The Portrait Photography of Diane Arbus

Biography

Diane Arbus gained notoriety as a photographer who captured square portraits of people who lived on the fringes of society, including circus freaks in the traveling side shows common during the early to mid-20^th century.  She was the first American photographer to have her work displayed at a prestigious exhibition called the Venice Biennale, and she gained a reputation for connecting with her subjects in order to get multiple effective shots of them. Diane Arbus first become a photographer along with her husband when they first opened up a commercial photography business in New York City during the 1940s and 1950s.

Although Diane Arbus and her husband published large volumes of photos in magazines such as Vogue and Seventeen , they both disdained the fashion world and viewed the work as merely a livelihood. As Mrs. Arbus earned more assignments from the art world, she eventually needed to do fewer fashion shoots. Some of her mentors included Bernice Abbott and Lisette Model. She was eventually able to leave commercial photography and create photo exhibits of her own choice.   

Use of Light

Mrs. Arbus first began taking photos with a 35mm camera known for producing grainy and textured images; she later preferred the sharper square prints resulting from a twin lens reflex camera. Many of her portraits were taken in natural or existing light with much of the focus on her subjects’ facial expressions and unique mannerisms. Some of her later photos were done with a flash attached to a twin lens reflex camera in order to produce softer lighting.

Compositional Technique

Diane Arbus composed her subjects so that she was able to capture several different sides of their personalities. She became noted for her ability to capture a range of emotions from people of diverse backgrounds, including those with physical or intellectual disabilities. Many of these shots were striking to viewers for both their subject matter and compositional technique.

Use of Contrast

Diane Arbus’s shots were done primarily in black and white with some shots printed in a sepia tone.  During a time when color photography was starting to become more common, her black and white shots were often described as visually memorable.  She also gained recognition for collecting portfolios of ten of her best photos at a time and displaying them in light boxes with glass covers.  

Parting Thoughts

Mrs. Arbus’s photography is effective because it makes the viewer want to keep looking. Her subject matter makes viewers take a look at some of their fellow citizens that do not fit into the conventional mold of what is considered supposedly normal. Her work is probably best described with one of her oft-published quotes: “Freaks was a thing I photographed a lot. ... Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats.”