photoelegance

Gilden presents his subject’s faces as an element that tells an untold story leaving the viewer to come up with one. He is most curious about strong characters and people who stand out of a crowd.

Gilden goes up close to his subjects with an electronic flash and takes their picture from a low angle making the subject look larger. However, Gilden talks about how he tries to be a little sneaky about because he does not want his subject to know they are being photographed. Most of the people he captured didn’t notice or react to the flash; when they did notice his subjects assumed Gilden was taking a picture of something behind them. He selects people who he thinks wouldn’t mind getting their pictures taken and does it in a respectful manner even though it is intrusive. Gilden selects a certain individual that is unique from the way they walk to how they dress. As he keeps doing this, it becomes harder for him because he sees people tending to look and dress alike but he sees this as a challenge to capture people who are different. Gilden strives for a strong emotional punch in the gut, yet the picture is beautifully composed. 

When he takes these pictures, he wants the viewer to see that each person has a life of their own and see that as an element/symbol of mystery involved. This gives the viewer a chance to come up with their own story and remind the viewer of someone they might know by looking at the subject’s face; brightening up their day. Gilden tries to achieve this with each of his photographs. He is using a smaller palette because he is just taking someone’s face, but it is still saying more. He knows people are lost in their head daydreaming or thinking so he tries to capture that while they are unaware. The closer he gets he can get a stronger emotion and relay that emotion to the viewer.   

Leica M6 with 28mm lens and off camera flash. Gilden’s most important equipment he uses is the flash gun which helps bring out the character of the strangers he photographed. He also prefers using a wide-angle lens and getting close to his subject to bring out a more intimate and heightened look.  

“I’m known for taking pictures very close, and the older I get, the closer I get.”  

Bruce Gilden