Francesca Woodman is best known for photographing herself. She is usually seen half hidden; sometimes by furniture or by slow exposures that blur her figure into a ghostly presence. She photographed herself in empty interiors. The images convey an underlying sense of human fragility. The fragility is exaggerated by the fact that the photographs are printed on a very small scale;  they seem personal and intimate.

Francesca Woodman’s entire body of work was produced as a young person and created over eight years. Her photographs explore many themes that affect young people such as relationships, sexuality, questions of self, body image, alienation, isolation and confusion or uncertainty about personal identity.

Francesca distorts reality into a surreal fantasy by squeezing herself behind mantelpieces or into small cupboards. She hides herself by pulling wallpaper over herself like a blanket. She often seems to be retreating into the material of the building. This makes her seem vulnerable, isolated and alienated.

She  continuously explored and tested what she could do with photography. She manipulated light, movement and photographic effects and used carefully selected props, clothing and decaying interiors to add a mysterious and gothic atmosphere to the work.