Abstract S1:E7 — Platon: Photography

As an assignment for my Design Fundamentals class in NYU Tisch, I give my thoughts on Netflix’s Abstract S1:E7 ‘Platon: Photography’.

I thought it was fascinating how one of the most important parts of Platon’s work is his ability to connect with the people he’s photographing. By connecting with the subject, he’s able to learn more about them to better understand who they are and how he wants to photograph them. I also really appreciate how much he brings emotion into the process of creating his work, and I can tell that like many of the other great designers that have been covered in the Abstract series, he’s also incredibly attuned to the human emotional experience. Because the moment he presses the button to take the picture, it’s only “five hundredth of a second,” he really has to rely on getting his subjects to bring out the minute details of their facial expressions in order to express a mood, emotion, or message that accurately portrays that person or their story.

I thought the Gaddafi, Putin, and Chavez examples were interesting because these are men who are known for violence and for oppressing their people, yet it is still his job to capture them in a particular manner than is true to who they are. I also really liked how Platon used his work to try and make a difference, like in the case of the veterans or the women in the Congo. There was a point where someone in the episode mentioned how digital cameras take away a lot of the emotion and intimacy of photographing someone, and just from my experience using a regular Polaroid camera, I can definitely see why Platon would prefer to use film over digital.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Part of what I liked most about it is how emotion and human connection are some of the major components that make Platon’s work so great.