[Pics] Is a Portrait Still a Portrait Without a Face?

Shape is an eery black & white portrait series by French photographer Quentin Arnaud, who used low-key lighting to highlight the shape of his subject's heads while obscuring any definitive facial features. Let us know what you think.











 
via [PetPixel] [OrmsConnect]
 
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Kenn Tam's picture

Been holding this damn camera in my hand since 1991.
Toronto / New York City

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24 Comments

Creepily amazing...

Not in my book. For me, a portrait is supposed to convey character, emotion. How does that happen without a face...or at least eyes and a mouth? Beats me.

Then again it's just semantics, right ^_^

Wow! That's an eerie effect! Still though, with the raid features mid-face missing completely (i.e. the nose, cheekbones, eyebrows) the finished effect would have to be at least part photoshoped, wouldn't it? The angles don't appear to be *that* drastic ....

I'm a HUGE fan of less-is-more, so I'm giving these photos 5-stars and two-thumbs-up! :)

Wonderful concept and perfectly executed. Well done.

These are amazing!

 if you can get the essence of the subject, it's a portrait

nice work!

Interesting concept. I appreciate creativity in lighting, therefore I greatly appreciate these images. However, I don't think I personally care for them. 

I agree with you on this one... I dont care for them either 

Thanks for the article.
I'm working on identity. Think about it. 
Faceless people have identity. Watch them beyond the "eye-nose-mouth" usual recognition.
Thank you for the support again. Much appreciated.
Quearn (http://fb.me/quearnphotography)

Incredibly un-nerving.  Remind me of the kids without faces in The Wall.

Amazing! It takes away all the emotion and brings forth an empty shell of a person. 

I'm for it! when we were in studio in college we called this lighting set-up demon lighting because of the horns of light that were cast

Is it pretty similar to Arnold Newmans setup "Devil lighting"?
http://iconicphotos.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/newman.jpg?w=339&h=416

yeah exactly! that's where we got it from haha

Well executed. And, yes, a bit creepy. 

LOL! The more you stare at each photo the creepier it gets. (Alien like)
Great stuff.

por·trait  [pawr-trit, -treyt, pohr-]
noun1.a likeness of a person, especially of the face, as a painting,drawing, or photograph: a gallery of family portraits.It is still a likeness of a person, so yes it is a portrait. Do i like it? Well... hell yeah :)

j'aime!

i like it alot. reminds me of the movie dick tracy with the man with no face, played by Madonna in a mask.

[img]http://adland.tv/files/theblank3.jpg[/img]

I don't know if it's a portrait but it's creative and I love it! 

Makes me think of the whole "We are anonymous" movement... Well executed, cool looking, but I don't think it will stick in my mind for a very long time. I don't know... maybe it'll grow on me.

Great concept and execution. Is a portrait a portrait without a face? Look at Albert Watson's photograph of Mike Tyson and then you'll know that yes it is!

Amazing idea and execution

wow this is a great idea for my A level photography project on hidden identity :DDD