To experiment with different layouts of my images i printed off some copies and adjusted their positioning to see which layouts looked the best and these are some of my best outcomes:

Definition: the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.

In summary, feminism is about all genders having equal rights and opportunities. It’s also about respecting diverse women’s experiences, identities, knowledge and strengths, and striving to empower all women to realise their full rights.

Feminist political activists campaign in areas such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, fairness, social justice, and workplace issues such as family medical leave, equal pay, and sexual harassment and discrimination.

History of feminist movements

There have always been women who fought back against patriarchal cultures. However, the term Feminism as we know it is a fairly new concept. Mary Wollstonecraft published “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” in 1792, and while she’s considered a feminist icon today, that term wasn’t applied in her time. The term became more well-known in the 1890s in Great Britain and America.

First wave

The First wave movement was closely tied with abolitionist movements and focused on suffrage. This included events such as the Seneca Falls Convention. Around the world, women’s rights slowly began to change noticeably in areas such as a women’s right to vote.

When countries around the world changed the laws allowing women to vote:

New Zealand – 1893

The US – 1920

Great Britain – 1928.

Second wave

The second wave began in the 1960s. It was connected with the anti-war and Civil Rights movements. Reproductive rights and issues related to sexuality also became more prominent. Feminism became more intellectually diverse and complex during these years. Capitalism, the role of women, sexuality, and gender were all discussed as feminist movements around the world became less elitist and more inclusive than during the first wave.

Justine Kurland

Justine Kurland is an American photographer who’s views on this topic were made very clear. In one of her books, SCUMB Manifesto, Kurland took books by male photographers from her own library, cut them up, and rearranged the pieces into individual collages. Her aim was to metaphorically carve out a historical space for women throughout the history of the medium, and build a new lineage of work by women that undercuts the patriarchal influence of the straight white man over photographic history. 

Documentary photography is where a camera is used to document an event or memory and isn’t staged in order to try and tell a story through the image.

A narrative image is a preconceived image which is shot to tell a specific story.

Examples:

The image on the left is an example of a documentary style image

The image on the left is an example of a narrative image

Tableau + Staged Reality

Tableau photography – Tableau is used to describe a photograph in which characters are arranged for picturesque or dramatic effect and appear absorbed and completely unaware of the existence of the viewer.

Staged reality – Rather than capturing the moment, artists make specific choices when staging their images. By consciously placing elements and arranging compositions, they create the events, environments or emotions.

Examples:

The image on the left is an example of a Tableau style image

The image on the right is an example of a Staged image

This book shows Justine Kurland’s take on the classic American tale of the runaway and takes us on a wild ride of freedom, memorializing the moments of adolescence and the fearlessness that accompanied it. Kurland published pictures of girls in a series called “Girl Pictures.” The staged photos are set in urban and wilderness locations, the images depict the girls as being hopeful and independent.

inspired shoot:

Edited images:

These inspired images were taken on multiple occasions because I wanted to capture the ‘natural’ and ‘candid’ look of the images which I knew would be best achieved by taking pictures of my friends when we met up. This allowed me to capture the feeling of friendship and youth without the images looking staged.

History of self portraiture

Self-portraiture was popularised during the Renaissance and was brought about by the rise of individualism and the “heroic” status given to artists at that time. Since then, some of the most iconic works of art, from Van Gogh to Frida Kahlo, have been in the form of self-portraits. It was especially important for female artists during the Renaissance as it allowed them to present a story about themselves for public consumption, removed from the typical objectification of the female form as depicted by male artists. Then in 1839 Robert Cornelius took the very first example of a self portrait photograph in history. Ever since then they have been used to offer insights into the artists lives, surroundings, and their state of mind.

Self portrait

Consider the history of self-portraiture, and try to create an image that alludes to, (or evades?) your identity.

This self-portrait above evades my personality as I am a very loud and chatty person. This is juxtaposed by the hand covering my mouth showing that I am being silent and therefore not my true self.

Performance photograph

Captured vs Premeditated

A captured image isn’t staged and is a natural moment that is caught without any preparation/staging whereas a premeditated image is considered before the actual image is shot allowing time to stage and set up the image to create an intended outcome.

captured – premeditated

Photograph that engages the body with the physical environment

This image shows a girl lying on a staircase which shows her engaging her body with the environment around her as it is not usual to lay on stairs and most people just walk up and down without a second thought. So therefore by laying down she is showing that she is engaging with this location and seeing it from a different perspective than the average person.

In her photographic practice, Clare Rae explores ideas of performance and gesture to question and subvert dominant forms of representation. Her work is inspired by feminist theory, and presents an alternate and often awkward experience of the female body.

“My aim with all my photographs is to subvert the dominant ways we depict women’s subjectivity.”

Inspired shoot

edited images:

Image comparison:

Although both images are set in different locations, there are still lots of similarities. This includes the unusual/awkward positioning of the girls giving both images a sinister and weird feeling. Also the way in which both images use hair and play with how it falls to add a sense of drama to the images. In my opinion, these images could be seen to represent death as seen in Clare Rae’s image (on the left) as the sitter is laying on a metal tray which could be seen to represent the trays they use in mortuaries and crematoriums for the dead bodies. The limp position of her body also adds to the idea that this image is a representation of death. This is mirrored in my image (on the right) as the girl is also positioning herself to look limp and lifeless giving a similar effect. Both images include some kind of metal element whether its the metal tray that the girl is lying on or the metal banister, this material is known for being cold to the touch which adds to the portrayal of death. Overall I think the images have many similar qualities and yet are still both original and unique outcomes.

Cynthia Morris Sherman is an American artist whose work mostly consists of self-portraits, showing herself in many different contexts and as various characters.

She has challenged identity by playing with the visual and cultural codes of art, celebrity, gender, and photography. She is among the most significant artists of the Pictures Generation which is a group that came of age in the 1970s and responded to the mass media landscape surrounding them with both humour and criticism, appropriating images from advertising, film, television, and magazines for their art.

Her works portrays the female stereotypes. Presenting as many different characters, she invents personas that highlight the construction of identity, the nature of representation, and the artifice of photography. To create her images, she takes on multiple such as photographer, model, makeup artist, hairdresser, and stylist.

“I wish I could treat every day
as Halloween, and get dressed
up and go out into the world
as some eccentric character.”

The image is taken from Cindy Sherman’s photo collection called ‘Untitled Film’ which is a collection of 70 black and white images which the artist posed in the guises of various generic female film characters.

This image depicts a stereotypical housewife in the 70’s, however the black and white filter and the dissatisfied expression on her face give of the feeling that this isn’t her true self and she is tired from having to put on an act. I think this is further presented by the heals she is wearing in somewhere where comfort is expected (the bedroom) showing how uncomfortable and ongoing this facade was. The white dress has connotations of innocence which correlates with the expectations of women especially during this time period while the bedroom setting and the way she is lying present to me that she is exhausted and is hiding away because she doesn’t want anyone else to see her exposed true self rather than the version of herself that is formed by societies expectations for women.

Claude Cahun was a French surrealist photographer, sculptor, and writer. Schwob adopted the pseudonym Claude Cahun in 1914. Cahun is best known as a writer and self-portraitist, who assumed a variety of performative personae.

Some of Cahun’s portraits feature the artist looking directly into the camera lens at the viewer, head shaved, often revealing only the head/shoulders and also blurring any gender indicators and behaviours. This serves to undermine the stereotypes and ideals of what a person should look like depending on their gender identity.

Claude Cahun’s photographic self-portraits present mystery, exuberance, and sobriety. Born in France, Cahun lived mostly on the island of Jersey with long-term partner, and stepsister, Marcel Moore. They both changed to using gender-neutral pronouns during early adulthood and were previously known as known as Lucy Schwob and Suzanne Malherbe. Moore, although not often seen, was always present in being an artist collaborator and Cahun’s personal support. Cahun’s self exploration has been described as relentless and at times unsettling as they use their gender ambiguity and unique looks to create meaning in their art. Tragically in line with the fragmentary nature of Cahun’s outlook, much of the artist’s work was destroyed following an arrest and subsequent imprisonment for resistance against the Nazis.

This image above is a very famous piece of their work, continuing along their usual ambiguous and weird style of portraiture. The shaved head and use of framing from the shoulders and upwards allows the artist to not conform to any gender stereotypes or fall within any brackets as they are not showing any stereotypical features of being male or female. In my opinion, the double exposure is a representation of Claude looking back at themselves and potentially trying to understand themselves. The confused expression could be a representation of their struggles with their identity and their journey to becoming comfortable with themselves and who they are.

The themes of ‘FEMININITY and MASCULINITY’ are a binary opposite – a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning.

According to Ferdinand de Saussure, binary opposition is the system by which two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set off against one another. Using binary opposites can often be very helpful in generating ideas for a photographic project as it provides a framework – a set of boundaries to work within.

inspired shoot:

Using the binary opposites of BOY/GIRL and BLACK/WHITE

Definitions:

Femininity – a set of attributes, behaviours, and roles generally associated with women and girls.

Masculinity – a set of attributes, behaviours, and roles associated with men and boys.

Both can be theoretically understood as being a social construct, while there is also evidence that some behaviours considered masculine/feminine are influenced by cultural and biological factors.

Identity – Identity encompasses the memories, experiences, relationships, and values that makes up a person’s sense of self. This combined creates a sense of who we are over time, even as new developments are being made and incorporated into our identity.

How can identity by place?

Personal identity formation and evolution is impacted by various factors such as society, family, friends, ethnicity, race, culture, location, opportunities, media, interests, appearance, self-expression, and life experiences. 

Exposure to different cultures can affect our identity and interacting with similar and different cultures in diverse environments enables us to continuously adapt our own beliefs, values and perceptions and form a redefined sense of self. Our culture shapes the way we work and play, and correlates with how we view ourselves and others and it affects our values and morals. This is how the society we live in influences our choices. But ones individual choices can also influence others and ultimately help shape/change our society.

Mood Board: