photo

1. Writing about the photographers’
work
• Why have you chosen this
photographer’s work?
• What techniques does the photographer
use to make their portraits look
unusual?
• How does the way the photograph is
manipulated or edited affect the
interpretation of the image?
• What are the strong elements within the
work that make it successful?
• Can you find a quote from the
photographer or a critic describing their
style?
Michal Macku

2. Writing about the photographers’ work
• Why have you chosen this photographer’s work?
I am inspired by the unusual portraits of Michal Macku because the way he tears
the images is unique and adds atmosphere.
• What techniques does the photographer use to make their portraits look
unusual?
Macku uses a technique he calls gellage. He transfers the photographic print
onto a transparent and plastic gelatin substance that can be moved and moulded
into shape. The fragility of the print allows him to easily rip, tear or scratch the
surface. This portrait is also unusual because the models face cannot be seen.
• How does the way the photograph is manipulated or edited affect the
interpretation of the image?
The scratches disfigure the face and portray a feeling of pain and anguish. The
ripped paper gives the impression that the person in the portrait is trying to take
away or hide something about themselves.
• What are the strong elements within the work that make it successful?
The black and white image has a range of tones and heavy shadows from hard
lighting. The shadows emphasise the form of the body.
• Can you find a quote from the photographer or a critic describing their
style?
"I use the nude human body (mostly my own) in my pictures. Through the
photographic process [of Gellage], this concrete human body is compelled to
meet with abstract surroundings and distortions. This connection is most exciting
for me and helps me to find new levels of humanness in the resulting work”.
Michal Macku commenting on his work.
www.michal-macku.eu
Michal Macku