Close-Up

A framing technique, originating in photography (but present in film and television), which offers a very close and detailed view of an object or person. From Chuck Close’s pixelated studies of his own likeness to Jenny Saville’s intimate paintings of the distorted female body, artists often employ the close-up as more than a magnification tool, taking advantage of its ability to transform and enhance the object or subject that it is depicting. The close-up often creates an intimate viewing space to observe the granular detail or the subtle play of emotions across a person’s face, as seen in Sally Mann’s unflinching black-and-white photo-portraits of her family.