More out of focus stuff - Brian Griffin

I have discovered the Water People series by Brian Griffin courtesy of my tutor.  A few of the images in this series are out of focus portraits.  And they are different to anything I have seen so far.

Griffin flew to Iceland to shoot these images of the people that provide water to the world as he describes them.  It is presented in his book in narrative format.  

The images from the series that can be seen on his website include portraits of the pilots and an air hostess.  Those of the pilots are close head and shoulders crops and the subjects have water pouring down their faces.  The one of the air hostess includes the torso and he has also used water to cover her face preventing us from seeing her true identity.  

Griffin's out of focus shots provide a different way in presenting your subject to the world whilst also keeping something of them away from the viewer.  They break with the traditional style of portraits.

I think the use of something other than simply blur provides an interesting take on the traditional portrait.  

I have also looked at Griffin's other work and there is an emptiness in his scenes - almost a coldness - especially in those in black and white.  There is an other worldliness about them.  A sense of the unreal on occasions.  

Brian Griffin's website and the images I have viewed from the Water People can be seen here. 

http://www.briangriffin.co.uk/stills.php?pg_id=18&img_id=5

I think moving on from here I would like to explore the use of other elements other than camera or motion blur and out of focus to take the focus off my subjects.