22 Comments

Interesting. I love that photo at the bottom. Very nice. The images almost look like oil paintings and the rolling stone idea is great. Thanks for posting.
Logo Design
2009-01-16 20:56:23

denis scares me....

hilary needs to get off the weed!
Jan One
2009-01-16 22:19:55

Wow, I'm so glad I didn't have to register. Regardless, I would have went out of my way to make this comment......WHAT A TASTELESS TITLE!!!!!!! Shock factors are sooooo overrated and played out.
roy smith
2009-01-17 13:37:40

Dear CR Blog,


Let's not confuse our 5 year old readers anymore with complicated and convoluted figures of speech please.

"Kander shoots obama's people."
Might read highly controversial, and alarming to our young readers.

Perhaps we should go for a more literal title for our junior readers, a friendlier and more blatant title, that leaves no room for errors in comprehension.

"Kander points a Photographic camera at Obama's People to capture their likeness."

from:
The Order of Concerned Readers of the Comprehension of Editorial Titles by Simple Minded People.
Alessandro Echevarria
2009-01-17 17:51:34

I was telling a colleague that I don't think Nadav Kander -- who I respect immensely -- was the right choice for this "rush job."

Nadav is a craftsman who requires a reasonable amount of time to develop his art. And, I'm sorry, but as good as some of these photographs are, pretty much any first-rate commercial photographer could have created these portraits. Still, I'm not sure if any photographer -- even Richard Avedon, were he still alive -- could have done a better job under the unreasonable circumstances.

Incidentally, the photo that commenter "Logo Design" loved was shot by Arianne Teeple and Patrick should give credit where credit is due if he is going to post a photo on this page, lest readers will think one of Nadav's assistants photographed him.
Reality Check
2009-01-17 20:22:00

I am writing you in concern to the photo of Nadav Kander against the Washington Monument posted on your blog. I was the scouting photographer for the assignment and took the portrait you posted of Nadav at the bottom of your post. Thank you for your interest in my work but it would be much appreciated to get a credit for the photograph. Thank you.
Arianne Teeple
2009-01-17 22:14:01

@Arianne
Apologies, the credit has now been added. If you give me your web address we can link to that too
 Patrick Burgoyne
2009-01-17 23:18:05

These photos are average, at best. Hilary looks bloated, Summers looks like he lost his neck, too many blackberrys, and general oddities (what's all that sh*t coming out of Love's coat?).

These photos are nowhere as enigmatic or triumphant as Avedon's work. Any competent beginner with a digital camera could have produced a better collection of images. Too bad.
Roy
2009-01-18 17:39:52

Thank you for your understanding.
Arianne Teeple
2009-01-18 18:00:55

See more of Nadav's work @ Gallery Stock
http://www.gallerystock.com/search_results.aspx?sm=1&searchstring=Nadav+Kander
Gallery Stock
2009-01-18 20:45:50

Alessandro's got the right idea. I'm shocked and disappointed that this thread has attracted so much negative, snippy, small-minded, badly written bollocks from people who doubtless think of themselves as part of the UK's creative community. Wrong on both counts, guys.
Paul Rodger
2009-01-22 13:25:25

I quite liked them. I found the title attention grabbing, then easily understandable in context. I enjoy Creative Review, and can't understand why a collection of Daily Mail readers seem to have taken to venting their bile via these comments.
Georgia
2009-01-22 14:34:23

I believe New York based photographer Gregory Heisler would have been a better choice for the portfolio. Gregory captures the essence of his subject, not a caricature.

Bob Callahan
Stamford, Connecticut
Bob Callahan
2009-01-22 14:43:55

Pedestrian at best, Platon could have made a better job.
Almost photobooth quality to them, could it be that without a team of creative's kanders work becomes, dare we say ordinary! how it can be compared to Avedons work is a source of some astoundment to me, Avendons stark uncompromising portraits where a world away from these so-so pictures.
Arron Mcqueen
2009-01-22 17:30:43

These look nothing like oil paintings, anyone who say so has never looked at a real oil painting (and not a screen representation). As a photographer anything I say about these is going to sound sour grapes-ish but I do think as portraits of govermant they are fairly ordinary - how to make them more exciting/interesting maybee the wrong atitude for the subject matter.
They need to be fairly sober, start getting funky or gimmicky and you'll be focussing on the wrong thing, photography is often about the subject and not the Artisan.
Job well done I say.
Jon-Paul Mountford
2009-01-22 17:41:34

One of the things the slideshow fails to bring out is the intelligent juxtaposition of the photos in the printed magazine. I posted a few pictures here:


http://www.losowsky.com/magtastic/2009/obamas-people/

Really adds to the feeling of the whole piece.
Andrew
2009-01-22 18:32:07

Two shoot-through umbrellas and a top light for each subject (and a fair bit of post-processing)? The same photobooth sentiment for the most powerful team in the US, possibly the world?

Now I know location work can be stressful and these are important people to have to deal with but surely better planning and a more sophisticated lighting set-up would have yielded a more creative/sympathetic rendering for Nadav's subjects.

I'm sorry but Kander is not an Avedon. End of.
Roger Mann
2009-01-23 11:52:39

Not perhaps the most flattering images individually, but I do really like them as a collection.

Why? They're just so different to what one might expect of political portraiture. So they actually feel like they're part of a change.

The fact they've been shot honestly does makes me feel a change really could be taking place in the US. Could it be?

Lend me you fingers, and I'll cross them too!
Gavin Martin
2009-01-23 16:05:32

I live in NY and subscribe to the NYTimes. When the magazine section was delivered, I looked at the touted photos immediately. What a disappointment! This guy is no Avedon. I was amazed that the AD of the magazine section who is really very good, didn't have something to say about them. Needless to say, my letter to the editor voicing this opinion was not printed this week.
Cornelia East
2009-01-26 00:00:45

Whilst I can understand some the criticism of this project here (for what it's worth, I agree with Reality Check) - I'm not sure the Avedon comparison is a useful one. Two very different photographers, each relevant to their time. No doubt Avedon had his critics.
Craig Thomas
2009-01-27 09:43:57

aphotoeditor had some fun with the behind the scenes shots...

http://www.aphotoeditor.com/2009/01/16/nadav-kander-and-the-ny-times-magazine-the-real-behind-the-scenes/
Nick T
2009-01-27 19:04:56

I agree with Craig Thomas with the relevance of the times. Kander has a recognizable style that also is a reflection of his contemporary technological advancements. I'm familiar with his work, and I appreciate how his own personality is reflected in these portraits. They are so errie, sterile... Everyone should look at his other work. Maybe it'll give those who think that his efforts are a waste, a chance to reconsider.
Cera
2009-01-28 00:40:44

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