I have done a self portrait using a mirror just like Cahun and Honaker. I have however used a similar technique to Cahun because I’ve used my reflection. I cropped my picture and put it into the lens of my camera and then used an image of the pride flag to highlight the fact that it is a huge part of my life; just like Cahun’s.
I did put my image in black and white to be the same as Cahun and Honaker however I believe that the coloured image works the best out of the two. My image is similar to Honaker’s because the camera is in focus more than my face. In Honaker’s image the mirror is in focus more than his face.
However my image is different to both artists because I didn’t use a natural light for my image because I took it in the evening which meant my light source were the LED bulbs which were in the room at the time.
Identity is the essence that defines an individual. It can be qualities such as beliefs, personality, looks, gender, sexuality, job role, etc. It can be defined by the way you express and feel about yourself.
Other people may also have a different view on your identity than you which can be positive or destructive. It is scary to think that every person sees you in different ways, see other aspects of your personality and behaviour that you may not even have noticed; have different memories and viewpoints about you.
Identity affects people in various ways, but some aspects of your identity may be due to nurture and cultural upbringing as Tabula Rasa states that one is born as a blank canvas and the way you think, and behaviours are shaped by the people around you who you have grown and looked up to.
Others may argue that identity can be due to nature. For example, you are born with a specific set of genes that are more likely to influence your behaviour and identity and how other people may see you.
In my opinion, I agree to a certain extent that identity is down to nurture. But I think the way you see yourself is the most important base of your identity as you’re the only one that knows yourself the best and not other people. However, other opinions of you may affect the way you think and feel about yourself.
For this project I will attempt to portray the way that others opinions and behaviours towards me has affected me, the way I saw and see myself then and now, and how destructive others opinions may have in your life. As Billie Eilish states in her son ‘Everything I wanted’, “…if they knew what they said would go straight to my head, what would they say instead?”
Claud Cahun
Claude Cahun (25 October 1894 – 8 December 1954) was originally named Lucy Renee Mathilde Schwob. She was a French lesbian photographer who enjoyed sculpting and writing.
Shwod adopted the name Claude Cahun in 1917 and since then has been exploring self portraits were, they explore themes such as sexual and gender identity in their work. However, their work was mostly frown upon due to homosexuality being seen as shameful and disgraceful in the 20th century and beyond, but their portraits were very strong with some people adoring their work and others hating on it. The view on homosexuality was so frightful people would usually be beaten up, stoned, tormented and their family would neglect them and have so association with them.
In the image at the top, we can see Claude’s transition from a stereotypical girl to a boy with short hair. Due to the reflection of Claude in the mirror we can clearly see that they saw themselves as a boy/lesbian and looks into the camera in a sort of prideful but seductive way suggesting that they know who they are. To strengthen this point, we can see they are wearing typical male clothes. Also, the reflection may show that they were living a double life, one that they were born in some way and the other they identify as something else.
Photo analysis:
Substance:
Due to the time the photographer existed; we can assume that this image was originally in a film format due to digital cameras only being invented in 1975.
The image was taken inside of their or someone’s apartment to what seems in the living room.
It was taken for personal work on self identity and gender, and it could be argued it was a sort of silent protest towards society at the time as images like this were mostly negatively viewed.
Composition:
The main focal point of this image is obviously Claude and their reflection in the mirror.
Author has powerfully used the rule of thirds to compose this image as the model and reflection are positioned in the center.
The main colours of this image are black and white tones. He purposely used the black and white technique to create this image to create a sense of light vs dark and may also have used it to show how there is beauty during times of tribulation and times of joy.
Lighting:
The light in this black and white image seems to be coming from the front as there are shadows behind their head which could suggest that the light is indeed coming from the front. Evidently, the light seems to be quite natural as there is little evidence that could suggest the artist used a flash or artificial lighting as there isn’t evidence of a flash reflection
There are soft shadows and dark tones throughout the image. For example, the bottom of the picture is darker than the top. The image is natural, but the camera seems to have focused on the bright sides first as the image seems to be a bit naturally underexposed as there are soft lights and soft shadows throughout the image.
The artist may have taken this image during light or evening hours as the light suggests that it was taken in a dim environment or sunny but rather more a cloudy environment as all the details is quite perfectly shown.
Techniques and editing: (evidently black and white filter or camera were used)
A fast shutter speed was powerfully used to produce this image as the subject (Claude) has been shot to a razor-sharp focus.
The depth of field for this image appears to be quite large as most of the image is fixed. This was used to capture as most of the setting as possible while keeping a crisp detail to the image.
The artist may have purposely naturally underexposed the image to keep it in focus and so it isn’t too bright or too dark just natural.
The camera is still as this is a self portrait and all the details are in focus suggesting that the camera was stationary; a tripod was likely used.
Atmosphere:
The photograph makes me feel amazed at how confident and courageous the artist was to portray and express their sexual identity in a patriarchal society.
The photograph seems to be communicating a message of freedom of speech and expression as the artists explored with self identity portraits in a society that shames homosexuality for decades.
My response to this image is just how inspirational this artist was to my project in to exploring identity.
Response:
I will attempt to use the same black and white techniques to capture my shots to make it alike the original artist.
In order to incorporate elements into my own work I will need to make sure most or some of my subjects are in portrait
Similarly, Cahun has influenced my shots by following his key theme which is the theme of gender and sexual identity, the alignment of subjects and personal nature in their work have also influenced the way I set up my portrait images and identity photographs.
I love their work as it is very personal project for the photographer; the artist is basically telling their story even though there is danger that they could be imprisoned for being lesbian.
Lara Gilks
Lara Gilks is a photographer that comes from Wellington, New Zealand. She came to photography around 2009 when she received her first camera. According to sources (laragilks.com/about), she utilises “elements of nature, water, light, beauty” that are often mixed with aspects that are ambiguous, weird, scary and disturbing. She apparently works “at the precipice between perfection and imperfection, human and inhuman, and dream and reality”.
In an interview for PhotoForum, August 2019, she states that she puts “incongruous elements into beautiful landscapes” in order to create a sense of tension and playfulness as she also mentions her choice of models; children “with masks and other props”. She also mentions something interesting which is that “people will experience the images in their own way influenced by their own stories”. When she mentioned the need of tension in her images, she mentions that she wants “the sense of being out of place and absurd yet somehow normal.”
Lara has explored with identity in different ways, so much so that she has a blog post called, “identity and disclosure”. In here she explains the lack of identity due to social media. We know this because she states, “The brink of a digital identity crisis – where the digital era tests the limits of identity – what is safe to disclose and what must be concealed. There are questions of trust and vulnerability – the stakes are high.
Photo analysis:
Substance:
This image was clearly taken with a DSLR in 2018 as it is in a digital format.
This photograph was taken outside by a lake. We can also assume it was taken in the evening due to the brightness of the clouds, but this could have been manipulated using software like Lightroom.
This was clearly taken for personal work as it was part of Lara’s series “white lies”. Her description for this project was a simple quote from Alan Moore, “You wear a mask for so long, you begin to forget who you were beneath it.”
Composition:
The focus for this image is the “Horse Bride” which delivers a sense of strangeness and wonder at the experience of marriage.
Author has powerfully used the rule of thirds to compose this image as the model and background have been purposely adjusted so that the model at the center along with the background.
The main colours of this image are black and white tones. She purposely used the black and white techniques to add to the theme of tension, ambiguity, strangeness, incongruous.
Considering the description for white lies, the audience may also assume that many people marry a fake spouse; people who have been wearing a mask for so long. In addition, the fact that the image is in black and white may also reveal that marriage is not always dreamy and colourful; it can be dark and obscure. We can assume this is the case as Lara has said before that her photographs are open for interpretation.
Lighting:
The light in this black and white image seems to be coming from the natural environment as shoot was done outside. The light however seems to be coming from the front as it is lighting the Horse Bride and background quite well.
Soft shadows and dark tones are present in the shot. The bottom of the image is darker than the top, for instance. The picture is natural, but first the camera seems to have concentrated on the bright sides as the image seems to be a little naturally underexposed as the image is full of subtle lights and soft shadows.
The artist may have taken this illustration during the day, during light or evening hours.
Techniques and editing: (evidently black and white filter or camera were used)
Evidently, a fast shutter speed was used due to the waves being fixed to a focused position.
As most of the image is set, the depth of field for this image seems to be very high. This was used to catch as much of the environment as possible while retaining a crisp picture detail.
The artist may have naturally underexposed the picture purposefully to keep it in view, because it’s not too light or just normal and not too dim.
As this is a portrait, the camera is still, in focus and all the specifics show that the camera was stationary; a tripod was presumably used.
Atmosphere:
The photograph makes me feel quite interested and confused as I have never seen a Horse Bride before, especially standing by a lake. This is evident that Lara has achieved her aim of strangeness through this image.
This image, clearly is open for interpretation and considering that inside the wedding dress is Lara’s son this may suggest that there is a prince trapped in the body of a mare getting ready for marriage but decided to take a moment by the lake to think of things.
Successfully, this image has achieved what it was created for which is to make the audience question what is going on. I know this because Lara states that Horse Bride is intended to challenge and provoke such ideas.
Response:
To keep it the same as the original artist, I would strive to use the same black and white methods to take my shots.
I would need to ensure that most of any of my subjects are distorted and have their faces hidden in order to integrate concepts into my own work.
Lara has influenced my work on identity by giving me the idea of making the audience question what is happening in the photograph.
This is one of my favourite pieces of photography as I find it very creative due to the nature and contents of the image. It’s an image open to interpretation and communicates a series of different messages. It’s also very strange which just adds to creativity.
Similarities
• Both artists have used a series of black and white images to communicate a similar message: that there may be light in the darkness, there is 2 sides to every story and not everything is a perfect, colourful world.
• Both artists clearly play with the theme of identity with Claud exploring gender identity and Lara hiding the model’s face / identity.
• Both have composed their images in a similar way. For example, both have placed their models in the centre or close to the centre.
• Lara attempts to create tension through her images. For example, the Horse Bride image encapsulates all my feelings of strangeness and wonder at the experience of marriage. In a similar way, Claud creates tension in society with her images as homosexuality in a patriarchal society was unacceptable.
Differences
• Claud focuses on gender identity and explores with my gender roles such as weightlifter in a photograph of hers. However, Lara focuses more on trying to make the audience question the nature and meaning of her images.
• Most of Claud’s images are taken in indoor places whereas Lara’s images are taken in a naturalistic environment.
• Lara uses elements of obscurity, strangeness, unique and quite dark. This can be shown through her image of the Horse Bride. Claud Cahun however attempts to use self portrait and self identity methods to create an image that demonstrates who they are as a person and sometimes compare it to society and how society has this “ideal” way that people should behave.
Manipulation – “Manipulation was an artform in which you failed. Better luck next time.”
This is my #1 outcome.
My main purpose for this project was to “to capture various portraits and to try and convey a message/story to the audience. I will be touching sensitive topics in my life such as; bullying, insecurities, gender, sexuality, and more.” Therefore, I believe I have achieved this through this artwork called, “Manipulation”.
This is one of my most personal photographs ever made to this day as it explains a bit about my life. For example, this photograph is a clear representation of what I have been going through for quite some time as I was recently in a situation where someone did whatever they could to control and manipulate me. This can be clearly shown using models creating a sense of puppetry / puppet show and the fact that you cannot see the male model’s face shows that not many people knew who the manipulator was.
However, there are some broken strings which to me represent a few of those manipulative methods being broken and on the process of setting me free to be my own person and have my own identity. In addition, the use of double exposure on the “puppets” represent madness because you tend to lose your mind in such situations.
In comparison to my key artists, Claud Cahun and Lara Gilks, this image is very open for interpretation. This is because one of my aims for this project was to create something like Gilk’s Horse Bride and have the audience interpret the image according to their own experience and link the audience to the photographer due to relation to the viewer, ultimately creating a bond between the artists and the viewer; sort of telling them that they’re not alone. As well, the use of a female model as the puppet may convey domestic abuse that a lot of female face.
Also, the shot is in black and white clearly showing similarity to Claud Cahun as their images are all in black and white. Both Claud Cahun and I have used harsh shadows and tones to show how difficult it can be to be our own person and have our own identity in a judgemental society; sometimes we are so pressured to act and look a certain way by society which makes us feel entangled in these strings and imprisoned at times.
Cut you off
Faceless
Stalker much
These are a trinity of images which try to show how other opinions have shaped and reconstructed my identity.
As you can see, the text in my images is a series of anonymous messages I received from people that know me, but I still do not know who sent most of these messages.
In “Cut you off”, there’s a message saying, “It’s funny cuz you acc think we like you but we’re j pretending… go AWAY.” This message came from someone that I know that clearly doesn’t like me. I did everything in my power to at least be civil with them, this was until I figured the friend group was talking about me behind my backs and so I cut them off. Hence the name, “Cut you off“.
In addition, “Stalker much” the messages that are going through my models clearly show how much these messages have got to me. Also, the female model looks like they are sort of guarding or looking over the male model. I did this in purpose in order to try and create a sense of the psychic staring effect; when you have that sense of being watched to which the messages suggest that people paid close attention to me and even saw who was texting me. The colourful double exposure, alike “Manipulation” was done to show madness and or how multiple people seem to be watching over me.
Similarly, “Faceless” is a photograph where the identity of my model is hidden, blurred out and shaken while they’re holding a message that reads, “Your 1000% gay, stop being in denial.”. This message was one of many that made me question who I was, what my sexuality was and made me question everything about myself and it got to a point where I genuinely hated everything about myself because no matter what I did, that was the ONLY slur that people tell me, it even got to a point where my old tutor had to ask my friends if I was gay because of the way I dress. That shattered me and confused me so, enjoy the series of images that attempt to show how I have felt during these times.
In relation to my key artists, most of my images are in black and white which relates to Claud’s images, the composition of these images remains quite close to both Lara and Cahun as my models are near the centre, my images also have a go at talking about identity / lack of identity which relates to Cahun. Also, it may be argued these images could be interpreted differently according to the viewers own experience which successfully links to Lara’s ideas. However, the use of messages in these images may reduce this effect as not every viewer has probably received similar messages.
Ghostin
This is my final outcome, it contains a series of messages that read, “gross”, “gay”, “there is no way you’re straight” and “he’s definitely a bottom.” These are just messages that people have said to me.
This relates to Lara Gilk’s approach to identity as I have incorporated elements of ambiguity, strangeness and obscurity. This was done through the ghost effect where the model appears to have multiple faded exposures of themselves.
In comparison to Claud, there isn’t much correlation except the fact that we both have attempted to talk about identity and what it means for us.
These messages are mostly blurred and over-layered one another which has a go at showing 2 different perspectives, one being that overtime these messages don’t hurt you anymore and two, over time the messages get deeper and harder to see on the surface but they’re still there. Obviously, the perception may change due to the viewers own experience. Like my favourite show, 12 Monkeys, states, “There are many endings and the right one? The right one is the one you choose.” Therefore, this image was created to purposely let the viewer pick the ending for this project on identity, let it be happy or sad. After all, the author is still deciding on what ending to this story to choose from.
How I edited these images:
For this project on identity I have used Photoshop to adjust the black and white filters for most of my images, I have also used it to create and bend the strings in “Manipulation” to make it more realistic and add to movement as there is little evidence that the model is moving so I tried to bend these strings to add to this effect. I have also used the “blur more” tool to blur the strings and ellipses around the fingers so that it looks like it was part of the original image, and in “Stalker much” I used these methods to blur the text to achieve the same outcome.
In addition, I have used photoshop to add the text to my images, change the opacity and adjust it to “Darken” so that it removes the background and displays just the text. Also, setting it to darken means that when it comes into contact with a darker background, it fades away. This and the eraser tool helped create the effect in “Stalker much” and make it seem like the text is actually in the background.
For the other images, I have used the “Glitch Lab” app on my phone to:
add the glitch effects around “Faceless”.
remove the faces in “stalker much” and “Faceless”. There was also a filter called “stripe shift” which helped cut off the face in “Cut you off.”
For “Ghostin” I used the pre-set “Troubled waves” to create the blue/green filter so it looks quite old and gives a cemetery, cold feeling enhancing the name “Ghostin”.
Snapseed was also used to sharpen the text in “Ghostin” so it’s clearer and more readable.
Step 4: Create your own location or choose a template.
Step 5: Upload your images, put them in your exhibition, name it and give it a description. For mine, I justified my photographs.
Step 6: Present / view your Exhibition.
Why I decided to do a Virtual Gallery:
I decided to do a Virtual Reality Gallery again because I feel it links very well with the theme of Identity. This is because the viewer is placed in a corner of a room and has to find the 5 outcomes that are in that VR building. This relates to identity as it puts the viewer in a way, in the artist’s/my shoes in the search to find my identity.
I am very happy with the final images of this project on the theme of identity. I love how I have successfully talked about past experiences in my life and managed to turn it into art. This project has really helped me turn my pain into a series of beautiful and artistic images.
The planning went really well and I said everything I needed to say through these images. But, next time i’ll make sure to think about props and how to use them successfully as you can see in my contact sheets some comments didn’t stick quite well. Also, the background for “Manipulation” could have been done faster if we thought about the colour of the props and background which is always important to think about.
I have clearly related my images to the key artists and have shown a great understanding of photo analysis, use of lighting and have shown great expertise with photo manipulation.
I strongly believe I have achieved the main purpose for this project which was to mix identity and portraiture. I have powerfully touched on areas like identity, sexual identity, how others opinions may change how you see yourself and I admire the way that I left the audience on a cliff hanger; having them decide what the final image “Ghostin” could mean to the whole project. For example, as explained above it could mean that the artists has moved past these hurts and the criticism they have had in the past is becoming nothing but a memory, or, the criticism is taking over the artist slowly becoming one. This could mean that the audience chooses the identity of the artist; are they someone strong, who’s moved past the experiences or is their identity confused?
The fact I am basically getting the audience to choose my identity adds irony as the project talked about rude and negative these comments could be to someone, talking about being driven into madness and having the constant fear that you’re being watched. This at last makes strain which identifies with how Lara needed her crowd to feel the feeling of being strange and crazy yet some way or another ordinary.
In conclusion, I am very excited to share this project with you, viewer. I hope you can relate or find comfort in my photographs.
For this photoshoot I went into the studio and used the Gels to cover the key light which then created the coloured background. I wanted to use the gels to show the contrast in views on metal music. Society has put a label on metal as being an angry genre and everyone who listens to it is scary and angry. This isn’t the case. You don’t need to have a specific personality to listen to a type of music, you can be whoever you want.
Plan:
Who: Tiago
Where: Studio (school)
How: Gels over key light, slow shutter speed
Contact sheets:
Images:
I took these images to represent the fact that people can look one way but not act the way you would expect.
The shadow represents the fact that your personality and your music taste make who you are.
Images:
For these images I used a slow shutter speed, which created a blurred effect, as the model moved their head when the image was being taken. I think that this is effective because it relates to the fact that someone can have a very quite and shy personality but can listen to metal music which can be very loud and aggressive.
I used the gels over the key light to show the contrast in the way that society views people’s personality and judges what they should listen to just based on one aspect of their life.
I used the blue gel to highlight the personality of the person. I chose blue because it’s a cool tone which isn’t too intimidating and can be seen as a calm colour. I used a red gel to represent the metal music because red can be seen as dangerous and aggressive, which is the stereotype of metal. I also overlapped the gels creating a purple colour to show that you can listen to what you want and be who you would like. There is also a glitch effect created on the background which shows the viewer that if you aren’t what people expect, then people don’t know how to react properly.
The blurred effect creates a smooth look to the image and the facial features blend into the background. The blend could also link to the fact that the lyrics of the music are often emotional but the singer doesn’t sing them to a melodic background. Just because the background is different, it doesn’t mean that the song is angry, most of the time the lyrics are stating how fragile someone is.
I wanted to keep the shadow in on the background as it represents the judgement you face from other people when you listen to the different types of metal. I’ve left it in all my images because no matter what you do you will be judged in some way.
Comparison to Honaker:
I was inspired by this image by Edward Honaker and I wanted to adopt the same methods he chose to show his viewers that he wasn’t feeling happy anymore. However I wanted to keep it in colour to represent that we don’t all fit in society’s stereotype.
For this shoot I wanted to make the most of the lights that are hung up on the sea front between St Helier and St Aubin as I thought it would work well with my inspiration of the grunge/rock aesthetic.
I also wanted to incorporate my inspiration from Edward Honaker and edit the model’s face to show that there isn’t a ‘look’ you need to have to listen to rock and metal music.
Plan:
Who: Amelia
Where: The Avenue, St Helier
When: Evening
How: Fast shutter speed, long exposure, flash.
Contact sheets
Final Images
I wanted to highlight the fact that, for me, music helps me escape reality and the real world for a few minutes/hours. These images, I think, show that the best.
The first image was taken using a long exposure and then moving the camera to create a blurred effect with the light and the model moving to a different part of the image. The viewer could see it as a journey from reality to your own world.
It could also represent the time passing; or the fact that the person who is listening to music is listening to songs from different eras in times like the 70s, 80s,90s etc.
I took this image just as it was getting dark and the sky had a purple hue which contrasts well to the bright lights that are hung on the side of the street.
The second image is a representation of the fact that we are not the same person when we are around different people. The girl on the left represents how society views you, and the girl on the right is the real you who has to see the world perceive you as someone else.
The girl on the right is more translucent, this shows that society won’t view you as you unless you change your appearance or personality. The ghost like figure emphasises that society views her in the wrong way.
This is an issue in the metal community because many women are told that they are show offs, fakers and are only doing things for attention. Society views the metal community as male dominated. This is because of the sexist views that sadly are in our world, women can be seen as weak and therefore many people believe that we wouldn’t be listening to music with screaming and aggression.
For this shoot I wanted to emphasise the fact that you do not need to look a certain type of way to listen to metal. To highlight this, I created a whirlpool effect on the models’ faces so that no one would know what they truly looked like. I also cut out the face of the model on my final image. I left some skin on the forehead to emphasise the fact that no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to erase the true version of you no matter how hard you try.
The whirlpool effect was inspired by Edward Honaker.
My inspiration is metal music and the views society has on the genre and people who listen to it. Both types of music have helped me get through some tough times throughout my life, including me coming out and moving to Jersey. However they aren’t a popular genre of music as many people can only hear screaming and not the meaning of the songs and lyrics.
Music has allowed me to express myself and meet new people who I can now call some of my closest friends. Many people think of metal and think of aggression and anger; most of the songs are about the artist’s friends, family, partners or even their views on society and the way we are told what is and isn’t normal/ correct.
Claude was a French lesbian photographer born in 1894. She moved to Jersey in 1937 and became active as propagandists and resistance workers during the second world war when the Nazis took over the Channel Islands.
She was sentenced to death in 1945 however it was never carried out due to the Liberation of the Channel Islands from Nazi power. Cahun used photography to express herself and her political views.
Image Analysis
Claude Cahun
The lighting in this image is very dark with areas of very bright light that could be coming from a window and reflecting on the glass of the subject in the image, which then reflects on the black surface underneath . The darkness of the image allows the viewer to focus on the image of the woman in the dome and the actual dome itself. The brightness on the glass allows the woman to look three dimensional and could allow the viewer to sense the mood of the image.
The fact that the image is in black and white allows the viewer to focus on the contrasts in the image. The image in the dome has mainly dark colours which allows the viewer to see them as a happy person however the black background of the image emphasises the fact that her past was quite dark and she was treated poorly in the prison she was sent to in 1944.
The glass dome could highlight the fact that you are only a tiny fraction of the population of the world; you must live your life the way you want, and the way you believe is correct.
The texture of the image is smooth until the dome which allows the viewer to focus straight onto the centre of the image and on Cahun herself.
Edward Honaker
Edward Honaker is a photographer now in his mid-twenties . When he was younger, he used photography to express himself while he was suffering badly from depression.
His images highlight some of the lowest feelings he has had, with the reoccurring theme of feeling like the odd one out and feeling like he didn’t belong in this society/world.
I chose Honaker to inspire me for my work because music is the way i choose to escape reality and the world just like he used photography to take his mind off the depressive thoughts in his head.
Image Analysis
Edward Honaker
This image allows the viewer to understand that Honaker’s brain is never still. His body may seem calm and relaxed however his mind is constantly working, or in his case his brain keeps haunting him. The image also expresses the fact that he doesn’t feel like he belongs. He’s sat in an empty room wearing a suit, this could represent the social anxiety he has or even the fact that he feels all alone in the world with no one there to support him.
Honaker used a slow shutter speed and moved his head to create a blurred effect; this allows the viewer to further understand Honaker’s thoughts and feelings. The dark tones throughout the whole image further represents the fact that Honaker struggles to see the light in the world. It could also represent the fact that he believes the people around him see him as a sad and angry person.
The image is in black and white which allows the viewer to notice how Honaker, in this stage of his mental health, is unable to see any light/colour in his life.
The wallpaper behind the man could represent the fact that there is no moment of silence for him. He feels like he is permanently getting judged.
There is a lot of different textures in the image which allows the viewer to try and understand what the main focus of the image is.
Comparison of images:
Claude Cahun
Edward Honaker
Both of these images are self portraits. Cahun’s is showing the viewer who she is with confidence and showing that she is proud of who she is and doesn’t care what your opinion of her is. Honaker’s however, is the opposite. The image represents the fact that he no longer knows who he is and therefore can no longer recognise himself in the mirror. Both these images send a strong message to the viewer however, the messages contradict each other.
Although both images are in black and white, Honaker’s is clearly a lot darker than Cahun’s. Honaker’s has a shadow covering the mirror representing the depression that has taken over his mind and body. He is unable to look at anything without the dark thoughts taking over his brain.
Cahun’s image is very light with the only dark object being a cabinet behind him. This could represent the fact that Cahun has put all the negative thoughts to the back of her mind and is focusing on the good things in her life and the excitement of what the future holds.
Honaker has blurred out his face which allows the viewer to understand that this disease has created a new person and rather than being able to find the happiness and beauty in his life, the disease has made him isolate from the world and only focus on the negatives. This links to the shadow, representing the depression, creeping over him and slowly removing the happiness from his life.
In Cahun’s image, the reflection is looking back. This could represent the fact that Cahun is looking into the past, now proud of how far she has come in the years of injustice and pain.
Both photographers use a mirror as the main focus of the image which showing that the reflection in that mirror isn’t always the same as what is shown on the surface.
I grouped some similar images into diptychs and triptychs according to colour scheme, physical similarities. I also used similar bordering and presentation methods that J Grant Brittain uses.
The following is an image comparison between one of my pieces and one of J Grant Brittain’s pieces.
J Grant Brittain
Michael Kenealy
The above images both focus on the identity of the subject by portraying their personality through capturing their facial expressions. Both images are desaturated and have high contrast to accentuate shadows around the face and therefore accentuating the facial features of the subjects. Both images are collaged into sets of 9 coinciding images. Both images feature a mixture of compositions where the subject interacts with the lens and some where the subject ignores the camera.
Grants image is shot with fluorescent lighting in a professional environment whereas my composition is shot with natural lighting in a less professional environment. This also creates difference in the texture of the images, mine has a rougher texture whereas Grants image has a smoother texture to it.
For the above composition I shot the skateboarder in front of an urban graffiti background in a skatepark, I focused on showcasing his culture and style like J Grant Brittain. The gaze and side angle shot creates a sense of confidence, control and passion the skateboarder portrays to his environment.
I shot the image in black and white and used high contrast and clarity to accentuate the features of the subject for example the area around his eye feature high contrast and clarity which captures that emotion in his eyes. The high clarity and contrast also gives the image a sharp and rough texture.
I used a wide aperture to obtain a sharp focus on the subjects face and separate him from the background and create a slight bokeh effect. I used the grid on my camera to frame my subjects head in the centre of the shot.
In conclusion I believe I captured the identity through his cultural passion for skateboarding well with stylistic, J Grant Brittain type images and presented them in an artistic way.
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.
