To start off this whole process I researched in depth the true meaning of identity. I then created a mood board of images that caught my eye, and a mind map of types of identity that I could explore.
Afterwards I researched specific photographers that explore identity. I made mood boards of the photographers that I liked and researched them in more detail. I then made a new blog post doing a comparison of Claude Cahun and a photographer of my choice, Zarita Zevallos. Next, I completed a case study on Claude Cahun, where I created a mood board of her work and analysed one of her images.
After I felt I had researched into identity enough I started looking at my own photographers to take inspiration from. After some research I decided I wanted to use Lissa Rivera for my artist reference, as I felt her images were eye catching and interesting. I then planned out my photoshoot by deciding who, what and where to take my images. Next, I carried out the photo shoot. After taking my images I selected my favourite images from the shoot and edited them the way I liked. After that I made a blog post for my final ideas.
Alec Soth ~ Johnny Cash’s Boyhood Home, Dyress, AK, 2002
The lighting use in this photograph is natural light from the outside and is not controlled in any way. The aperture in the image is higher because that way there is more of the landscape in the image, also the image is not over or under exposed and looks like a normal image. There is not much depth of field in this image because the background is just the plain grey sky, this adds an element of simplicity to the image and adds to the isolated mood with the cool tones in the photo. The photo has a range of cool and warm tones coming mainly from the sky and the land in the photo. This creates the centre horizontal split and makes it have more of an impact as it creates a juxtaposition between the two. Overall it is a cooler image as it is darker and the grey sky takes up the top two thirds of the photo. The photo is quite 2D as the land and house is in the foreground of the image and the sky is the background which makes it seem empty and isolated. The building being a house adds an element of character to the photo because it is someone’s home which is the centre of this photo which personalises it. The house being positioned in the centre surrounded by the emptiness creates a sense of calming.
Image 2:
Rania Matar ~ A Girl and Her Room
The lighting used in this photo seems to be artificial lighting because the shadow behind the subject (the girl) is very harsh and the light seems to be white studio lights as they are reflecting off the concrete wall and lighten the room. There seems to be a mix with natural light coming from above the photo. The overall image is bright which is due to the lower aperture which is allowing more light to go into the camera lens creating a bright image. The photo is shallow and has very little depth of field because the image stops at the wall, however the bed and the girl are closer to the camera which creates a difference with the background bringing them into the fore ground and giving the photo more shape. The photo has a large range of tones due to the lighting used as it has created darker and lighter tones. The layout between the objects in the photo and the girl are placed surrounding her but in an overwhelming way like they are controlling her. Linking to the context of identity this image shows a sense of loss of identity or identity theft because the things around her are very simple and dull which creates a gloomy mood. this could also relate to the location of the image as it is taken from a home in the middle east which is a less fortunate, poorer country which cannot necessarily afford things they want or added extras and focus on the most important needs such as food and shelter.
Comparison:
Both photos are quite grey and have a similar dull atmosphere shown in different ways. They both share a sense of isolation, Image 1 is showing isolation as a personality in a more positive way, whereas Image 2 is showing isolation from herself and her identity in a negative way. The depth of field in both are shallow but in different way because Image 1 is a very 2D image and is flat but Image 2 has different shapes and is more 3D because the objects that surround the photo give it shape and the wall has different tones and is not completely flat. Image 1 is spilt into two with a harsh horizon in the centre of the photo, whereas Image 2 is not split and works with all the elements together.
When selecting the best photos from my shoots I looked for images that best captured the style and culture of my subject like J Grant Brittain does with his subjects.
I edited my photos to look similar to Grants work – a lot of desaturated, high clarity images.
Bruce Landon Davidson is an American photographer. Born in 1933, he has been a member of the Magnum Photos agency since 1958. His photographs, notably those taken in Harlem, New York City, are widely known. He is known for photographing communities, groups, different identities. His work captures lifestyles that youth and adults are into. Weather it be the rough drink and drug life or happy, friendly and healthy lifestyle, his work views it all.
Mood – Board
Photography by Bruce Davidson.
These images above is what I will be focusing on mainly, which is what teen life is all about. How their mischievous self’s have a known lifestyle world wide. How society, the public and elders see these life’s to be reckless, exciting, crazy and fun.
Analysis
This front page photograph on a magazine by Bruce is an image of a teen boy in the 1980s. He seems to be showing off his tattoo on his right arm. He has rolled up his sleeve to show off his tattoo which indicates that he is proud of it. Having tattoos will relate to his identity to himself and the public. Some might see it as unprofessional and stupid. The slight smirk expression on his face gives of the impression that he is fearless to others. This image is seen to be in the 1980’s as for the old fashioned cars in the background as well as the photo being in black and white with the rest of Bruce’s work. The portraits quality is good as for the head of the boy is in the centre of the page. The lighting of the image seems to flood from both sides of the photograph.
These final images are direct responses to a series of images by Laura Williams where the effect is that the mirror being held makes that subject seem invisible, creating a sense of a lack of identity.
Laura Williams
In final image 1, the female subject is in a similar position to the subject in Laura Williams’ image, where the subject has a serious expression and is looking directly into the camera. The colours are also vibrant in both of the images and the mirror covers up part of the subject.
In final image 2, the concepts and contents of the image is the same, but it is in black and white, enhancing the contract in tones between the highlights and the shadows.
Final image 3 is a mix of the two, where the main image is in colour, but the ‘reflection’ in the mirror is in black and white, indicating that maybe the subject may not know her identity because the ‘reflection’ has a lack of colour, indicating a lack of identity.
4
5
These final images link to an image by Laura Williams where the image that has been taken, is repeated within the mirror being held by the subject, which gives a sense of confusion as this seems impossible, which links to not knowing your identity or confused about identity.
Laura Williams
Both final image 4 and 5 are in this style by Laura Williams, the female subject is looking directly at the camera with the mirror covering her torso. The subject is also wearing a white, loose and wavy style top which, along with the edited mirror, adds a surreal feeling to the image.
6
7
8
These images are influenced by Laura Williams mirror portraits, but also Bobby Becker’s surrealism images.
Bobby Becker
Bobby Becker creates a surreal effect by creating an impossible image with mirrors. The reflections in the mirrors are different from what they should be, creating an eerie, surreal effect.
Final image 6 symbolises a lack of reality as what is inside the mirror lacks colour, but what is outside of the mirror doesn’t.
Final image 7 and 8 link to Bobby Becker’s surrealism mirror images because of the un-real reflections in the mirror, creating a surreal, eerie feeling.
Surrealism
‘Photography’s connection with surrealism lies in its ability to represent the material world in strange and abstract ways. Surrealist photographer Man Ray used double exposure, solarisation and reversed tonality to disturb the viewer’s recognition of things and to suggest the overlapping of dream and reality.’
Bobby Becker creates eerie surreal photography, sometimes using mirrors to do so.
Bobby Becker’s images link to identity because what you are seeing in the image is not true to real life. Linking to how people may have an altered perception to their identity.
Bobby Becker, Laura Williams and Claude Cahun – Identity
Bobby Becker, laura Williams and Claud Cahun all explore identity in some way, but some more than others.
Claude Cahun explores ideas of identity the deepest out of the three photographers. She expecially explored gender identity and how smeone saw their own identity.
Laura Williams, similarly to Claude Cahun, explores how people see their own identity and lack of or multiple identities. This links to the Claude Cahun image above, which symbolises the subject having multiple identities and how they view their own identity.
Laura Williams explored lack of identity and identity as a whole through the use of mirrors. and reflections.
Some of Laura Williams photographs are impossible looking images, such as making the subject appear invisible and epeating images within the mirrors. These give a sense of surrealism.
This links to Bobby Becker, who is a surrealist photographer. And also links to Claude Cahun and identity because of the eerie confusing images. This shows the subject being confused about their identity. Bobby Becker also has a few images with mirrors creating a reflection that doesn’t make sense within the image, such as the subject facing the wrong way in the mirror, eerily plain rooms and other images that dont make sense and make the viewer feel somewhat uneasy.
Links to Gender
Lots of Claude Cahun’s images link to gender identity. In her images she tackles the problem with gender norms and stereotypes by going against the way people would expect a woman in her time to dress/act.
Claude Cahune
The image above shows an image of Claude Cahun in a shirt. This would stereotypically for the 1900’s be mens clothing. Claude Cahun taking images going against these stereotypes was important to let people know that they can be free to wear and act how they want no matter their gender.
There are lots of other images by Claude Cahun that address gender norms/stereotypes such as the ones below.
This idea of gender identity is reflected in Laura Wiliams work and my final images because all of the subjects are female, only showing the identity and thoughts of a female subject.
In 1929 Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo had been Mexico’s most well-know couple. While Diego was a painter who was famous for his large murals. Frida was famous for being his wife. But in 1938, Frida’s painting were starting to get known. Her style is unique and her art had always been in response to her life. Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón is now known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artefacts of Mexico. She is iconic.
This is a self-portrait of Frida Kahlo published on Vogue in Paris in 1938. I think this picture is very iconic. I want to recreate this image but with my personal touch. I like to identify myself often with Frida Kahlo because she is an artist with a original creativity. What I love about her is that she is a powerful Mexican women, she is iconic.
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol was an American artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. In 1967, Warhol established a print-publishing business, Factory Additions, through which he published a series of screen-print portfolios on his signature subjects. Marilyn Monroe was the first one. He used the same publicity still of the actress that he had previously used for dozens of paintings. Each image here was printed from five screens: one that carried the photographic image and four for different areas of colour, sometimes printed off-register. About repetitions Warhol said, “The more you look at the same exact thing, the more the meaning goes away, and the better and emptier you feel.”
To represent my identity I want to recreate this effect of the same photo but different colours. With this effect I will show the different cultures in which I had the opportunity to grow up. Because these cultures have made me the person I am now.
Comparison
They are both colourful pieces. They don’t have they’re not really in common, they don’t have the same style. The one on the left is the Marilyn Monroe painting that Andy Warhol has achieved while the one on the right is a cover of Vogue. We can notice that Frida Kahlo wears a traditional Mexican outfit, it shows its origin and then the decorative paper behind is green. one of the colours of the Mexican flag. You can also see small details like flowers. they don’t have the same tones of colour. Andy Warhol paints the face of Marilyn Monroe in pink and then surrounded with gold.
When shooting, i took multiple photos of the subject facing in different positions with the framing being the exact same in each image.
In photoshop i cut out the interior of the mirror in one of the images. I then put the other image i took of the subject facing a different way behind the first image, creating the effect that it is the reflection in the mirror. I then repeated this for another image of the subject facing the opposite way.
This photo shoot used ideas of Laura Williams and her mirror portraits to create an idea of loss of identity.
My plan for this shoot was to take multiple images of the same subject facing different directions. My plan was to then edit the images in photoshow to create an un-realistic image where the reflection does not reflect what should be being seen in the mirror.
