CPS Winter 2021
Elsa Dorfman – The B-Sides
1.Continue this thought into a paragraph. Elsa Dorfman is a………….
Elsa Dorfman is a phenomenal photographer who captures moments and truths. She has a unique way of taking portraits and telling a story. Unlike many other photographers, she always portraits people as who they are. For instance, when you are with her, you do not need to become something you are not, you just need to be you. She started to take photographs of herself, which takes a lot of courage to do, to be more comfortable photographing other people. She stuck with this for her entire career. Elsa Dorfman is also very perseverant because she did not get a lot of recognition at first, but she kept doing what she loved, and she stayed true to herself which is completely amazing.
2.Why was this documentary called the B-sides?
After further research about the terms “side A” and “side B” and my knowledge of music, I think this documentary is called “the B-sides” because just like on the side B of a vinyl, Elsa Dorfman wasn’t seen first. Her work received less attention than a lot of photographers in the first few years of her career. B sides on vinyl often have songs that are not hits or very popular, this might be why the producer of this documentary decided to call it B-Sides. Do not get me wrong, I am aware that some B-sides have been more successful or equally successful than Side A’s, just like Elsa’s work now. Her work has been seen and recognized more than ever; she even has her own documentary! In conclusion, I think the documentary is called B-sides because her work was not recognized in the first few years of her career, just like some B-sides on vinyl.
3.Elsa as you know, is a Portrait photographer, what makes her work so unique (perhaps part of this question was answered in your first statement)?
In my opinion, the emotions transmitted in Elsa’s photographs are what makes her work so unique. Like I mentioned in the first statement, the “realness” in her images is so pure, it shows in her work that she wants people to be themselves and not someone they are not. She is untraditional, she does what she wants to do and she does not fall for trends or other photographer’s work.
4.What type and format of camera was Elsa known to use in the latter part of her career?
In the latter part of her career, Elsa was known to use a large-format Polaroid camera 20X24.
5.To Elsa, it seems that photography gave her a sense of freedom and even purpose. Would you say this would be an accurate description? What are your thoughts about this?
I would say that this is an accurate description of how Elsa sees photography and her work. She mentions something quite interesting in her documentary, more specifically in an interview she did a few years before the documentary was made; She is always thinking about her work, how she wants to pull it all together, the form, and what she wants to become, but when it is the time to take the picture, she is not thinking about it at all. She says she is guided by her unconscious, which gives, in a certain way, a feeling of freedom. I also believe it gives her a sense of purpose because everyone at the time had something, she had photography.
I think it is amazing how someone can find a sense of freedom and purpose in their passion and their work. Elsa was true to herself and I am one hundred percent sure she found freedom and purpose doing what she loved.
6.Write something that stood out for you about what she said or did and share it here (Scan the web for her work and insert a photo that stands out for you and write a little something about it, her work, the photography. You can even write it as a Dear Elsa letter): What stood out for me about Elsa Dorfman is her perseverance and her process. Although no one thought she could get far at first with the type of images she was taking, she still stayed true to herself and she kept on doing what she loved, and she did it the way she liked to do it ( I know I mentioned this many times, but I truly believe it). Many people would have changed to get more accepted. Not her and I admire her for it. I loved so many things about this photographer it is hard to make sense of it all in my head I am sorry. I love how she let everyone be themselves without judging them or trying to change them. Sadly, in photography, models and/or subjects are always represented at their best moments, they are rarely vulnerable like in Elsa’s pictures.
This image of Harvey stands out for me because it represents a real moment. It is very natural. I love that it was not planned, it was just Harvey talking on the phone at the kitchen table. I also love the natural diffused lighting from the window, it falls beautifully on him and the elements on the table. It also creates beautiful soft shadows. The composition of this photograph is also interesting, our eyes can travel around the image because of all the implied and psychic lines created by different elements such as the phone and the coffee machine. I really love this photograph.
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