Portrait, from Fotobilder Portfolio,

1988, printed Essen, 1989

Ruff became known in the 1980s for his series of portraits of ordinary people, many of whom were his friends. He photographed his subjects—all close in age to the artist at the time—against a neutral background with even, pastel lighting. Although the sitters appear anonymous and unglamorous, the photographs are highly detailed and crisp. In each one, the person faces forward and looks directly into the camera without showing any emotion or expression. Perhaps Ruff is questioning the possibility of representing a subject’s inner life in a photograph.