“Presence” 10th Anniversary

As the publication date of my first monograph approached, I told myself that the real value of this project was in the future, it would look best when looked back upon.

On a basic level, Presence: The Invisible Portrait was an underwhelming project, with 50 portraits where the subject was not visible. Even for a photographer known for making subtle celebrity pictures, this was a new level of quiet.

But it was the “unsatisfying” aspect of this work that made it most valuable to me. There’s something about the obsession for something specific, even trivial, that was charming.

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the book’s release, so now is a good time to ask the question: has the Presence series improved with age?

Top Image: Presence, Cindy Sherman

Second Image: Presence, Jack Nicklaus

Bottom Image: Presence, Michael Stipe