What focal length lens for Bailey's birthday portrait of the Queen?

I'd be ready to bet it was Rolleiflex 2.8f with 80mm Planar and close up, perhaps even with a Rolleinar. As a matter of fact, I think the photo is too distorted because of this. While the queen looks more human(Perhaps she enjoyed being shot by this old joker) , she also looks ugly.
Edit: from the other frame, it looks like a Hassy shot, but again, I think the lens was too short.
 
I like this style, normal lens close in. It seems intimate to me, the long lenses make people so flat and distant.
 
From 2008:

While taking a portrait of UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently, Bailey was reportedly asked if he ever uses digital.

“Nah” he quipped in front of the Labour Party leader. “Digital’s like socialism – it flattens everything out and makes everything the same.”

Well at least someone tried explaining what it was to him.

When I saw Bailey's photo on the news I thought it looked a little caricature, not entirely sure it fits with the brief, but they must have approved it to release it I guess.
 
Re. Bailey's birthday portrait of the Queen

Re. Bailey's birthday portrait of the Queen

Well I'm sorry I have to disagree with everything said here ... this is about as bland and inauthentic a portrait as I've ever seen .. it's definitely pure David Bailey though , the same tired technique mechanically applied to rock stars and royals alike .. in which individuals are reduced to a perpetual state of superficial cheeriness ..

Ill admit its technically better than the recent portrait of our own fearless leader , François Hollande , by Raymond Depardon (look it up on Google) . But Hollande's portrait is a lot more revealing , of both Hollande and of the endeavor.. it betrays awkwardness and some kind of awareness of the photographic situation. No such depth in David Bailey 's work because I assume he is only interested in his subjects superficially .

- The best portrait of Elizabeth is the one by the brilliant Lucian Freud.
- The best coverage of a royal event is the coronation of George VI by HCB , in which he took a political stance by purposefully avoiding the spectacle put on display and turned his camera on the crowds.
- The best photos of the royals : nudies of Kate Middleton published by the French magazine Closer .

Philippe
 
This reminds me so much of Avedon's Rolleiflex portraits. Yes there is distortion evident, yet the Master knows the rules that he is breaking. Hasselblad basically produces the same thing; looks like an 80mm to me with a Proxar or extension tube.

I like the dynamism and compassion evident in the collaboration.
 
Back
Top Bottom