Eric Nehr

Eric Nehr is a portraiture photographer from France. He photographed people that he found on the street, brought them to his studio. He stripped them put of their natural habitat and they appear lost, dazed, confused. Nehr gives no social indicators about the models, only first names, which makes their isolation seem all more poignant. "Today's young men and women, the photographer seems to be saying, have no such anchoring - no stable jobs, no guarantees of secure futures, no extended families to count on, only rootlessness and alienation." (William A. Ewing, 2008)

Eric Nehr, Margaret 2003

Eric Nehr, Stephane 2000

These close up portraits are very simple. The models are stripped naked, without any jewellers or clothes.  Photographer used natural daylight that rubs out the dramatisation and the background colours in these images are subtle. Models are usually facing the camera or are turned three-quarters. However, they are not looking at the camera. "They look - but at nothing."(William A. Ewing, 2008) They look confused and lost in their mind.

I like how these portraits makes me think what these people are thinking about and why they are not looking at the camera. They are simple, but strong.



Bibliography:

Bouruet-Aubertot, V. (2006) Eric Nehr • Galerie Anne Barrault. Available at: http://www.galerieannebarrault.com/eric_nehr/expo_eng.html

Ewing, W.A. and Herschdorfer, N. (2008) Face: The new photographic portrait. London: Thames & Hudson.