Handmade lenses

Gernhardt created her own handmade lenses as she found standard lenses felt wrong. She created these lenses out of various different materials, such as toy kaleidoscopes, prisms, pieces of scratched plastic, fluid colours, and handmade tools which create reflections and mirroring. Her proper journey in photography began when she first created these lenses, she enjoys using these handmade lenses as it creates a surreal look to her images. However around 12 years ago she discovered Lensbaby Muse, which she found to be life changing in her photography. She then began to combine her handmade tools with her Lensbaby Muse, she then later found that she didn’t need to use her old handmade tools and that the Muse was perfect for her photography.

Witchcraft in Photography

Simone Gernhardt was inspired to create this project by her love for halloween time, as she says “Although I almost never dress up for Halloween myself, I absolutely love this time of the year. The days are getting darker, the colors outside are moody & dull, and for me it is the best time to walk through beautiful, dark forests.” Her photoshoot for this project was done in a dark woodland area, one of her interests. She says that during Halloween time forests remind her of witches and witchcraft, as well as their bond to nature that surrounds them. She took these images in a forest located near her home on Halloween.

“…she is floating, leaving her body…. transforming the reality around her.” – Simone Gernhardt

Gernhardt’s model fulfilled her ideas for this photoshoot as the model reflects a natural, earthbound look of witches, according to the photographer. Her camera lens created a surreal look without using too much makeup and just using a standard halloween costume. After taking the photos she goes in with Edge 35 to add a blurriness to the images to make them appear more spooky.

What I want to explore:

My intention is to explore the major social issues within gender, specifically women. I want to explore the themes of misogyny and stereotypes mainly, but also patriarchy, expectations of women and power dynamics while executing the female gaze. I want to execute the change of stereotypes throughout the years and the growth through each factor of the feminism waves.

Why it matters to me:

I would say, this topic matters to me because I realise as a female that women like Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin portrayed the social issues within gender in the 1970’s but Sherman was portraying the traditional stereotype in the 1950’s. This is important to me because, although stereotypes have changed in a way, women are still expected to be a certain way even in the 21st century. This subject matters to me as there is still a significant power dynamics within gender. Women feel the pressure a lot more than men within beauty standards, and feeling the need to be a service to men still to this day, especially including the change in beauty expectations throughout the years.

How I wish to develop your project:

I wish to develop my project by taking images fitting the traditional stereotype similar to Cindy Sherman in the kitchen and other traditional settings. For example, I plan to take images of a female dressed up for the man meanwhile doing household work for the man. Within Cindy Sherman’s images she uses the female gaze which is a very important element that sticks out to me. This is because the ‘ female gaze’ adds a slight sexual and objectification element to her images which is to present the representations of a woman. To emphasize this, she uses a heavy amount of eye makeup so it cannot be missed. Sherman focuses on to ‘ Deconstruct a woman’. Sherman’s objective really stood out to me as she is attempting to deconstruct and portray how woman really felt in the 50’s. Not only this, posing is a very important factor such as possibly doing poses to show an element of motherhood and nurturing which is a typical stereotype of women. To develop my project, I will also be purposely setting up props such as kitchenware to emphasize my images like Sherman. However, I also plan to take images next to a book shelf like Sherman as this links to the second wave feminism as women were not seen to be educated. Instead they were only seen to be a nurturing mother and look after the household. Overall, in my opinion setting is almost the most important factor and will be very thought through as I personally believe it is what makes the image understandable. I plan to successfully execute this through using props etc and placing them in the correct areas to make the image the most interesting and eye catching.

Which form I wish to present your study (photobook, film, prints etc)

I wish to present my study in a photobook, I think this will suit my project best as I want to present the different types of traditional stereotypes in different settings, clothing etc which I can execute as my images are purposely suppose to look planned and thought out, rather than natural. This takes the sense of reality away which is what I aim to do so. In my photobook, I wish to show the different stereotypes throughout the years. My first set of images would start around the 1950’s and end in modern days around this century. This would mean I would be able to show the growth in stereotypes women face which is relevant as second-wave feminism was a period of feminist activity that began in the early 1960s and lasted roughly two decades, ending with the feminist sex wars in the early 1980s and being replaced by third-wave feminism in the early 1990s. Therefore, the traditional ‘housewife’ stereotype has significantly changed throughout the years yet there are still expectations. This stands out to me and I wish to show this change successfully as you turn the pages.

When and where you intend to begin your study?

1st wave-

I aim to begin this study this week in my household or in a library. This is to purposely signify the 1st wave of feminism which was the suffrage movement aiming for voting and equal rights. I aim to take some images of the subject picking out a book from a bookshelf, portraying the female gaze. The reason this is my idea I wish to execute is because this makes me think of women gaining the rights of education and voting. This links to the Cindy Sherman concept of ‘ Deconstructing a woman’ as it was a typical stereotype that women should not be educated, and were only needed for motherhood and for the male in the looked after household. This is the starting point as this was in the late 19th century to early 20th century. The first ever movement females had gained. The female gaze is suppose to add a significant photography feature as the purpose of the ‘female gaze’ becomes to connect with the female viewer via the female creator, coming together in a way that serves them, and upholding the idea that women are powerful and can control their own destiny. That is why one of the most notable differences between the male and the female gaze is intent. First-wave feminists argued that women were only “inferior” because of their inferior education. If they were educated at the same level and to the same standards as men, they would be able to exercise their reason at the same level as well, and would hence deserve to be treated as full equals by the law. This is why I think my images will be relevant to this timeline.

2nd wave–

My objective within the second wave is to take images in my kitchen, with the subject female dressed up for the male in the ‘household’. This is because this portrays a factor of the power dynamics within gender. Because of this, I aim to portray the ‘traditional housewife’ as this stereotype began in the 2nd wave. To do this successfully, I aim to have my subject in the kitchen doing chores, such as cleaning and cooking. Things to emphasize this could be the subject in an apron, hair rollers, heels and a significant amount of makeup to portray the female gaze. Another factor that I was inspired by was Cindy Sherman’s posing such as her arm around her lower tummy. This signifies the nurturing mother stereotype as well.

3rd wave–

My objective within this photoshoot is too take images of a women of colour with more freedom such as in a club, party etc. This is because I was also inspired by Nan Goldin’s work which she still portrays an element of feminism yet a lot of her work is not entirely focused on it. She has this famous image in a nightclub during the 80’s.

Therefore, I will take images of a woman of colour potentially drinking or at a free place because it represents the growth in equality within woman. I hope to keep the subject formal and feminine such as dressing her such as a long dress and potentially heels and heavy makeup meanwhile maintaining the theme of the female gaze. The third wave of feminism, which began in the mid-1990s, is generally regarded as more inclusive of women of colour than previous waves and is credited with bringing the notion of intersectionality to the forefront of mainstream feminist activism. The third wave broadened the agenda of women of colour so I am to merge Cindy Sherman’s and Nan Goldin’s work to make my own pieces.

4th wave–

Within this photoshoot, my main aim is to take images of a female looking at the expectations within social media or comparing herself to social media in the mirror. I am inspired by Cindy Sherman in these images

I think these photos have such an impactful message which I am mine to do so too. I aim to take images mainly in a mirror of a woman doing ‘stereotypical’ things such as makeup and crying as a women are seen as sensitive. However, at the same time I aim to show the impact of social media and although it signifies the freedom and equality rights of women, it has a very impact of teenagers and even women. This will be aimed for 2010’s to 2024 which is the present. Not only this, I will make my subject to dress up to still show the feminine side and how the dressing up from the man in the household has switched to social media. I think this will successfully show the growth and impact of feminism and I aim to put it in order in my book to emphasize it. All my images I am to be mirrors and staged as I think this will suit my ideas the best.

What I want to explore:

Within my personal study, my main themes are femininity and youth. I want to explore these themes because feminism is a movement to put an end to sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression and to achieve full gender equality in law and in practice. I feel passionately about the role of women and how society has shaped stereotypes surrounding them, as well as looking into how women have overcome these stereotypes since the 1950s, which links to the ‘Challenge’ element within the project. In addition, I chose youth as one of my main themes because youthhood is the time in our lives that teaches us how to make decisions and start making reasonable choices. This is an element that I relate to as I am currently in my teenage years and learning how to make important decisions for my future, therefore this topic is something I can apply my own experiences to which will give my work a more realistic approach. From my artist inspiration I gathered that Kurland depicts a dream landscape, and a world where even imaginations of resistance are misshapen by white supremacy. These two themes also link to women stereotypes and gender roles, which are two other specific topics I will be diving into. The main issue I will be researching is women stereotypes, where I have looked at Cindy Sherman as well as Justine Kurland. Sherman is a photographer who probed the construction of identity, playing with the visual and cultural codes of art, celebrity and gender. I took inspiration from these two artists specifically because I feel that they take their own unique approach to the social issues and portray their work in contrasting ways.

Why it matters to me:

“Your identity plays an important role in how you treat others and how you carry yourself in the world.”

This quote highlights the importance of everybody finding their own identity and how they want to portray themselves to the world. I believe this is significant because it is part of the message I want to present, encouraging young girls around my age to express their true identity. Moreover, identity is becoming a more spoken-about topic in my generation, where we have become more accepting of people collectively. This photoshoot matters to me because it obtains the theme of youth and gender. This is because youth is a inevitable element of reaching adulthood and everyone’s is unique. As well, I am able to include elements that are more specific to girls rather than girls and boys, as males and females grow up very differently from each other. I want to incorporate these ideas into my photoshoot so I can take my own approach to these themes. By including these ideas into my photoshoot, I will be able to relate to the ‘Girl Pictures’ book through my own experiences through growing up as a girl and using models that are of a similar age to the young girls in the book. This way I am using my artist inspirations effectively but making it more personal to me.

How I wish to develop my project:

I wish to develop my project by including similar elements as my two artists; such as taking photos outdoors with a natural background, or focusing on presenting gender roles through photographing young women showing stereotypes, for example in a kitchen. This way I will be able to portray similar outcomes to Kurland as she focuses on taking images of young girls who have ran away from home and are living outdoors. I feel that I can recreate this successfully by going to St Catherine’s woods and placing my models in different locations of the woods, often holding objects that represent girlhood such as a hairbrush. I am also able to relate to Sherman by photographing girls portraying female stereotypes because that was what she focused on. For example, I will use the ‘female gaze’ in my images as it adds a sexualized and objectifying effect into my images which shows the representation of women in the 50s. Sherman focuses on “Deconstructing a woman” as her photos are often interpreted as feminist art, since her works raise questions regarding the objectification of women by the male gaze and the construction of the female gender.

Which form I wish to present my study as:

I wish to present my study in a photobook, as I feel that this will best represent the structure and messages behind my photoshoots. For example, at the beginning of my photobook will be my Cindy Sherman inspired photoshoot, as these images highlight the stereotypes of women in the 1950s. This way, I will be able to present my photos in a chronological order, which makes it easy to understand yet also interesting for the viewer as they will get to see how women have changed and adapted to the gender roles of women. My aim is to make my images seamlessly blend together by taking my photoshoots in similar locations. Then my photobook will begin to incorporate Kurland’s images, as hers were based between 1997 and 2002. Sherman’s photographs were taken when coloured photographs did not exist, therefore I will include black and white images throughout my photobook to keep my inspiration surfaced. Contrastingly, Kurland’s photos are all in colour, which gives an overall more modern aesthetic. I will also include these but mostly towards the end of my photobook so the chronological order of them is displayed. Additionally, I may include pages where I show a typology of images on one page, this way it is easy for the viewer to see the similarities and differences between the two artists and what they aim to present in their work.

Where and when I intend to begin my study:

I intend to begin my study with lots of images inspired by Sherman, including black and white images to show the time they were taken. I will take my first photoshoot inside, only using one model. My main location will be in a kitchen where I will have my model portraying typical women stereotypes in the 50s, yet I will take inspiration from Justine Kurland too so the images throughout the book can merge together. For example, I will dress my model in clothing from the 50s but I will put some of my images in colour too. In addition, in my second shoot I will photograph in outdoor settings. This is because it will successfully show the theme of youth which I am trying to present through my work. In my childhood, I spent a lot of time outdoors in places such as; different beaches, specifically St Brelade’s bay, Millbrook park, FB fields etc. I want to include some of these outdoor settings in my photoshoots so I can relate my images to Justine Kurland and execute similar outdoors.

Visiting Art centres around St Helier, we got a good insight into some artists and their creative pieces.

Jersey Arts Centre –

Marc Medland’s ‘10 projects’ exhibition:

1. Leonard and Doreen’s Trip into Trouble
2. The Good Neighbour Plan
3. No More Gas
4. K.O.T
5. Super Birds
6. Seven Deadly Sins
7. Baptistery/Launderette
8. Bringing the Outside In
9. Pop Ups
10. Rooftop Crawlers

‘The invented parallel worlds are set in extreme situations and are represented using short film, animation, collage, architectural drawing and physical models.’ – Jersey Arts. Visiting this exhibition, the work on display was creatively eccentric in its appearance, with a retro yet modern aesthetic, the use of graphic design, story telling through ai generated imagery and unique individual production in all the projects, I Enjoyed his work and found it quite impressive.

CCA Galleries –

Visiting the CCA Galleries next, we looked around the current exhibition created by photographer, Glen Perotte, who captured his 15 day summit up mount Kenya’s botanical beauty. As the Gallery states “this new series of photographs Perotte explores the flora of Mount Kenya, Africa’s second highest mountain after Kilimanjaro and a uniquely special place. Mount Kenya is god’s mountain, a locus for the spiritual life of many of the ethnic tribes in the area who believe god came down from the sky to live on its peak amongst the clouds. The focus for Perotte is the astonishing plant life that manages to take root in this volcanic and harsh landscape of thin air and rocky terrain, sometimes by banding together and at other times finding a small niche to settle in alone. Strange, yet wonderfully captivating, these botanical wonders exhibit adaptations honed over millennia to survive the harsh mountain environment.

Glen Perotte is an international photographer who has worked in New York, London and is now based in Jersey. Perotte has shown at the Barbican London, The Association of Photographers Gallery and the Royal Photographic Society, Bristol. Glen returns to CCA Galleries International for his third solo exhibition with an exciting body of new work.”

Amongst the other parts of the gallery, we looked at some international work from other featured artists on display.

ArtHouse Jersey at Court House –

Dancing Together: A ballad – by Kaarina Kaikkonen is the current exhibition at court house. Featuring a vast collection of donated clothes, it tells a moving story of the story’s behind the pieces of clothing, donated by our islands local people.

As ArtHouse Jersey states:

”Dancing Together: A Ballad is an indoor reimagining of Kaarina Kaikkonen’s large-scale public sculpture, Dancing Together, which was created in the outside in the public realm in St Helier in the summer of 2024. It incorporated over 700 shirts donated by people in Jersey during the summer and many of those who donated a short also shared a meaningful memory or story connected to the shirt.

For this overall project Kaarina Kaikkonen has created two distinct works that bring together the different stories of people and their shirts – ordinary, sad, courageous, joyful, humorous – that reflect the people of Jersey. In the more intimate space of ArtHouse Jersey at Capital House, visitors are invited to get up close to these very personal sentiments, each garment holding a world of its own memory, offering Islanders the chance to truly connect with the many moving human stories that held the original Charing Cross public artwork together. Dancing Together and Dancing Together: A Ballad, both created especially for Jersey, are the latest works in a series of shirt installations that Kaarina Kaikkonen has created inside galleries, museums and outdoor settings across the world over the past thirty years, from Shanghai to Madrid, Santiago, Chile to Rome and across Finland and Scandinavia. Each work responds to the particular architectures, histories and natural elements of its location, recycling materials to create an artwork that speaks to a sense of a collective ‘body’, of time suspended and a poetic reflection of memory, loss and our shared experience as humans and the different environments in which we live. Discussing her work, artist Kaarina Kaikkonen has said, ‘I want to use materials that have had a previous life. Then I change it and give it a new life, a new form of art. To make beauty from the ordinary.’ This reinvention of Dancing Together into a new life, also featuring a specially created score by acclaimed Finnish composer Päivi Takala, opens the question of what is possible through reimagining, reusing – and how from otherwise forgotten or discarded materials, can come an extraordinary, moving, gallery experience.”

“The sound of Colour” Town church –

On our final art piece visit, we went across the road to Town Church to see ArtHouse Jerseys second exhibition, ‘The sound of Colour – arrivals’. Visually retelling the history of Jersey through Sound and beautiful visuals, this was a very immersive art piece I found very well made and inspirational. From ArtHouse Jersey “ArtHouse Jersey’s The Sound of Colour: Arrivals, is a new projection mapping project to be presented at St Helier Town Church from Friday 8 to Saturday 23 November. Featuring visuals by international artist Akhila Krishnan and a soundscape by the Jersey electroacoustic composer Sarah Keirle-Dos Santos the piece is co-authored and produced by Natasha Dettman for ArtHouse Jersey. It follows the success of the first edition of The Sound of Colour: Origins (2021) which also completely transformed the iconic venue of St Helier Town Church with projection and soundscapes.

Arrivals explores the emergence of language in Jersey; from the distant whisperings of the Magdalenian people of the late Stone Age, the Iron Age Celts of Gaul, the Romans, the Franks, the Normans, to the appearance of our native language Jèrriais. Bringing light into the darkening month of November, Arrivals considers how our language and culture has been woven into existence and shaped over thousands of years of settlement of this Island by different peoples and cultures. We finally land in present day Jersey, where the sounds of modern English, French, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, Swahili, Filipino and many more languages can be heard. The immersive soundscape created by Sarah Keirle-Dos Santos features the voices of many Islanders speaking some of the languages which would at various times have been spoken widely and some which may have made a brief appearance in Jersey.”

Mind Map of Ideas

Mood Board ( Observe )

Mood Board ( Seek )

Mood Board ( challenge )

Genres I want to include:

• environmental photography
• documentary photography
• portrait photography
• street photography

Artist Studies : Environmental photographers

Arnold Newman

Who is Arnold Newman?

Arnold Abner Newman was an American photographer, noted for his “environmental portraits” of artists and politicians. He was also known for his carefully composed abstract still life images. In 2006, he was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum.

What inspired Arnold Newman?

Arnold Newman was partially influenced by Flemish Painters. Flemish Painters focus on many different kinds of genres whether its still life paintings, environmental paintings or even portraits there are so many genres of art within this field of painting.

Who inspired Arnold Newman?

Along side Flemish painters He also mentioned that the work of the Cubists, including Picasso, influenced the way he structures a photograph. Picasso was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and stage designer considered one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century. Picasso is credited, along with Georges Braque, with the creation of Cubism.

Moodboard of Arnold Newman’s photography

Personal Opinion

What I like about Arnold Newman’s work is that he uses people within their natural environment therefore he captures people to their full capacity as people often feel the most comfortable in their own personal environment. Although they do know they are being photographed many of the images still turn out very natural as if the camera wasn’t there.

Arnold uses quite a lot of natural lighting in his images, whether they are taken outside or close to windows letting in the natural sunlight and lighting in from the outside. Although all of his images are manipulated and changed to black and white the natural lighting within each image is still very clear and noticeable.

All of Arnold Newman’s photographs have a warm light feel to them even whilst all the images are black and white you can still see the warm, soft lighting within the photographs.

Arnold Newman uses a wide range of different perspectives, shapes and points of view within his images, some are up close and very detailed while others show a bigger picture with less of a focal point.

Artist study two – Street photographers/documentary

Henri Cartier Bresson

Who is Henri cartier Bresson?

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French artist and humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as capturing a decisive moment. Cartier-Bresson was one of the founding members of Magnum Photos in 1947.

Who inspired Henri Cartier Bresson?

Cartier-Bresson’s photographic vision was shaped by a blend of artistic, philosophical, and documentary influences, ranging from Surrealism and Pictorialism to painting and the revolutionary spirit of the 20th century. His unique style, which emphasized capturing the essence of life’s fleeting moments, was an amalgamation of these diverse inspirations.

some of the types of people who inspired him:

• The Pictorialists (Artistic Photography Movement)
• Garry Winogrand and Walker Evans
• The Surrealists
• Robert Capa
• Paul Strand and Edward Weston
• The Concept of “The Decisive Moment”
• Painting and Drawing

What was Henri Cartier Bresson’s most famous piece?

Henri Cartier Bresson’s most famous piece was the Place de l’Europe, Behind Gare Saint Lazare (1932)

Image Description:

Cartier-Bresson’s impulsive masterpiece picturing a man suspended in mid-air as he hops over a large puddle creates a sense of anticipation as he captures the dynamic movement of an unaware participant in the decisive moment: the instant before his heel hits the water.

Henri Cartier Bresson Moodboard

Henri Cartier Bresson famous Quotes

• “The decisive moment is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which give that event its proper expression.”
• “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”
• “I do not photograph nature, I photograph life.”
• “There is nothing in this world that does not have a decisive moment.”

Personal Opinion

Henri Cartier Bresson’s work is really intriguing, I love how he captures very pure moments in time which show a story from a first look within the image but which also have a deeper meaning and story to each and every image.

The decisive moment definition – is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as of a precise organisation of forms which give that event its proper expression.

He inspires me as I am a very creative person who enjoys creating deeper meanings and stories behind images which may look so simple however they create such a inspiring story behind them.

Artist study three – portrait photography

Oliver Doran

who is Oliver Doran?

Oliver Doran is an internationally renowned portrait, editorial, and commercial photographer. Known for his ability to capture spontaneous, heartfelt moments with genuine emotions, his work has attracted clients from all over the world. After expanding his portfolio in the Middle East and returning to Jersey in 2020, Oliver now blends his global experience with a focus on capturing life’s most precious milestones.

What kind of photos does oliver doran take?

Oliver Doran takes a wide range of different portrait images of people in various different angles, he has taken portrait images for magazine covers, family shoots for memories and various other styles of portraits for many different occasions.

website quote – “At Oliver Doran Studios, we craft stunning, timeless, and iconic visual stories that rival the elegance of high-end magazine covers—capturing your true essence in every shot.”

Who and what has Oliver Doran worked with?

Based in Jersey, Oliver travels internationally for both private and commercial commissions. His work has taken him to cities like London, Paris, Malaga, and Dubai, where he collaborates with luxury brands such as Cartier and Dior. He’s also worked with major publications like GQ, Esquire, and Cosmopolitan, and photographed celebrities including Robert De Niro, Lewis Hamilton, and Colin Firth.

Here are all the brands and companies he has worked with:

Oliver Doran moodboard

Mood board Analysis:

For my mood board, I decided to incorporate photos where women look strong and powerful, but also where women are showing their emotions, exploring different types of relationships and friendships. I also wanted to include female emotion and how emotion is a cast aside and stereotypical topic around women and how the word ‘Feminist‘ has a particular stigma surrounding it. Creating these moodboards has helped me to generate ideas with what type of work I would like to produce and what message I would like to convey.

I chose images that are all different.

Black and White.

Happy and Sad.

Feminine and Masculine.

Edited and Non Edited.

Staged and Candid.

Group and Single.

Head- Shot and Full Body Shot.

This mood board helped me to decide on the fact I would like to focus on girlhood. Particularly older teenagers at the age of 17-19 and the struggles of moving from adolescence to adulthood and the hardships young women face. I like this topic as it is a current topic which is faced globally and I feel It is a topic which I will enjoy expressing my opinion on and It is an important topic which needs embracing by young people especially.

Feminists.

The stigma around feminism I would like to explore is of negative stereotypes of feminists the idea that feminists are all lesbians, man-hating, antifamily, selfish, radical, unusually angry, assertive, ugly, bra-burning, and humourless.

This moodboard represents some of the types of poses I would like to encorporate in my photoshoots and final work.

Women’s Suffrage

Women’s suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Several instances occurred in recent centuries where women were selectively given, then stripped of, the right to vote. Finally in 1918, Parliament passed an act granting the vote to women over the age of 30 who were householders, the wives of householders, occupiers of property with an annual rent of £5, and graduates of British universities. About 8.4 million women gained the vote. The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted women the right to vote. This right—known as women’s suffrage—was ratified on August 18, 1920: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of gender.

Reproductive Rights

Reproductive rights are legal rights and freedoms relating to reproduction and reproductive health that vary amongst countries around the world.  The World Health Organisation  defines reproductive rights as follows:

1. Rights to reproductive and sexual health include the right to life, liberty and the security of the person.

2. The right to health care and information.

3. The right to non-discrimination in the allocation of resources to health services and in their availability and accessibility.

Being able to make decisions about how to express our sexuality, including our sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as about our bodies, our personal relationships, the form and shape of one’s family and the destination of one’s life path, among other things, is essential to our bodily autonomy and dignity. However, across the world, millions of people, particularly members of marginalized and stigmatized communities and those living in poverty, are prevented from making free and informed decisions about their bodies. In many countries this happens because governments try to dictate how people form intimate relationships, or express desire, as well as whether and when to have children. This affects women, girls and LGBTI people in particular, but it’s not just about individuals, it impacts whole communities.

Sexual and reproductive rights – Amnesty International

HOW ARE WOMEN’S RIGHTS BEING VIOLATED?

Today, gender bias continues to create huge barriers for many women. Ongoing struggles include ensuring equal economic opportunities, educational equity, and an end to gender-based violence.

But across the globe many women and girls still face discrimination on the basis of sex and gender. Gender inequality underpins many problems which disproportionately affect women and girls, such as domestic and sexual violence, lower pay, lack of access to education, and inadequate HealthCare.

Examples of gender discrimination include but are not limited to: Mis gendering or mispronouncing (purposefully using the wrong gender identity or pronouns to address someone) Having limited access to all-gender restrooms. Disfavouring someone based on gender.

NAME IDEA- THE FEMALE GAZE. – I like the idea of this name for my personal and independent study name as it juxtaposes THE MALE GAZE and shows how actually the power is in the women’s favour and that they are in fact control, and control the gave that is put upon them.

The female ‘gaze’ creates the perspective of being “in” rather than overlooking the character’s experiences, allowing the audience to understand the character’s inner thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

The idea of the ‘female’ gaze is that the female gaze embraces the spectator, character, and the directors of these works and sets out to represent women as people who are capable of the same things men are.

Todd Hido

Todd Hido creates photographs at blue hour of urban locations to create an eerie atmosphere. These photographs could be described as uncanny in their approach to an urban landscape. ‘Liminal spaces’ are transition zones or the space ‘in-between’ of two points associated with uncertainty and discomfort. The phrase liminal space refers to the physical, physiological, and psychological transition zones which has become associated with uncomfortably empty photographs of urban locations. Todd Hido’s photographs embodies these feelings of the space between and the loneliness that comes with it.

Todd Hido creates photographs that are “eerie, mysterious, somewhat disconcerting”¹ as “they feel as though they have been directly pulled from the recesses of your own memory²“. By seeming like something out of a memory they create a personal connection and therefore seem more real and immersive. He takes these photographs during “long, solitary drives³“, meaning the feelings of loneliness are authentic which becomes clear in the frame. This uncomfortable atmosphere is created in a number of ways such as the lighting and isolating subjects: buildings are shown standing alone, single windows are lit and no people are shown in frame making the photographer the only person around. In terms of lighting this photograph was taken outside in the winter during blue hour to create a natural appearance with a blue hue making it seem cold and distant, conveying “loneliness⁴” and “isolation⁵“. This cold tone is contrasted with the light emitting from inside the building which is diffused by fog making the light soft and warm in contrast. This makes it seem like the viewer is missing out like a by-stander creating feelings of “abandonment⁶“. The use of fog also gives this image a greater sense of depth and the uneasy atmosphere. The house at the front is in focus while everything further back is much more difficult to make out or see. This draws the attention to the centre of the frame. There isn’t much contrast across the image with the whites that are blue and the darks being affected by the fog. The lack of people in the frame helps to creates a liminal space but also makes the building “an empty shell⁷“. This means that the viewer can relate by applying their “own memories⁸” and “create a narrative⁹” that resonates with themselves. Alternatively the use of an upkept house shows evidence of people being there recently and lights on implies people present at the time but being unable to spot the people creates this isolated and uneasy atmosphere. He has created “despair”¹⁰ in an “otherwise ordinary scene¹¹“.

Hiroshi Sugimoto

I compiled a few of Hiroshi Sugimoto’s photographs that I thought used similar imagery to the types of outcome I wanted to achieve. These photographs are from 2 different projects, one where candles were captured directly to create strips of white among a black background while the other used natural occurring light he found within architecture and then blurred them.

Hiroshi Sugimoto “dissolves the lines between time, memory, and history¹²” in his photographs. This is a common theme among all of his work and particularly this image. By taking this photograph out of focus lines have literally been dissolved. Additionally the minimalist layout of the church creates a space that could easily be from many points in history or your own memory. While minimalism is commonly associated with modern architecture and aesthetics, the protestant church has been white and void of decoration to separate itself from Catholicism. Its minimalism was a direct response to the pompous teachings of Catholicism started by Martin Luther in the 1500s. The large cross is bright white compared to the rest of the image which draws attention instantly and introduces the theme of religion. Religion, especially old religions such as Christianity, is heavily associated with its past and ties throughout history – the bible is literally a historic text. The cross is also centralised with every line leading the eye towards the centre. The floor is split into isles which is illuminated by the light and makes the path to the cross and subsequent religion look inviting and easily do-able. The image was purposefully made blurred as the artists wanted the architectural feats to shine past small details as a reflection of modernisation of architecture stripping away details from previous ages of architecture. An old catholic cathedral would have a typical gothic appearance with stain glass windows, golden detailing and a large extravagant structure. If this photograph was taken as a commentary on modernity instead, then the modern church room being bare and basic is reflective of the current trend across all sections of modern architecture: Minimalist, uncreative white squares. Additionally this image is black and white, again “stripping away¹³” another layer of “superfluous decoration¹⁴“. By using the basic location as a backdrop all the focus can be set on the contrast between light and dark and the cross (representing its religion) without distraction – the whole reason Protestantism was created. The emptiness of the room also creates an unwelcoming and cool atmosphere which contrasts with the imagery of the cross and its welcoming light. This could represent both the personal connection people build with their religion but also the loneliness that comes with religious teaching and practices.

Raymond Meeks

Raymond Meeks is an American photographer who creates narratives through his books. These photographs show a few people in the woods as they traverse the wilderness. I like how their identities are obscured and the photographs are overall dark and atmospheric. He uses light and dark to create this moody atmosphere which also can show the danger associated with the woods.

Raymond Meeks takes photographs that are “considerations of sensitive observations¹⁵“. He took these photographs while observing the youth cliff jumping after school and put together the collection after dedicating 2 full years. This photograph was taken in black and white with film meaning each single photograph would have required more thought and commitment than digital. The brightest point, the white sky, is obscured by trees. Even with the obscuring, it is significantly brighter than the surrounding rock and people. This is to show the aspirational aspect behind where the people are going, symbolising their futures as young people growing up. This was made with natural lighting where the large rock is dark creating shadow. There is a difference in texture also as the trees are smooth compared to the rough rock surface. The people create a line leading towards the bright light from the darker rocks showing the path they’re taking which also links to underlying themes of religion as Raymond Meeks “was raised Catholic¹⁶” and compares the ritual of cliff jumping in the woods to “altars¹⁷” from church. Religion carries many connotations such as the positive community as well as fears due to its ties with consequence, sin and death. While this image is not of the symbolic jump itself it documents the lead up by following a small community on their path to the altars. “He has chosen not to photograph the faces¹⁸” which serves two purposes. The first is to make them seem like faceless followers while the second is so that their identity is stripped away so that the focus is on their actions as opposed to the people behind them. He is photographing “traces and residue¹⁹” instead of the “thing itself²⁰” which leads to strangely dreamlike and “whimsy²¹” images contrasted with the tension of “the unknown²²” creating a haunting atmosphere fitting for following people through the woods. One theme present among many of Raymond Meeks projects is “the construct of home²³” and the essence of a landscape. Feelings of home are “centred on memory²⁴” which makes it personal and therefore creates an emotional connection between the image and the viewer. This image has homely features not defined by its walls but the sense of familial connections between people and familiar backdrop of a generic forest. “the way in which a landscape can shape an individual²⁵” is present in the literal shape these people have had to take to overcome the hill but also how the youth culture of the area has influenced this culture of cliff jumping through the woods.

The image looks candid and unmanipulated however the subjects would have been aware of his presence.

Rut Blees Luxemburg

Rut Blees Luxemburg photographs London’s streets. Her photographs create an ominous atmosphere which frame the city in an unsettling and mysterious way. Her photographs are abstractions utilising reflections and embody the feeling of liminal spaces.

Rut Blees Luxemburg takes photos around London where she lives. She takes the mundane and turns it into “her city²⁶” by photographing only the calm and still present at night which is a totally unique character to the city during the rush of the day. She also chooses what to avoid and what to include for example “You don’t see the surveillance cameras²⁷” as it doesn’t fit the narrative. Since she lives there her interest would lie less in the bigger picture of cityscapes and instead in the smaller, abstract parts. This photograph uses the natural light of a low sun which casts a yellow hue likely taken at golden hour. This light is used to set up dramatic shadows to emphasise the depth of the stairs and presence of footprints. The yellow makes the image warm and creates a uniform style across every image in the theme. The foreground is made up of shallow stairs which lead down towards the footprints and sea. Its out of focus making use of a shorter depth of field. It has a dark tone which has high contrast and creates an overall grungy aesthetic. There is slight tension and a part of a mystery set up with the question: Who left the footprints and what happened to them. The footprints are left on a wet platform at the bottom of the stairs which lead towards the body of water. When asked “Although taken in public spaces, your work rarely shows their inhabitants. Does the presence of people deter from the poetics of the space?²⁸” Rut Blees Luxemburg simply responded “yes.²⁹” This idea that she doesn’t take photographs of “individual stories³⁰” rather she lets her photographs “becomes a template³¹” for “the imagination³²” and act like a “portal³³” into a “reflective space³⁴” creating a void of human presence that is “uncanny³⁵” while also being relaxingly “mundane³⁶“.

Jose Conceptes

Jose Conceptes is a Spanish photographer who creates scenic images through the use of light and shadows. The large majority of his work is made up of architectural imagery however a few experimental projects were made which showcase horror and fears which I would like to experiment with.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman takes photographs exploring the portrayal of women in film and media. This was expressed in her project ‘Untitled Film Stills.’ These always show at least part of Cindy Sherman as she’s commenting on the objectification of women. Often the background is equally as important for example the washing up sink or a bookshelf. I believe her work challenged stereotypes from films in a creative and unique way. She observed films and their characters and setup her images as an observation of herself as a character.

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1. https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/todd-hido-an-enigmatic-point-of-view ↩︎
2. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/todd-hido-todd-hido-on-homes-at-night-and-illustrating-memories-in-photography ↩︎
3. https://www.widewalls.ch/artists/todd-hido ↩︎
4. https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/todd-hido-an-enigmatic-point-of-view ↩︎
5. https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/todd-hido-an-enigmatic-point-of-view ↩︎
6. https://metalmagazine.eu/en/post/todd-hido-an-enigmatic-point-of-view ↩︎
7. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/todd-hido-todd-hido-on-homes-at-night-and-illustrating-memories-in-photography ↩︎
8. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/todd-hido-todd-hido-on-homes-at-night-and-illustrating-memories-in-photography ↩︎
9. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/todd-hido-todd-hido-on-homes-at-night-and-illustrating-memories-in-photography ↩︎
10. https://www.widewalls.ch/artists/todd-hido ↩︎
11. https://www.widewalls.ch/artists/todd-hido ↩︎
12. https://fraenkelgallery.com/exhibitions/hiroshi-sugimoto-architecture-2 ↩︎
13. Hiroshi Sugimoto, Architecture 1997-2002 ↩︎
14. Hiroshi Sugimoto, Architecture 1997-2002 ↩︎
15. https://www.1854.photography/2021/09/raymond-meeks-somersault-photobook-2 ↩︎
16. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/raymond-meeks-halfstory-halflife ↩︎
17. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/raymond-meeks-halfstory-halflife ↩︎
18. https://www.henricartierbresson.org/en/expositions/raymond-meeks ↩︎
19. https://www.henricartierbresson.org/en/expositions/raymond-meeks ↩︎
20. https://www.1854.photography/2021/09/raymond-meeks-somersault-photobook-2 ↩︎
21. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/raymond-meeks-halfstory-halflife ↩︎
22. https://www.lensculture.com/articles/raymond-meeks-halfstory-halflife ↩︎
23. https://www.1854.photography/2021/09/raymond-meeks-somersault-photobook-2 ↩︎
24. https://www.shashasha.co/en/artist/raymond-meeks ↩︎
25. https://www.shashasha.co/en/artist/raymond-meeks ↩︎
26. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/interview-a-shot-in-the-dark-1287703.html ↩︎
27. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/interview-a-shot-in-the-dark-1287703.html ↩︎
28. https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-rut ↩︎
29. https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-rut ↩︎
30. https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-rut ↩︎
31. https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-rut ↩︎
32. https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-rut ↩︎
33. https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-rut ↩︎
34. https://photoworks.org.uk/interview-rut ↩︎
35. https://1000wordsmag.com/rut-blees-luxemburg/ ↩︎
36. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/interview-a-shot-in-the-dark-1287703.html ↩︎

Photoshoot 1:

I want this photoshoot to be of houses like how Todd Hido takes his night time urban photographs. Similar to his approach, there will not be any people in these photographs and the houses will be quiet. The houses will be detached with at least one set of lights on. Ideally I will be taking these photographs through fog too so that the light will look soft and distant. I want to take these at blue hour. Since detached houses will likely be further out from town, they should also be quieter and the buildings are more unique and picturesque. To take these images I will be trying out different shutter speeds but I expect to need a low shutter speed to compensate for the dark.

Photoshoot 2:

This photoshoot will set up like Raymond Meeks by following a person/s however instead of the woods this one will be through a building and how they interact with the bannisters, doors etc. I would like to try 2 approaches to lighting. The first will make use of natural light when its still daytime around windows and the second will use artificial lights through doorways to create a leading path. I will be taking these images in an older house with deep stairs and a basement. These pictures will be used for the narrative as they’re less abstract and much easier to identify. An idea I’ve had was using a really low shutter speed so that the person was more of a trail but this is something I was going to experiment with.

Photoshoot 3/4:

These photoshoots will be abstractions of objects/locations that can be linked to fears such as a spiders web or the nails holding a carpet. While the subject is the focus of these images, the lighting is just as important. I aim to create dramatic shadows over the subjects with varying light sources. I will be taking these images both in focus and out of focus. The out of focus ones will still be enough to see the subject but like Hiroshi Sugimoto’s architecture wont be crisp. I will also take some in focus image incase I need them later for an experiment.

Goldin’s work documents her life and the lives of these people close to her in a tableaux, uncompromising manner, showcasing stories and intimate details of their lived experiences. Goldin explores the intimate emotions of the individual, in relationships, and in LGBTQ subcultures, where her beginning interest in photography was found in her loved ones who were drag queens, and she admired them for stepping outside of societal and gender norms. These photographs she took during this time and earlier were included in her first book which compromises fifteen years of work, ‘The Ballad of Sexual Dependency’. This book is a very personal depiction and documentation of her life from 1979 and 1986, and the photos hold a raw intensity which feels spontaneous. She stated about her way of capturing these moments; ‘I don’t select people in order to photograph them; I photograph directly from my life. These pictures come out of relationships, not observation.’ With her photographs, she is able to capture the world without glamorisation or glorification, and preserve the sense of peoples’ lives, to make those in the pictures stare back.

In Nan Goldin’s work around this time, her photos were dominantly taken inside and by night, they embodied a sort of ‘snapshot aesthetic’, where the subject matter is often presented without an apparent link within the images and instead rely on the juxtapositions and disjunctions of the individual photos. Goldin stated; ‘That series is stark. It’s all flash-lit. I honestly didn’t know about natural light then and how it affected the colour of the skin because I never went out in daylight.’