls with the bright lights
shined on to them.
http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/display/20001/john-hedgecoe-portraits.php
3. Queen Elizabeth II
1966
Factual:
John Hedgecoe is an award winning British
photographer who was famous for many artistic photos.
Context:
This photo was taken in 1966 after being commisioned
by the post master general to take photos of Queen
Elizabeth II for the postage stamps. This photo fits with
the others in the album as it was solely for the Queen.
Technical:
In the 1960's digital cameras had not been invented so
Hedgecoe will have used an SLR and then developed
the images later on.
Aesthetic:
As you can see there was a side light that shone onto
her face producing a contrast from light to dark. I think
this is a good photo of a standstill subject as it captures
her elegance.
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/photo-news/535676/queen-stamp-photographer-john-hedgecoe-dies-update-3-30pm
4. Henry Moore
1966
Factual:
This is a picture of Henry Moore who was a British
artist and sculptor who was supported by the British
Art Establishment (BEA). He made many large scale
sculptures for customers which is why he became
well known in the Artist circles.
Context:
This photo is part of a series of black and white
photos of Henry Moore in 1966.
Technical:
This photo was taken in the 1960's so John
Hedgecoe will have used an SLR film camera most
probably.
Aesthetic:
I think this is a good photo as Henry Moore is kind of
creating an abstract picture frame for his face which
gives the photo excellent composition and contrast.
His hand create shadows in different places in the
picture.
http://www1.topfoto.co.uk/gallery/JohnHedgecoePortraits/ppages/ppage20.htm
5. Henry Moore
1967
Factual:
This is a picture of Henry Moore who was a British
artist and sculptor who was supported by the British
Art Establishment (BEA). He made many large scale
sculptures for customers which is why he became
well known in the Artist circles.
Context:
This photo is part of a series of black and white
photos of Henry Moore in 1967.
Technical:
This photo was taken in the 1960's so John
Hedgecoe will have used an SLR film camera most
probably.
Aesthetic:
I think this is a good photo as Henry Moore is
reaching for something maybe for the light. The focal
point of the photo is his outstretched hand. It also
shows a depth of field as his hand is much closer to
the camera than his body.
http://www.henry-moore.org/hmf/friends
6. David Hockney
1972
Factual:
This is a picture of David Hockney in 1972 at the
age of 35. David is an English painter,
draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and
photographer. He was considered one of the most
influential British artists in the 20th century.
Context:
This photo is a one off taken by John Hedgecoe in
David Hockney’s Bayswater Studio in 1972.
Technical:
This photo was taken in the 1970's so John
Hedgecoe will have probably used an SLR film
camera because digital cameras had not been
invented. The lighting is key here with the face
bright and the background dark creating a contrast.
Aesthetic:
I think this is an excellent photo as it shows emotion
in the face and the eyes are drooped. The face also
has a comical look as well which makes it nice to
look at.
http://www.scva.ac.uk/exhibitions/archive/index.php?exhibition=97&exhibit=311
7. Margaret Thatcher
1999
Factual:
This is a picture of Margaret Thatcher who was the first
female Prime Minister in Britain. She was the longestserving PM in the 20th century and her policies that
she stated where later know as Thatherism.
Context:
This photo is a one off photo of Margaret Thatcher
taken by John Hedgecoe in 1999.
Technical:
This photo was taken in the late 1990's so John
Hedgecoe will have probably used an SLR film camera
but maybe a digital SLR. The lighting is good in this
photo as there is a side light and a light from the top so
only the left half of her face is bright. This also creates
a contrast from light to dark.
Aesthetic:
I think this photo is alright as it is clear and crisp and
the lighting really captures the Iron Lady.
http://www1.topfoto.co.uk/gallery/JohnHedgecoePortraits/ppages/ppage40.htm
