Close-Up by Martin Schoeller is a striking collection of portrait photography that captures the human face in extreme, hyper-detailed close-ups. Known for his work in National Geographic and The New Yorker, Schoeller photographs his subjects—celebrities, politicians, indigenous people, and everyday individuals—with the same clinical precision, using uniform lighting and composition to create an almost forensic level of intimacy.
The book challenges viewers to examine facial features—wrinkles, pores, scars, and expressions—without the distractions of context or background. By presenting famous figures (like Barack Obama, Serena Williams, or George Clooney) alongside unknown faces, Schoeller blurs distinctions of status, emphasizing raw humanity.
Close-Up is both an artistic statement and a sociological study, revealing how much (or how little) a face can convey when stripped of everything else. It’s a powerful exploration of identity, equality, and the universality of human expression.
