Studio 54

This is an untitled photograph taken by Tod Papageorge. Typically a wildlife photographer, became fascinated with the garish and glamorous nightlife that inhabited the popular nightclub Studio 54.  Papageorge began making regular visits to the world famous hotspot, taking with him his 6 by 9 camera. His goal was to document rather than exploit the subjects of his photos, specifically avoiding celebrities in attendance unlike the majority of the clubs photographer populous.

This particular photograph is an example of his focus on action rather than persona. He captures the textures of the bar, the man’s velvet suit, and his companion’s satin jumper. He also is very conscious of the two glasses of liquor in each of the people’s hands. The cropping of the faces makes the focus of the picture the action of the people drinking, and of the different rich textures interacting. It is no longer a portrait of people but almost a portrait of their behavior.

I feel that this is an interesting image. The different textures give it multi faceted quality that keeps my eye moving. However without context it almost seems to be a snapshot that was aimed too low cutting of the subjects’ heads. Once placed in the photo-essay it is much stronger and over all contributes to the collection as a whole.