David Bailey Analysis

David Bailey was born on 2nd January 1938. He began his career working as an assistant at the john French Studio he then went on to photograph for john Cole's studio five then later on he as contracted to be a photographer for well selling magazine vogue.

This is a portrait photography of American actor/film director Jack Nicholson. Jack Nicholson was famous for his line in the movie 'the shining' which was 'Heres Johnny' in this photograph his facial expressions look like he was reacting this phrase. 

The shining was a horror movie written by Stephen king about a family that  heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father (Jack Nicholson) into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and of the future. So this photo could be trying to portray the character he played in this movie. 

The fact that one side of his face is lighten could suggest this is the good in him and the darker side is intact the darker side of him after he changes into this violent person with his facial expressions looking close to a scream swell he could potential be screaming out as this transformation happens.

This is taken in a portrait way making the figure centred, this close up gives us a facial point as-well as we can see the whole face and facial expressions.The way the background is all white gives us a more focus on the model but to do this and still have a dark and light side of the model there must have been in a white studio with a variety of lights shining on the face of Jack.

The way Jack Nicholson's facial expressions are i would say this was planned, However this photography was potentially taken in the 60's where no digital cameras were made so it was taken using a film camera which means David bailey had to make sure he got plenty of snaps of Jack Nicholson and everything was exactly right especially the lighting.

The mood of this piece creates fear in the person analysing it because of the expression on the models face as-well as the way the lighting is positioned. I think the artist David Bailey was trying to show the personality of the character Jack Nicholson played though still image using only facial expressions and lighting.