Identity – the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

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A photograph resembles the likeness of what appeared before the lens. So, in the case of a profile picture, family album or mug shot, identity is based on the repetition of sameness that is evidenced by the image produced by the camera. Typical ways of expressing our identity include our choice of hairstyles, clothing, and make-up through to marks on our bodies including paint, tattoos, scars and piercings. Other aspects of identity such as language, race, ethnicity, religion and occupation are also powerful markers of cultural identity.

Gender identity – an individual’s personal sense of having a particular gender.

Cultural identity – cultural identity refers to identification with, or sense of belonging to, a particular group based on various cultural categories, including nationality, ethnicity, race, gender, and religion

Social identity – social identity is the portion of an individual’s self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group.

Geographical identity – an individual or group’s sense of attachment to the country, region, city, or village in which they live.

Political identity – is a political approach wherein people of a particular gender, religion, race, social background, social class or other identifying factors, develop political agendas that are based upon these identities.

Henry Hargreaves:

• Henry Hargreaves born 1979 is a Brooklyn-based artist and food photographer. 

Examples of his work:

Comparing Claude Cahun’s work and Henry Hargreaves there is a clear difference in their photography styles. Claude Cahun’s style is full of darker, grey and black tones to create shadows and then uses lighting to create a distinct highlight upon the photo to be able to show you the message they are trying to create for the people who see it. On the other hand, Henry Hargreaves uses brighter, contrasting colours within his work to make it stand out with a deep meaning, as text can accompany a lot of his photography highlighting what the photo is about. Although he will also have that light hearted, comfortable atmospheric feeling to his photography to relay a message towards people but still keep a serious tone attached to it. The top picture is from the photographer Claude Cahun, in my opinion I think that it highlights the meaning of how all races/genders are able to come together and support each other in any way possible. It can also show how the prejudice ideas and stereotypes of different races/genders are able to be pushed past, which is mostly true this current day and age, and how it doesn’t matter what gender, age, sexuality or race someone may be because it doesn’t change how they should be perceived based on a stereotypical idea. Therefore, Henry Hargreaves work shows a different message where he highlights the importance of plastic pollution and what it is doing to the earth. The yellow colour, in the background, and red colour, of the plastic bags writing, is used to represent the dangers of pollution and how damaging the plastic bags can be to the wildlife. The words ‘Thank you’ which are repeated on it continuously can also be taken in a horrible way where the plastic bag is almost thanking you for letting it free and contributi8ng it towards pollution which makes you consider what your actions are contributing too and how much of a difference it would make to change to reusable bags instead.

Claude Cahun

• A French Surrealist photographer, sculptor and writer.
• Focuses mainly on self portrait and sculptor work.
• Their work was both political and personal.

Some more information about Claude Cahun.

Examples of their work –

Analysis –

Henry Hargreaves

• Famous for still life/food photography.
• Commercial photographer.
• His work is often including funny yet edgy messages.
• Often collaborates with people.

Here is some more information about him/pictures of his work.

Examples of his work –

Analysis –

Identity is seen as a group of factors which are used by a person or group to show what defines them. It can include gender, heritage, where you live, your interests, personality, culture, political etc.

There can be many stereotypes which come from the different categories of identity which can influence a prejudice idea of how people are viewed from some people.

Mood board –

List of ideas about identity for a photoshoot

• Focussing on someone’s interests.
• From their point of view/looking down at it.
• Of objects that have some relevance to the person with their hands in it.
• Photographed somewhere they enjoy reading.
• Include other smaller objects to add detail.

My final idea:

For my idea I’m going to focus on my own identity, from my perspective. I enjoy reading, which is a hobby of mine. Therefore I will go and take pictures from my point of view of me reading a book, going somewhere I enjoy reading, my favourite books/quotes from books, putting myself into a forced isolation when I read, showing headphones etc.

My Examples

Aim: this photoshoot was to create effective deadpan photographs, and to look as similar to passport images as possible. Furthermore, we wanted the lighting to be as similar as we could throughout all these photos so they created the same aesthetic. Mostly lighting from the front would be used, keeping the attention on the models facial features.

Here I have displayed some of deadpan images in a types of sequencing styles that I think best compliment each other. After going to the studio and shooting in black and white, then adjusting settings such as the exposure and temperature, I put the images into Photoshop to create galleries like done on the blog, but in slightly different layers, with portrait and landscape images stacked alongside each other.

Strengths of my work: with the lighting being the main factor of these photographs, we used lights mostly from the front of the models to create this deadpan aesthetic. This create a contrast between our lighter skin tones and darker shades of hair, giving the monochromatic images more depth. In addition, the majority of these images don’t have shadows, allowing for the models to be the main focus of the image, meaning our individual facial features are clear.

Weaknesses of my work: I am aware that some of these images, as some are landscape and not portrait, despite capturing the rest of the deadpan aesthetic. The shadows in some of these images are not strict to the rules of deadpan images, as the lighting should 100% be on the face, however the models are in the middle of the frame, following the rest of the rules such as no other objects such as headphones or hats.

Above I have taken my best deadpan images and created a grid to better match with the aesthetic, placing all of these landscape images in photoshop, then making them the same sizes to create this 6 piece grid. I have arranged these images trying to spread the ones with stronger and weaker lighting around each other. Furthermore, the original concept is kept as despite the changes in lighting the most important deadpan concepts are retained.

How this work could be improved is for us not to have shot every image in black and white, creating more variety, however, I decided to keep them all this way as all of the models look better with the lack of colour and drastic tones. Alternatively, we could have taken more photographs as this would have made the editing and selection process a lot easier, however I do think these final images are successful.

Here I have taken some of my deadpan images and created another mini gallery with a slightly different layout using photoshop. I like how the lighting on the model’s faces in all 3 images is prominent, making their skin looks smoother.

Moreover, I like how this aesthetic represents everyone in the same way, no matter of background or past experiences, creating a new version of photography by putting everyone in the same perceptive, preventing prejudice/ judgment. Not judging one person against the other, this could be helpful for decisions such as cast certain individuals for films, as specific features could be required.

Best Images

I have selected this final image of Diana as it if a good example of a successful two point lighting image, as the light is coming from the left of her face and the front. This means that there is still some light on the right side of her face this is creating a triangle on her cheek, but the lighting contrasts. As with the other image the dark tones in her eyes matches with her hair and the background with the tones in her face, bringing the whole image together. Furthermore, I cropped this image so that the white surroundings wouldn’t distract from Diana’s facial features/ the focus of the image. I have taken these photos in black and white, this is mostly because most people look best with this type of editing.

I have selected this image as my best one to analyse, as I think that it looks very professional, with the lighting being a vital part of the final product turning out well. In my opinion, this lighting makes her face look smooth and helps show the best of her facial features, as the lighting is soft and not too harsh, it means that shadows on Katarina’s face are created on the right side of her face, the use of the Doran 1 Point Lighting technique is an important part of the successfulness of this image. Furthermore, the eye contact with the lens of the camera and the shine of her eyes make the focus of the image the middle of her face, particularly her eyes, which match the tones in her hair and creating a more cohesive final product. Furthermore, we took many all of these photographs during this shoot in black and white, I think this makes for more interesting portraits and the textures on her face are more visible and other details such as the hairs in her eyebrows are more prominent.

Introduction

Deadpan photography goes back all the way to the 1920s. It’s a very distinct style of photography that has somehow made its way into the 21st century, quietly and persistently influencing you in a way you might not even be aware of! Today we’ll dig a little deeper into what deadpan photography is, talk notable names of photographers that shoot in this style, and show you a collection that is in line with deadpan aesthetics.

This style originated in Germany and is descended from Neue Sachlichkeit, New Objectivity, a German art movement of the 1920s that influenced the photographer August Sander who systematically documented the people of the Weimar Republic. Much later, in the 1970s, Bernd and Hilla Becher, known for their devotion to the principles of New Objectivity, began to influence a new generation of German artists at the Dusseldorf School of Photography.

These young German photographers included  Thomas Struth, Andreas Gursky, and others. The Bechers are best remembered for their studies of the industrial landscape, where they systematically photographed large structures such as water towers, coal bunkers or pit heads to document a soon-to-disappear landscape in a formalistic manner as much akin to industrial archeology as art. The Bechers’ set of “rules” included clean, black and white pictures taken in a flat grey light with straight-on compositions.

The criteria for passport/ deadpan images includes; neutral facial expression, eyes looking into the camera, no objects that are distracting such as headphones and hats, no shadows on the face (as these deter the natural features), from a front angle and symmetrical, showing the whole face. Other important factors include a light background and no reflections, this is why the glasses cannot be worn.

August Sanders

August Sander was a German photographer whose work documented the society he lived in. Lauded as one the most-important portrait photographers of the early 20th century, Sander focused his gaze on bricklayers, farmers, bakers, and other members of the community. Born in Herdorf, Germany on November 17, 1876, Sanders learned photography during his military service in the city of Trier. By 1910, he had moved to a suburb of Cologne, spending his days biking along the roads to find people to photograph.

Following the death of his son in 1944, and the destruction of his work in 1946, Sander practically ceased photography altogether. He died in Cologne, Germany on April 20, 1964 at the age of 87. Today, the artist’s works are held in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne, among others.

Sander once said ‘The portrait is your mirror. It’s you’. He believed that, through photography, he could reveal the characteristic traits of people. He used these images to tell each person’s story; their profession, politics, social situation and background. Sander did not use the newly invented Leica camera. Instead he remained devoted to an old-fashioned large-format camera, glass negatives and long exposure times. This allowed him to capture minute details of individual faces. Shot against neutral backgrounds and titled more often than not by profession alone, he let the images – and the faces in them – speak for themselves.

The main concept of August Sander’s work is how he photographed the most common and working class members of the public, and more upper class people but in the same way. This illustrates that he treated all people equally and could be to illustrate that class divides were unfair. Photographing them in the same way shows that they were all people and viewed as equals by Sander’s, demonstrating his more forward thinking considering the time.

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Furthermore, the layout and lighting of these images is significant because of how consistent t it is, with all the of the photographs being taken in the same way. Its clear that Sander has a clear passion for his work ad I hope this is also reflected in my work. The objects that are in these image also tell a story and have a personal connection between the individuals being photographed, and their profession.

Typologies

A photographic typology is a single photograph or more commonly a body of photographic work, that shares a high level of consistency. This consistency is usually found within the subjects, environment, photographic process, and presentation or direction of the subject.

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Definition- 1 : study of or analysis or classification based on types or categories. 2 : a doctrine of theological types especially : one holding that things in Christian belief are prefigured or symbolized by things in the Old Testament. Other Words from typology Example Sentences Learn More About typology. The photographic typology has the ability to reshape perception, heighten and focus attention, and transform everyday objects into a thing of art. Ironically the process and execution, often cold and systematic can be extremely emotive, and a powerful tool of communication when contextualised.

Bernd and Hilla Becher

Who created typology in photography? The German artists Bernd and Hilla Becher, who began working together in 1959 and married in 1961, are best known for their “typologies”—grids of black-and-white photographs of variant examples of a single type of industrial structure.

Bernhard “Bernd” Becher, and Hilla Becher, née Wobeser, were German conceptual artists and photographers working as a collaborative duo. They are best known for their extensive series of photographic images, or typologies, of industrial buildings and structures, often organised in grids.

Bernd and Hilla Becher first began their still-ongoing project of systematically photographing industrial structures – water towers, blast furnaces, gas tanks, mine heads, grain elevators and the like – in the late 1950s.

I like how these objects are placed how normal passport photos, this along with the black and white images gives the image an old fashion feel despite it not being very old at all. This gives the image depth and authenticity and I think that the contrast between the different shapes makes the image more interesting, You can also notice that the more cylinder shapes are symmetrical to each other with the forth and sixth images being simirla to each other, and the same goes for the first, third, seventh and last image.

Image Analysis

I have selected this image of Bernd and Hilla Becher’s as I think that the grid layout of twelve and not nine makes for a more interesting image as there is more to looks at, and their is more opportunity to create more affective images as part of the final piece. Firstly, I think that the fact that these images are in black and white means that the image may appear more authentic and this highlights the different shadows and shapes within the water towers, for example the squares in the 8th image. Furthermore, the variety of shapes within this image creates a more exciting image, meaning that the contrast between the circles, rectangles and the cylinders placed next to eac other creates depth to the image.

A headshot is a tightly cropped photo of the face. The subject is camera aware — typically looking right in the lens. Years ago, headshots were reserved for actors and models. For talent, these images are in some ways more important than a resume.

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Juxtaposition photography is where 2-3 pictures are taken of objects/people that contrast or link together, which can be used to show peoples identities through their cultures or interests, this is seen within photography through the use of either contrasting/similar lighting, forced perspectives/cropping or the use of props.

Examples –

Experimenting

Here are the photos which I chose to use, I chose a selection so that I could experiment in many different ways and not be limited with what I could use.

2 Photos juxtaposed –

Final result –

3 Photos juxtaposed –

Final result –

what is identity

is different aspects that make a person who they are and what makes them different to everyone else for example religion, culture, objects, hobbies, job, personality or even an environment.

what influences someone’s identity

environment: can influence a persons mood or even personality most cultures exert influence on their surroundings such as land forms and climate.

belongings: personal possessions can help others to understand a persons identity for the elderly belongings could show aspects of their past identity.

upbringing: can influence a persons identity as the relationships children are raised around can shape their views on their own identity later on in life. The way family members relate to each other and operate together can shape a child’s ability to perceive themselves later on.

how can we show identity

identity can be shown through many different physical attributes such as clothing, jewellery and even facial characteristics.

You can get an insight into a persons status, culture and favourite pass times through what articles of clothing they have on and how they look when photos are taken if the subject isn’t comfortable in their clothes they could lose their perception of them selves due to it being un-natural to them.

jewellery can show identity due to a similar reason however jewellery can show signs of ageing it can also have cultural and family meaning it could be an air loom that’s been passed down through generations or a one of a kind piece in someone’s collection.

facial characteristics show a persons identity as it gives an insight to a persons heritage and how they emote facial expressions can show how they see their own identity.