Felix_Nadar_Bio

Felix Nadar was arguably one of the best portrait photographers of the 19th century. Of French descent, he was a writer as well as a caricaturist before he became a photographer. In his young age, he first studied medicine. However, it was his father’s publishing house going bankrupt that caused him to earn his own living. He began by writing for newspapers, and later settled in Paris where he created caricatures for humor magazines. He became an expert photographer by 1853, but surprisingly only spent six years in the field. This proved to be more than enough time to demonstrate his exceptional skill and creativity. Perhaps the most inspiring element I uncovered about Felix Nadar was his overall view on photography. He truly left me feeling nothing less then downright giddy when I discovered his take on learning the techniques of photography. He stated that the techniques of photography could be learned, but other qualities could not: It’s the sense of light, it’s the artistic appreciation of the effects produced by different and combined qualities of light, it’s the applying of this or that effect according to the nature of the face that you have to reproduce as an artist. What can be learned still less is the moral intelligence of your subject, it’s the swift tact that puts you in communion with the model, makes you size him up, grasp his habits and ideas in accordance with his character, and allows you to render, not an indifferent plastic reproduction that could be made by the lowliest laboratory worker, commonplace and accidental, but the resemblance that is most familiar and most favorable, the intimate resemblance (National Gallery of Art). His eloquent summary permeated deep into my soul as I recalled practicing every aspect each and every time I photographed someone. For me, it’s that innate feeling of wanting to capture an individual in there most natural yet revealing state. To really articulate the core of whom the person is and what he is about. Such that, when viewed by others, the photograph creates a story any eye can read. Seemingly, Nadar mastered this effortlessly and in its entirety. Further, I found myself intrigued by Nadar’s innovative desire to “go where no man had ever gone.” He was the first to attempt both aerial and underground photography. His aerial photography was used in mapmaking and surveying (www.profotos.com). In fact, his first aerial was from a balloon. Interestingly, this very concept “led Daumier, a social commentator, to issue a satirical lithograph of Nadar photographing Paris from a balloon. It was titled ‘Nadar Raising Photography to the Height of Art’” (www.profotos.com). With our recent class discussions, I found this to be ironically fitting. Nadar was also one of the first to photograph using electric light. This aided him in producing the first “photo interview.” This consisted of a series of twenty-one photos of the French scientist, Eugene Chevreul, in conversation. Each picture was captioned with responses to Nadar’s questions. This allowed for Chevreul’s personality to be represented. (Encyclopedia Britannica) It reminds me of a mini film. Nadar was truly one of the most prominent photographers of his day. I was easily able to find elements of his photos that truly resonated with me and my own portrait photography. Often, I feel many expect a portrait to depict a perfectly centered, smiling individual whose eyes are looking right into the lens. Nadar beautifully contradicted this, almost validating my appreciation for my own images that don’t seem to “follow the rules.” Chosen Images This photo was taken in 1854 of illustrator Gustave Dore. I love Dore’s sort of nonchalant, yet sophisticated nature. This is a fine example of how profound a portrait can be even when the subject doesn’t seem to be “paying attention.” Although taken in the 1800s, I feel it could easily be published in GQ magazine even today. I imagine this was a combination of Nadar’s keen ability to capture Dore’s inner personality as well as posing him appropriately to further reflect this. (Obtained from the Art Institute of Chicago website.) The next photo I chose was also taken early in Nadar’s career. It is of his wife Ernestine Nadar in 1854. As the Getty Art Gallery website pointed out, she displays that all too familiar expression of not wanting to be photographed. I have come across this many times with reluctant subjects and empathize as I am certain I probably emit the same scowl and “get it over with” demeanor while being photographed! The “pose” clearly reiterates her discontent. (Obtained from the Getty Art Gallery website) This photo is of a prominent lawyer and politician, Adolphe Cremieux. Nadar had great respect for Cremieux because their political views often matched. Thus, he apparently began the sitting by using the “best light and adjusting the lens” (Getty Art Gallery website). As the website pointed out, Nadar placed the camera just below the subject’s eye level to signify stature--a simple adjustment that evokes so much. Of course, Cremieux’s seemingly self righteous expression also adds to the interpretation. I chose the last image, a self portrait of Nadar and his wife taken in 1865 because they were passionate aeronauts. Also, because of his use of the balloon to begin taking aerial images which led to Daumier’s comment. Not to mention, I simply loved viewing it! It truly captured a “sign of the times”. I still find it fascinating being able to get an idea of the personality of their relationship by reading their expressions and body language. (Obtained from the National Gallery of Art website)