Inspiration: Arnold Newman

During my leave of absence this past year, I got into the habit of going to the local library and taking out as many books on different photographers as they would let me. I stumbled upon Arnold Newman during one afternoon and loved his portraits. I loved how he often photographed his subjects in areas they were comfortable in or surrounded by objects for which they were well known, such as the image of Berenice Abbott, also a photographer, who is reading a newspaper and has camera equipment.

The portrait of Pablo Picasso, taken 1954, is absolutely stunning. I love how the light and shadows play across his face. Newman did lots of environmental portraits, how ever it is clear that he was not worried about dong things ''correct," and I am interested in trying to take some environmental portraits at some point

New York Times Obituary