Duane Michals (1932 – ) is a photographer who breaks from popular norms. In a time where photos were used to supplement journalistic pieces, Michals instead used photos to construct and express narratives. He is best known for his narrative photography, which features photos and handwritten captions, which serve to amplify and contextualize the meaning of the image. I experienced this firsthand when I visited his Morgan Library exhibit with Alex earlier in the semester. Below are two interesting self-portraits:

I enjoyed the playfulness of this photo and think it’s indicative of Michals’ creativity. Rather than capturing just the silhouette of the duck shadow, Michals intentionally includes the almost silly positioning of his body that creates the shadow. Perhaps it’s a testament to how much work goes into making art.

This is a classic example of Michals’ narrative photography. I have a soft spot for double exposures; I think it’s a great way to tell an inventive story. It is unclear whether the angel is actually a man named Pete, but he doesn’t seem to be Michals (the man on the right).