Which Karsh B&W portrait is your favorite?

[asmith]

Flew to Los Angeles a few weeks ago to see the KARSH: REGARDING HEROS exhibit at USC's Fisher Museum of Art. One hundred of Karsh's best known B&W portraits were displayed in print sizes from 11X14 to 16X20.

I've seen many of Karsh's B&W portraits published in his various books and online. However, to see the actual images in their finished print form is an incredible experience. Some of his portraits look as though the subject is about to step out of the frame and greet you. Incredible range of tones, highlights and shadows, and the finest details are observed. And of course the lighting is masterful.

My favorite Karsh portrait (at least today) is of Clark Gable (c. 1949) because it exemplifies the very best of Karsh's masterful craft. Technically, the Gable portrait is about as perfect as perfect can be. See attached Gable portrait.

Which Karsh B&W portrait is your favorite -- and why?

[Bruce Watson]

I think my favorite is the one made of Pablo Casals -- from the rear. One of the best portraits ever.

[Bill_1856]

I'm lucky to own a Karsh "Churchill," so of course that's my favorite, as it is a unique and ikonic image.
Of his "ordinary" images, I recently saw a picture (in the National Geographic, I believe) and without reading the caption I said to myself, "That must be Sir Edmund Hillary, and it had to be taken by Karsh!" I was right, of course, as the essence of the great man almost exploded off the page.
Mein Gott, such insight as Karsh sometimes had!

[Jay DeFehr]

Karsh was a genius, and produced innumerable masterpieces of portraiture. To my mind, his is the greatest body of portrait work ever produced by a photographer, and subject matter aside, Karsh is among the greatest photographers who ever lived. My favorite, of course, is his portrait of the beautiful Estrellita Karsh. Who wouldn't fall in love with her?!

I find myself falling into a kind of stupor looking at Karsh's portraits. My mind rolls over the photographer, the subject and the photograph in a randomly continuous way, admiring them all independently and in combination, and I always emerge inspired.

[cowanw]

I am partial to #33 of the children series as these are my cousins. In any case you may be interested in this series in the Ottawa Citizen which is a sampling of ordinary people.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ka...tos/index.html
Regards
Bill

[Hovmod]

I wasn't aware of this until recently, but my idea of what most famous people in the 20th century looked like was pretty much dictated by Karsh's portraits.
It's a bit like how half of English proverbs are Shakespeare originals...

Favourite? Nah.

[Tony Flora]

The Betty low portrait is one of my favorite.

His work can be found here http://www.karsh.org/

[Jay DeFehr]

The Betty Low is amazing, and I love the story about how he improvised her turban.

[Michael Graves]

Ernest Hemingway.

[Andrew]

I've always liked the Bogart portrait [even without having any idea of who took it!]
how can you go past the cigarette and rising plume of smoke