BlackLab: Adventures in Still Pictures

Snappers – The Predator

The fashion photographer as predator was immortalized in this scene from Antonioni’s Blow-Up. Skirting a fine line between voyeurism and sexual exploit, the Predator handles his camera like a sniper might handle his rifle. Whereas the sniper dons camouflage gear and face-paint to blend into his environment, the Predator photographs himself in high-contrast black & white to blend into a version of historic importance. Whilst the sniper’s victims are usually unknowing and caught by surprise, the Predator’s glare is known to attract vorarephiles in their droves.