Candid portraits in street photography
The eyes of women as captured by Christian Stops.
"For where is any author in the world
Teaches such beauty as a woman's eye?"
“From women's eyes this doctrine I derive:
They sparkle still the right Promethean fire;
They are the books, the arts, the academes,
That show, contain and nourish all the world.”
— William Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost
Today, I would like to discuss candid portraits, with a focus on the work of photographer Christian Stops. He has a particular passion for capturing women, and I admire his exquisite black-and-white photography, which ranges from pure white through various shades of grey to deep black, revealing intricate details in each image.
What stands out to me is that, although he features attractive women, these are not mere fashion shots. The women in his portraits possess distinct personalities and exude a sense of liveliness, rather than serving as icons of some idealised standard, even when they are dressed stylishly. It seems that Christian waits for the perfect moment of eye contact to take his shots. Each woman is beautiful, not solely because of the way she poses or the clothing she wears, but because of the expressions in her eyes. Christian appears to embrace Audrey Hepburn's profound belief that a woman's true beauty is reflected in her gaze. Additionally, I noticed that almost all the women he photographs give him challenging looks, as if they are aware of someone capturing their beauty.
