Researching Photographers

To gain further knowledge in terms of R & B / Hip-Hop photography, I have explored Mike Schreiber's work to find out how and where these photographs are best taken. His photographs represent the target audience for mainly hip-hop music. By exploring these images and researching Schreibers work, I will have a better idea of what shots and settings will be best for my own work.

Schreiber is a self taught photographer from New York. His work is often music themed and involves aspects of the hip-hop cultures which has made his work feature in Esquire Magazine, Rolling Stone, Trace, New York Magazine, Lurve, Vibe, XXL, Slam, Spin and Arise. Schreiber has also shot ad campaigns for Mountain Dew and AND-1. He has other clients, including Atlantic Records, Epic Records, Sony, Universal Records and Koch records.The subjects of his work varies and often includes entertainers. Schreibers photographs are mainly black and white which reflects his humanistic approach to life. A essence of cultural life is captured in his photographs.


His images especially represent the target audience of hip-hop music because of the type of shot and also the editing of the image. He uses a range of shots for his images, ranging from mainly medium close-ups to long shots. The images are mostly black and white and often have a high contrast; this (as well as the expression of the model in the photograph) makes the images look serious and gives them more of a grunge feel. To give this effect, the editing of the image is important because it makes the image represent the target audience because it is in the style of hip-hop culture. I will use these techniques in my own images when capturing this style. The mise-en-scene in his work represent the genre of music well as the models follow the stereotypes that are associated with hip hop music; for example, fashion, race and expressions/positions.

These images represent the target audience in many ways. Firstly, some of Schreiber's images represent Laura Mulvey's theory that women are used as 'erotic objects of desire' to get the attention of male viewers, but in this case it is also applied with visa versa roles too. His images represent the target audience by following the culture of hip-hop music as well; for example, the fashion and objects in his images as well as the pose and expression of the model.

Below is a link to a video of an interview with Mike Schreiber. He describes how he became interested in photography, and photography for this genre of music and who has influenced him to do what he does today.
http://vimeo.com/16212990

Schrieber has released a book called True Hip-Hop that his portrait photography features in. Below is a video of his book release party.
http://vimeo.com/44756412

Overall, I like Schreiber's photographs that are based around the subject of hip-hop music and fashion because they are interesting to look at: although they are mainly of things that people are seen doing every day, he captures the action/pose with culture in a way that intrigues the viewer. As a further point, the models and lighting represent important themes of the culture. In my own work, I will create images that represent the hip-hop culture by using similar themes to Schreiber's work and use a similar way of editing my images to give a serious look which will help capture the culture of this genre in my work.