Whenever briefing photographers at Harper’s Bazaar, Art Director Alexey Brodovitch would send them off with the same brief – ‘Astonish me!’.
With a lot of photography today, it feels like the brief is ‘Can you do it like that?’.
It’s understandable, it’s easier to get a client to approve your vision if you show them an example of exactly what it looks like.
But the most difficult job in advertising is stopping people to engage with your idea, and one thing that stops people more than most is the unusual – something they haven’t seen before.
There’s never been a point in human history where more people have been trying to attract the public’s attention.
So the need to surprise, intrigue and astonish has never been greater.
Astonishing jumps queues.
Different gets waved to the front.
Even odd will get preferential treatment.
Scottish photographer Alan David-Tu’s images won’t be confused with other photographers.
Whether a pair of sneakers, a face or a roll of gaffer tape – they’re astonishing.
Yes brilliant! I wonder if he inspired that grace jones cut out portrait which has since been copied
I didn’t realise it was such an old thing! Just like old masters projecting tracing then painting
Hey Al,
Yep, it’s an amazing technique, most would assume it’s all photoshop. D.
Lovely stuff.