Bettina Von Zwehl is my next main inspiration alongside Sam Taylor-Wood and Anna Linderstam. Her work is very much like Linderstam's in that she creates the studios and the conditions surrounding each shoot. Her approach to human features is the same as still life - the last thing that comes into frame is the person. She takes a long time previously to arrange the background, everything is measured to the millimetre. She usually has specific conditions like playing a specific type of music to the model or she will have a certain temperature in the studio to distract them from posing for the camera. These methods are subtle but effective, she normally works on her own in the studio, just her and the sitter because she likes to be totally in control. This control is similar to Linderstams work, the control of the pose and the control of the atmosphere, the situation and any emotions coming from her or the sitter.
Her work is fascinating, the photographs above are from a series where she simply did two shots... one of the subject inhaling and the other shot of the subject exhaling. The photos below are of her 'rain' series where she was focusing on sensuality - rains sudden power to transform or intensify a moment of experience, a common experience which individual reactions emerge. She captures the moment of intense response.. just like Linderstam.
I am going to do a shoot where I experiment with a method and see what reactions I get. I will have certain conditions for this treatment and I will document the process throughout and the results at the end of the emotional effects on the sitter/subject.
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