The Art of Portraiture: Capturing Social Identity in the 1960s and 1970s
Looking at the black-and-white portraits Dennis Feldman took of strangers along Hollywood Boulevard during the late 1960s to early ’70s, there is a clear sense of the passing of time, not only in the obvious aesthetic differences, but also in the subtle details. The 37 images that make up his book, Hollywood Boulevard: 1969-1972, are striking for many reasons, but primarily for how he got strangers to stop on the street and pose for him, sometimes for up to 10 minutes. At the same time, across the ocean, photographers were capturing epic photos of Black Excellence from Harlem in the '70s and recording the post-independence era in West Africa.
Street Portraits: Dennis Feldman’s Hollywood
Dennis Feldman’s Hollywood Boulevard: Portraits of 1960s and ’70s Hollywood provide a glimpse into a period where people were very flattered to have their picture taken. Although he shot primarily with a Rolleiflex, on occasion he used a large-format camera complete with a tripod and dark sheet over his head. Feldman said he wanted as little interference between himself and his subjects as possible, so he gave them no direction apart from moving them out of the way of passersby.
There is also something to be said about the poses during the time the photographs were taken: no selfie pose, no ubiquitous hands on the hips or shoulder pointed toward the camera. “I would let them create the pose for themselves, whoever they were is what I wanted,” Feldman said. People didn’t feel as if they needed to follow in their parents’ footsteps, and many subjects were creating their own life fantasies—wanting to be a rock god, a movie star, or to just live free.
The Economics of 1970s Photography
Making a picture was a lot more expensive during this era. Feldman said he would spend around $3 on a roll of film and then additional expenses when developing and printing the images for chemicals and paper. In total, each image would cost him roughly 50 cents. Back then, a picture was more important because of these costs and the effort required to produce it.
Studio Portraiture in Cameroon: 1970s–1990s
While Feldman captured the streets of California, the exhibition Photo Cameroon: Studio Portraiture, 1970s-1990s features over 110 black-and-white images by Jacques Toussele, Joseph Chila, and Samuel Finlak. These photographers worked in the post-independence era, during decades considered to be the height of studio photography in Cameroon. The images reveal the dynamism of the studio space—where photographers took pictures for government mandated IDs as well as individual portraits of the same community members.
The sitters themselves knew that by choosing specific types of dress, props, and poses they could reveal something of their identity. These details included:
- Cultural, political, and religious affiliations
- Musical preferences and important relationships
- Vocations and leisure activities
The photographs ended up pasted into family albums, framed in living rooms, and shared among friends. Toussele, Chila, and Finlak’s portraits expand our knowledge of life and individuality in Cameroon and offer glimpses of communities that were, and continue to be, diverse and vibrant.
Summary of Photography Eras and Styles
| Project/Exhibition | Location | Time Period | Primary Photographers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Boulevard | USA (California) | 1969–1972 | Dennis Feldman |
| Photo Cameroon | Cameroon | 1970s–1990s | Jacques Toussele, Joseph Chila, Samuel Finlak |
| Black Excellence | USA (Harlem) | 1970s | Various |
Technological and Social Shifts
There was an exhilaration during that period that’s nice to relive; there was silliness and a lack of seriousness during that time compared to the new insecurity that has crept into society today. Whether in Hollywood or Cameroon, these black-and-white images remain a testament to how people express themselves or reveal themselves through their clothes, their expression, and the way they hold their hands.