I first discovered the gripping portraiture of accountant turned self-taught photographer Lee Jeffries back in December and have been following his journey ever since. His gritty and powerful portraits, most often of the homeless, have since appeared on CNN, Time and the Independant, and he’s even landed behind the camera from Olympian Sir Roger Bannister. Most recently he has a great interview over on 500px. I enjoyed this question:
Most of your portraits are closely cropped to reveal just the subject’s face. Can you explain your decision behind that?Jeffries also has a number of prints now available through YellowKorner.
It’s true… my images can be biased to front on views that closely frame the face. Processing in black and white reinforces the contrasts and shapes in the portrait. Infused with light and shadow, I make a conscious effort to place the emphasis on the relief of the face and the strength of the photograph lays in the emotional connection to the subject. I try to magnify the character… tell their story so that it is no longer possible for the viewer to remain indifferent. My photographs become an intimate and personal document which narrates a myriad of emotion.
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