Related themes


Posed/Unposed

Some photographers pose their subjects, others capture people in candid moments. Sometimes, it's hard to tell the difference.


Anonymous, San Francisco

Katy Grannan
(American, born 1969)

2010. Pigmented inkjet print, 55 x 41" (139.7 x 104.1 cm)

To make her Boulevard series, Katy Grannan turned the sun-drenched streets of California into an impromptu portrait studio. Each photograph is the result of an on-the-spot collaboration, made with the willing participation of her subjects, who she compensates for their time. Often using stark white walls as a backdrop, Grannan creates images that evoke the spontaneity of candid street photography and capture the individuality of her subjects—creating a tension between anonymity and the desire to be seen.