Proof: Martin Schoeller on Intimate Portraiture | National Geographic

I was always drawn to these close-up

I was always drawn to these close-up portraits because no matter what the

portraits because no matter what the

portraits because no matter what the circumstances I would always walk away

circumstances I would always walk away

circumstances I would always walk away with a picture that that I liked that I

with a picture that that I liked that I

with a picture that that I liked that I felt was kind of a simple

felt was kind of a simple

felt was kind of a simple straightforward honest portrait I always

straightforward honest portrait I always

straightforward honest portrait I always felt like it was the most essential the

felt like it was the most essential the

felt like it was the most essential the most valid picture something that was

most valid picture something that was

most valid picture something that was just all about the person and not about

just all about the person and not about

just all about the person and not about the clothes not about the environment

the clothes not about the environment

the clothes not about the environment not about that background not giving any

not about that background not giving any

not about that background not giving any hints to their social status and while

hints to their social status and while

hints to their social status and while I’m photographing I’m talking to them

I’m photographing I’m talking to them

I’m photographing I’m talking to them and playing music so I’m trying to make

and playing music so I’m trying to make

and playing music so I’m trying to make them laugh and it’s always these

them laugh and it’s always these

them laugh and it’s always these in-between moments that I’m trying to

in-between moments that I’m trying to

in-between moments that I’m trying to capture when feels intimate when they’re

capture when feels intimate when they’re

capture when feels intimate when they’re not taking on any trained expression

not taking on any trained expression

not taking on any trained expression when they’re more raw unexpected when

when they’re more raw unexpected when

when they’re more raw unexpected when they’re kind of forget that they’re

they’re kind of forget that they’re

they’re kind of forget that they’re being photographed for a moment if you

being photographed for a moment if you

being photographed for a moment if you ask the people that are not in the

ask the people that are not in the

ask the people that are not in the pictures they all like them and say oh

pictures they all like them and say oh

pictures they all like them and say oh my god if it’s the honors that feel so

my god if it’s the honors that feel so

my god if it’s the honors that feel so different from all the other portraiture

different from all the other portraiture

different from all the other portraiture that I’m used to seeing out there and I

that I’m used to seeing out there and I

that I’m used to seeing out there and I would say half of my subjects feel the

would say half of my subjects feel the

would say half of my subjects feel the same way and the other half are oh my

same way and the other half are oh my

same way and the other half are oh my god that’s so close I look so old oh my

god that’s so close I look so old oh my

god that’s so close I look so old oh my god my pores photographing things the

god my pores photographing things the

god my pores photographing things the same way and then building a platform

same way and then building a platform

same way and then building a platform building it catalog invites people to to

building it catalog invites people to to

building it catalog invites people to to compare that enables the viewer to to

compare that enables the viewer to to

compare that enables the viewer to to look at eyes in a different way it’s not

look at eyes in a different way it’s not

look at eyes in a different way it’s not just eyes on a person it’s like how is

just eyes on a person it’s like how is

just eyes on a person it’s like how is different you can study different eyes

different you can study different eyes

different you can study different eyes you can study different lips I never

you can study different lips I never

you can study different lips I never would call myself an artist I’m a

would call myself an artist I’m a

would call myself an artist I’m a photographer I think one of the most

photographer I think one of the most

photographer I think one of the most important things in life in general has

important things in life in general has

important things in life in general has to be curiosity that you want to look

to be curiosity that you want to look

to be curiosity that you want to look behind the scenes you want to be you

behind the scenes you want to be you

behind the scenes you want to be you know more involved you want to learn you

know more involved you want to learn you

know more involved you want to learn you want to meet new people you want to go

want to meet new people you want to go

want to meet new people you want to go places discipline is almost more

places discipline is almost more

places discipline is almost more important than Talent it’s a lot of

important than Talent it’s a lot of

important than Talent it’s a lot of discipline the good old German coming

discipline the good old German coming

discipline the good old German coming through the Lutheran German

through the Lutheran German

through the Lutheran German hard work ethics