About:

Cynthia Morris Sherman is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters. Cindy Sherman has probed the construction of identity, playing with the visual and cultural codes of art, celebrity, gender, and photography.

She is among the most significant artists of the Pictures Generation — a group that also includes Richard Prince, Louise Lawler, Sherrie Levine, and Robert Longo — who came of age in the 1970s and responded to the mass media landscape surrounding them with both humor and criticism, appropriating images from advertising, film, television, and magazines for their art. At the end of the century, Sherman was the artist who most effectively utilised this source. Her pictures are composed of masks and anatomical models of the body, not unlike the bashed-up dolls by a surrealist pioneer such as Hans Bellmer (1902–1975).

Sherman grew up on Long Island, New York. In 1972 she enrolled at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo and majored in painting, later switching her major to photography. She graduated from SUNY in 1976 and in 1977 began work on Untitled Film Stills (1977–80), one of her best-known series.

Cindy Sherman’s work is characterized by her use of self-portraiture to create fictional characters and explore themes such as identity, representation, and the construction of femininity to portray the various roles and identities of herself and other modern women.

Her work is mostly consisting of photographic self-portraits. Started when she was only 23, these images rely on female characters (and caricatures) such as the jaded seductress, the unhappy housewife, the jilted lover, and the vulnerable naif. Sexual desire and domination, the fashioning of self-identity as mass deception, these are among the unsettling subjects lying behind Sherman’s extensive series of self-portraiture in various guises. Sherman’s work is central in the era of intense consumerism and image proliferation at the close of the 20th century. Sherman has always been adamant that her photos are not self-portraits.

The seminal series expanded the artistic potential of the photographic medium by using image-making to engage with dialogues of feminist and postmodern theories. In this pseudo-self portrait, Sherman assumes the persona of Claude Cahun, pioneer of self-portraiture and the French surrealist movement.

Image analysis

Visual:

In this image, Cindy Sherman is adopting the role of a housewife in a kitchen, as she is wearing an apron and has cooking supplies beside her it makes it easy to tell this. Sherman’s positioning in the photo makes it look like shes cramped in the frame and she’s looking over her shoulder which could mean that someone else is there or she’s deep in thought. She is holding her stomach and this could be either maternal or trying to protect herself. She looks extremely uncomfortable. Since the title is an ‘Untitled film still’ it suggests that Sherman is trying to show the typical female housewife stereotypes usually portrayed in movies.

Technical:

As the foreground objects are blurred it would suggest that the image was taken with a very large aperture. The subject in the photo is in focus so this could suggest that a fast shutter speed was used, with a balanced exposure. The angle this was taken at a slightly lower angle, this makes the viewer feel like they are amongst the setting and not outside of it. It is a half body shot so it would make it more intimate as the viewer is closer to the subject.

Contextual:

Gender roles are the roles that men and women are expected to occupy based on their sex. Traditionally, many western societies have believed that women are more nurturing than men. Therefore, the traditional view of the feminine gender role prescribes that women should behave in ways that are nurturing. Women were usually excluded and, when mentioned, were usually portrayed in sex stereotypical roles such as wives, mothers, daughters, and mistresses.

Sherman’s ‘Untitled Film Stills’ created a powerful reflection on identity representation and stereotypical femininity.

Conceptual:

Sherman is using selfies to deceive the audience.

Claude Cahun

About:

Claude Cahun was a French photographer and writer associated with the Surrealists. Her work was often in collaboration with her partner Marcel Moore, also an artist, and she is known mostly for her self-portraits which examine and challenge ideas of gender and identity.

Her work left a huge impression on photography and directly influenced contemporary photographers Cindy Sherman, Gillian Wearing, and Nan Goldin.

In early-20th-century France, when society generally considered women to be women and men to be men, Lucy Schwob decided she would rather be called Claude Cahun. It was her way of protesting gender and sexual norms.

In taking the gender-neutral forename Claude and by shaving her head, as she did often in the late 1910s, Cahun actively and outwardly rejected social constructions of gender and sexual identity. Surrealism aims to revolutionise human experience. It balances a rational vision of life with one that asserts the power of the unconscious and dreams. The movement’s artists find magic and strange beauty in the unexpected and the uncanny, the disregarded and the unconventional.

Cahun’s connection with Jersey began early, with childhood holidays spent in Jersey and Brittany. They were born Lucy Schwob in Nantes, France to a wealthy Jewish family. But in their late teens and early twenties Cahun had been looking for a new, gender-neutral name for a while.

Image analysis

Visual:

In the image, it is a self-portrait of Claude Cahun. She is sat with her legs crossed and her gaze is staring directly at the camera. She is wearing black shorts, pale tights and top emblazoned ‘I am in training Don’t kiss me’, sitting with her right leg over her left, a heart on her thigh, spherical weights to right and left. On the weights, they have the names of comic heroes on it ‘Totor and Popol’.

Contextual:

Women were expected to roll up their sleeves and keep their homes and families running smoothly – and on a budget. Women without a family – either by choice or by circumstance – were often overlooked.There were more job opportunities for women in the 1920s and 1930s due to better education. Many women found work as clerks, teachers and nurses. The nature of industries changed and new types of work emerged. Many women found work in the new light industries e.g. making electrical goods. British society remained intensely gender and class ridden throughout the 1920s. Women had only slowly, and prosaically, gained political rights in the 1920s and secured little in the way of equality of opportunity in employment and education.

Conceptual:

Through an exploration of the multiplicities of gender, works such as the self-portrait from their series I am in Training Don’t Kiss Me (1927) declare that Cahun’s gender is both allowed to be on public display while simultaneously not to be objectified and exoticized by the male gaze. ‘I am in training, don’t kiss me’ refers to a provocative phrase that embodies the surrealist movement’s emphasis on challenging norms and expectations in society and art.

Identity refers to the characteristics, qualities, beliefs, and traits that define a person or thing. It is the concept of who or what someone or something is, often shaped by a combination of internal and external factors. In the context of a person, identity can include aspects like:

1. Personal identity: This encompasses one’s sense of self, personality, and individual experiences. It includes things like values, interests, and life history.
2. Social identity: This refers to how a person identifies with groups, such as family, culture, nationality, gender, religion, or profession. Social identity connects an individual to larger communities or societal roles.
3. Cultural identity: This involves the sense of belonging to a particular cultural group, which can include shared traditions, language, customs, and heritage.
4. Gender identity: This refers to a person’s personal understanding and experience of their gender, which may or may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
5. Digital identity: In the modern world, digital identity refers to the online presence or persona of a person, shaped by their activity, accounts, and interactions on the internet.

Identity is a complex, multifaceted concept that can evolve over time as individuals grow, learn, and adapt to different experiences and environments. It plays a central role in how people navigate relationships, society, and the world at large.

femininity –

Femininity refers to qualities and behaviours that society traditionally associates with being female or womanly. These can include:

1. Physical traits: Soft features, beauty, and appearance.
2. Behavioural traits: Nurturing, empathy, and emotional expressiveness.
3. Social roles: Caring roles like being a mother or caregiver.
4. Emotional expression: Showing sensitivity, compassion, and understanding.
5. Clothing and appearance: Dresses and other traditionally feminine clothing.
6. Cultural differences: What is seen as feminine can vary by culture and time.

While femininity has often been tied to women, anyone can express feminine traits. Today, there’s a growing understanding that femininity can look different for everyone.

masculinity –

Masculinity refers to qualities, behaviours, and roles traditionally associated with being male or manly in a given society. These can include:

1. Physical traits: Strength, muscularity, and toughness.
2. Behavioral traits: Independence, assertiveness, and competitiveness.
3. Social roles: Being a provider, protector, or leader.
4. Emotional expression: Traditionally, masculinity has been linked to controlling emotions and showing less vulnerability.
5. Clothing and appearance: Often associated with more practical or “strong” styles, like suits or casual wear.
6. Cultural differences: What is considered masculine can differ between cultures and over time.

Like femininity, masculinity is not fixed and can be expressed in many different ways. In recent years, ideas of masculinity are evolving, encouraging more diverse and inclusive expressions of what it means to be masculine.

how identity can be effected by theses –

Identity can be influenced by femininity and masculinity in the following ways:

1. Social Expectations: Society teaches us to act in ways that are seen as masculine (strong, independent) or feminine (nurturing, emotional), which shapes how we see ourselves.
2. Self-Expression: The traits linked to femininity or masculinity affect how we act, talk, and face challenges, which in turn shapes our identity.
3. Cultural Influence: Different cultures value certain masculine or feminine traits, and this influences how we form our identity based on those values.
4. Personal Choices: We may choose to embrace or reject certain masculine or feminine traits, which affects our sense of self.
5. Gender Identity: People may align with or challenge traditional masculinity or femininity based on their gender identity, influencing how they see themselves.
6. Relationships and Society: How others treat us based on our masculinity or femininity can boost or harm our self-esteem and shape our identity.

Overall, our identity is influenced by how we express or challenge traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity.

multi exposure

a technique in which the camera shutter is opened more than once to expose the film multiple times, usually to different images.

Man Ray –

In 1922, Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radinsky) freed himself from traditional painting by working with light through camera-less photography. He called this technique “rayographs,” where objects were placed on photosensitive paper and exposed to light, creating abstract images. Though the process existed since the 1830s, Man Ray focused on chance, irrational combinations, and abstraction. His early rayographs were featured in Champs delicious (1922), with an introduction by Dada leader Tristan Tzara, and he later explored moving images in his 1923 film Le Retour à la raison.

Rooted in the Dada movement, which rejected traditional art for randomness and spontaneity, Man Ray’s work embraced these ideas in both paintings and photograms. His photography and art also connected with the Surrealist movement, which aimed to explore the unconscious and the uncanny. He created surreal images like Anatomies, which transformed the human form, and iconic objects like Gift (an altered iron) and Indestructible Object (a metronome with a photo of an eye). A major figure in early MoMA exhibitions, Man Ray’s work was featured in Cubism and Abstract Art (1936) and Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism (1936–37). In 1941, MoMA added key works, including 24 rayographs, highlighting his desire to make photography as automatic as a typewriter.

Alexander Rodchenko –

Alexander Rodchenko was a ground breaking artist, both politically and artistically. He worked in many fields, including design, printing, painting, sculpture, and photography. He was also an art theorist and educator, teaching at VKhUTEMAS in Moscow starting in 1920. As a key figure in Russian Constructivism, he co-wrote the 1921 manifesto, advocating for the use of industrial materials in art for a society in revolution.

Rodchenko began photography in 1924, inspired by his earlier work in illustration and design. He incorporated his own images into photomontages and made it a key technique. Known for his experimentation, Rodchenko viewed the camera as a versatile tool for drawing, using unique angles and foreshortening. He encouraged photographers to take multiple shots of an object from various angles.

my image inspired by these artists –

for this photo I edited in photo show 3 different photos then made the effect in photo shop by dragging one photo on top of each other and then making so its blend is lighten and did same on other photo and edited the amount of opacity, on one of the photos the opacity was low so it blended in with the face and the other one is a bit higher but still blends in.

with in this photo multi exposure is used to seem like there is multiple of the subject, 3 different photos with this the subject is looking in 3 different directions to make photo look more interesting. which this photo style is seem more like man rays work.

for this photo i used double exposure, within in this photo, which its most similar to Alexzander Rodchenko. which I also tried with the same photo but added one more photo.

Montage –

 process and the result of making a composite photograph by cutting, gluing, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image. Sometimes the resulting composite image is photographed so that the final image may appear as a seamless physical print. A similar method, although one that does not use film, is realized today through image editing software. This latter technique is referred to by professionals as compositing, and in casual usage is often called photoshopping. A composite of related photographs to extend a view of a single scene or subject would not be labelled as a montage, but instead a stitched image or digital image mosaic.

John Stezaker –

Stezaker is a British artist who creates collages by combining classic movie stills, vintage postcards, and book illustrations. By manipulating and merging these images, he gives them new meaning. His Mask series, which blends glamorous portraits with scenes like caves or waterfalls, is known for its eerie beauty.

Kensuoke Koike –

Kensuke Koike (b. 1980, Japan) creates unique art by altering vintage photos. His approach focuses on using only the elements within the original image to craft a new, contemporary story. For Koike, each piece starts like a puzzle, with its own challenges to solve.

Aleksander Rodchenko –

In 1927, Alfred H. Barr, Jr., the first director of the Museum of Modern Art, visited Moscow and met Aleksandr Rodchenko, one of the first Anglophone art historians to do so after the Russian Revolution. Barr was shown a wide range of Rodchenko’s work, including Suprematist paintings, woodcuts, posters, book designs, photographs, and kino sets. Rodchenko was proud of his work, especially his 1921 declaration that painting was dead. He demonstrated this with three monochrome paintings—Pure Red Colour, Pure Yellow Colour, and Pure Blue Colour—exhibited alongside works by other Russian artists. These pieces focused on the material nature of paint, using the primary colours to eliminate representation and reduce painting to its simplest form.

image inspired by these artists –

within this photo its seems most like the artist Kensuoke koike, by that the face has been made into multiple circles which look a bit like an optical allusion.

within this photo I edited it so would give this rectangle distorted effect by the parts are lifted up. also the one blow i used the same original photo however I duplicated it and inverted it and then deleted the sections.

for this photo I used a similar method however i brightened the layer underneath and then blended the top layer, to give this effect.

Cindy Sherman is a renowned artist from the Pictures Generation, a group of artists who sought to critique and analyze their relationship with popular culture and mass media. Sherman grew up on Long Island, New York, and in 1972, she enrolled at the State University of New York at Buffalo, initially majoring in painting before switching to photography. Her work is defined by her use of self-portraiture to create fictional characters, exploring themes such as identity, representation, and the construction of femininity. Through her art, Sherman challenges the societal norms and expectations placed on women. While Sherman herself contends that her images are not self-portraits, I believe that, technically, they still function as such, as she uses herself to explore and question the roles and stereotypes imposed on women.

Mood Board of her work

Image Analysis

Mise en scene

It is the arrangement of the scenery. Sherman has used it effectively to portray the woman as a house wife sort of person. The way she is stood over the sink with the white basket for dirty plates and cutlery and washing up liquid near her is very stereotypical. also you can see a pan in the bottom left and a mug bottom centre which she looks to be cleaning. The woman is also wearing an apron tied around her waist.

Visual

Sherman has taken on the role of a housewife preparing a meal for her family, as indicated by her apron and the cooking supplies visible in the frame. The photo appears to have been taken at the kitchen counter, with part of her head cropped out, emphasizing the cramped space and the sense of confinement she may be experiencing. She stands at the counter, holding her stomach and looking over her shoulder, conveying a sense of worry or concern about what might be happening behind her. The act of cradling her stomach suggests protectiveness, possibly toward herself or an unborn child. The overall atmosphere is one of unease, further emphasized by the tight space around her, as she is positioned against the wall, hinting at isolation. Her placement to the right third of the image subtly reinforces her secondary role or diminished importance in the scene.

Technical

The shutter speed in this image is relatively fast, ensuring the subject remains in sharp focus with a well-balanced exposure, despite the monochrome palette. The camera angle is positioned lower, enhancing the sense that we are either sharing the moment with her or observing the scene from an outsider’s viewpoint, much like a friend. The composition is a half-body shot, focusing on her waist and above, which adds intimacy by bringing us closer to her—rather than seeing her full body from a distance. The aperture appears small, keeping most of the image in focus, although the depth of field is shallow, with the pan handle in the foreground blurred.

Contextual

Historically, women have often been depicted in the media as housewives whose roles were limited to depending on men, staying at home to clean, cook, and care for children. They were also expected to maintain their appearance for their husbands, always having their makeup and hair done, in addition to fulfilling these domestic duties. This portrayal reduced women to objects, reinforcing traditional gender roles. However, Sherman subverted these stereotypes by dressing as these idealized women, challenging the media’s narrow and unrealistic representations. Through her series Untitled Film Stills, she highlighted that these portrayals are mere stereotypes, not reflective of the diverse and complex reality of womanhood.

Conceptual

Given the context, it’s clear that Cindy Sherman is the subject in every one of her images. She uses herself to embody various stereotypes, critiquing the film industry through her Untitled Film Stills series. By choosing this title, Sherman targets the film industry as the source of these limited, dominant portrayals of women. By acting as the subject, she mocks the media’s idealized image of the “typical” woman, revealing how these depictions are fabricated. Sherman exaggerates her features, using fake noses and eyebrows to transform her appearance, highlighting the artificiality of these representations. Her work also resonates with today’s media landscape, where many young girls are influenced by models who embody similar stereotypes of femininity, something Sherman was already challenging in her time.

Linking Image

In this pseudo-self portrait, Sherman assumes the persona of Claude Cahun, pioneer of self-portraiture and the French surrealist movement. Like Sherman, Cahun’s interdisciplinary and political art practice explored notions of gender performance, using masquerade and costumes to play with identity construction for the camera. 

Close-cropped and black and white, Sherman highlights the artists’ signature French mime makeup and confrontational gaze. She holds a piece of silk fabric tightly bound at her chin. 

Claude Cahun

Like Sherman, Cahun’s interdisciplinary and political art practice explored notions of gender performance, using masquerade and costumes to play with identity construction for the camera. Close-cropped and black and white, Sherman highlights the artists’ signature French mime makeup and confrontational gaze.

Her work left a huge impression on photography and directly influenced contemporary photographer Cindy Sherman who developed a fascination for disguise.

What is identity?

identity definition dictionary

It’s a bit like your administrative identity combined with your physical characteristics, such as your date and place of birth. A photographic identity allows you to reveal yourself, to stand out among the crowd of photographers, to ensure your individuality and your irreplaceable artistic fingerprint.

i think that identity describes a person for example the way they appear, the stuff they wear. This can say a lot because it can show what there interests are, additionally identity can have a very big meaning for example like the environment a photo is taken it can be important to someone

masculinity

Masculine images typically convey power, strength, virility, athleticism, and competitiveness whereas feminine images show beauty, submissiveness, nurturance, and cooperation

i think masculine photos show how a male is compared to a women for example the male should be bigger and stronger then a women

femininity

A woman connected to her feminine essence: Chooses cooperation, kindness, and compassion over competition and dominance. Prioritizes creativity, emotional intimacy, and sensual experiences as essential to her well-being.

Claude Cahun

claude cahun is best known for her portraiture and writing, In her writing, she consistently referred to herself as elle (she), and this article follows her practice; but she also said that her actual gender was fluid. For example, in Disavowals, Cahun writes: “Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.” Cahun is most well known for her androgynous appearance, which challenged the strict gender roles of her time.

Claude Cahun was born Lucy Schwob in 1894. She came from a wealthy Jewish family of intellectuals and publishers. In 1918 she adopted the surname of her great uncle Léon Cahun, an Orientalist and Novelist. Her forename, Claude, in French can be either male or female or, in Claude’s case, both.

The goal for Cahuns work is to make people recognise her and that people can be different and at the end of the day everyone is still a human, she achieved these goals by going to prison and getting the death sentence and always stood by her opinion and she never switched up and when she came out of prison she carried on what she thought was right

Cahun’s connection with Jersey began early, with childhood holidays spent in Jersey and in 1939 the start of world war 2 Cahun decided to move to jersey for her safety as she was, lesbian, jewish and an artist

Image Analysis

Technical: the technical aspect of this photo is that Claude Cahun is using a low iso so less light is absorbed by the camera and it gives it the darker affect on lighter things like her hair because her hair is blonde

Visual: In this photo Cahun is angled so her head is facing the camera and the reflection is looking the other way the mirror is kind of like a barrier with her and the reflection.

Conceptual: Cahun is the main target of the photo she is the central idea of the photo, additionally she has no reaction

Contextual: the context behind this photo is that the world war 2 just started and she was Jewish, rebellious, creative and free thinking she was everything the Germans didn’t want but she always carried on and it was kind of like motivation for her

Artists that I have am using as inspiration

  Alicia Brodowicz

I like the ways he takes photos of peoples body parts and that is what i am going to try do as well. As a body part can also show masculinity and femininity for example women hands against men hands

The other idea I have is the difference with masculine and feminine vehicles for example like a masculine car for example a sporty car that is loud is mostly masculine also working vans are more associated with men and then feminine cars are more known to be like small vehicles

I also like Paul M Smith photos because the Lad culture has been a trend for the past few years and because I am a fan of sport his photos remind me of ultras for different sports clubs and i think that you can get good photos of Lad culture in sports.

Cindy is one of the most significant artists of the Pictures Generation, who are artists set out to make art that analysed their relationship with popular culture and the mass media. Sherman grew up on Long Island, New York. In 1972 she enrolled at the State University of New York at Buffalo and majored in painting, later switching her major to photography. Cindy Sherman’s work is characterised by her use of self-portraiture to create fictional characters and explore themes such as identity, representation, and the construction of femininity. She challenges societal norms and expectations placed on women. Although Sherman believes her images are not of herself, I technically believe it is her self portraiture.

Mood Board of Cindy Sherman’s work

Image Analysis

Visual

Sherman has adopted the role of a housewife who is cooking for her family as she is wearing an apron and she has cooking supplies in the frame of the image. It looks like this image was taken on the kitchen counter, as some of her head is cut out of the frame to show the cramped environment that she feels. She is posed at the counter whilst holding her stomach and looking over her shoulder to represent her concern for whatever is going on behind the scenes. The fact that she is holding her stomach gives a vibe of protectiveness and nurturing for herself/ the possible child on the way. There is an essence of worry and concern paired with the small area she’s in as she is pushed to the wall to show she’s not alone, and she is to the right third of the image to show she’s less important in the image.

Technical

The shutter speed in this image is quite fast as the subject is in focus, with a well-balanced exposure although the image is monochrome. The angle is taken from a lower position to embrace the feeling that we are there with her in the image, or that we are viewing the situation in the image from an outsiders perspective, like a friend. This image is a half body shot, as it only shows her waist and above. This makes the shot more intimate as it feels like we are closer to her, as we are not seeing her full body like if we were far away. The aperture is small as most of the image is in focus, however the depth of field is shallow as the pan handle is blurred in the foreground.

Contextual

Historically, women have typically been portrayed in the media as housewives whose jobs are to depend on men and be a stay at home mother who cleans and cooks. They were also expected to be carers for the children, and were seen as objects to men, as they’d be expected to have makeup and hair done for their husbands whilst also doing all of the previous roles I mentioned. However, Sherman challenged this dominant ideology by dressing up as these stereotypical women to prove that everything portrayed in the media is not realistic and that it doesn’t define being a woman. Sherman’s ‘untitled film stills’ were intended to resemble the fact that it is all just stereotypes.

Conceptual

By knowing the context, it’s obvious that Cindy Sherman herself is the subject in every image. She uses herself to perform in these images to capture different stereotypes to criticise the film making industry as her images are part of the ‘untitled film stills’. She targets the film industry by using this title, to show they are the industry who represent women in this dominant gender ideology. By being the subject, she makes a mockery of the mass media and the stereotypical “woman”, as she shows that none of it is real when she uses fake noses and fake eyebrows to change her look and make it overdramatic. This could also link to the media today as many young girls see models online who dress as the stereotypical girly girl, which Sherman challenges in her images from her time.

Claude Cahun

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. 

Photographers use studio lighting to be able to have full control over the lighting used on the subjects face. This way, it is easier to direct the model or manipulate the lighting by changing the position of both to create the effect that Whereas, with natural lighting, it can be more unpredictable, so it makes it harder to get the shot. There is more consistency with studio lighting as the weather and time of day does not affect the lighting unlike the natural light so many photographers prefer to use it.

1 point lighting helps to illuminate the subject so they are visible in the camera lens, but with this lighting it also helps to define and dramatise their features as it enables a lot of shadows, creating a high contrast in the image as there is only one light source. This can create a minimalist look as it is the most basic type of lighting to do. This setup can create different looks depending on where you place the light. For example, putting the light directly in front of the subject gives even, flat lighting, while moving it to the side or above can create shadows and highlight texture. This simple lighting technique is used for portraits as it gives a dramatic or natural effect depending on how the light is positioned. It focuses the attention towards the subject and also helps to control the mood of the image.

2 point lighting uses 2 light sources where one acts as the main and key light source whereas the second is an accent light that can help to add interest to the image and also reduce shadows in comparison to 1 point lighting, but they are still noticeable. This is useful as it introduces depth as the second light source can enhance the contrast or soften it depending on what angle the light is at.

3 point lighting is the most commonly used type of lighting as it involves 3 varied lights to illuminate the face, which automatically makes a well-balanced, controlled image as the shadows are more soft. Typically, with 3 point lighting, there is a main light (the key light) which is used as a primary source of lighting the face up, followed by a fill light which is used to soften the shadows created by the main light to make the image less intense, and lastly, a back light (which is normally behind the subject) to separate the subject from the background and create a distinct divide between them. This is mostly used for high-end fashion, or beauty as the lighting focuses on the subject by illuminating them fully.

Fill lighting in photography refers to a technique where additional light is used to soften and reduce the harsh shadows created by the key light. Its primary purpose is to balance the overall exposure of the image, ensuring that the shadow areas are visible and not overly dark, while still maintaining the dramatic contrast created by the key light. This is usually a reflector that is placed on the other side of the light to balance the harsh shadows created with the key light.

For Rembrandt lighting, the aim is to light one side of the face while leaving the other side in the shadow, creating a highlighted and obvious triangle of light on the darker side of the cheek. This technique is perfect for producing a dramatic yet natural-looking portrait that accentuates the subject’s facial features, adding depth and dimension, whilst also being creative.

Butterfly lighting is a regularly-used, portrait lighting technique where the light is placed above and directly in front of the subject, creating a shadow under the nose that resembles a butterfly shape (which is where the name came from). This setup is often used to flatter the subject’s face, highlighting and exaggerating their cheekbones and jawline while creating soft shadows. It’s commonly used in beauty and fashion, as it provides a slightly dramatic look with a focus on the face. This technique is great for giving subjects a polished, elegant appearance.

Chiaroscuro lighting in photography refers to a technique that emphasises and exaggerates strong contrasts between light and dark areas to create a dramatic effect. The term is Italian, which translates to “light and dark,” and is inspired by the painting style of the same name. In photography, chiaroscuro lighting is achieved by using a single light source to cast shadows and intense highlights, often leaving parts of the subject in complete darkness while brightly lighting up other areas. This lighting style is very effective for creating a mood or depth in the image. This lighting technique is mostly used for portraits, and dramatic fashion photography. By carefully controlling the light and shadow, chiaroscuro can highlight the subject’s shape and form.

This is my contact sheet for all the images I took. As you can see, there is a wide variety of poses and angles to capture the lighting in each photo, as I used all three of the lighting techniques (Chiaroscuro, Butterfly and Rembrandt).

Below is my image selection, where I carefully highlighted the best photos in green. The images I placed in red were the ones that I thought weren’t to the best standard they could be, due to the positioning of the camera (off centre) or due to the model not being serious. The images I placed in yellow were the ones that I thought were average, but they didn’t stand out to me.

This is my example of Rembrandt lighting, where I outlined the triangle on the darker side of the face in red, to exaggerate the obvious difference in lighting. This happens as the nose casts a shadow onto the darker side of the face due to the position of the lighting, and therefore the light can only hit a certain amount of the face (creating the triangle).

This is my example of Chiaroscuro lighting, where the contrast between light and dark is key to this technique. This technique makes half of her face blend into the background, to highlight the light side and draw your attention.

Lastly, this is my example of Butterfly lighting, where the light casts a shadow beneath your nose by placing it above the camera position.

Virtual Gallery

Evaluation

Gel Lighting and Split Lighting

Contact Sheet and Image Selection

Cindy Sherman was born in January 19, 1954 in the United States, She was part of the Pictures generation photography movement whose purpose was to make art that analysed their relationship with popular culture and the mass media. She worked at the intersection of personal and collective memory section where she rummaged through the throwaway products from their youth.

Before she became a photographer she at first experimented painting in a super-realist style in art school during the aftermath of American Feminism. She then in the 1970s decided to turn to photography to explore a wide range of common female social roles.

Her key goals of her photography is that she wanted her work to be characterised by her use of self-portraiture to create fictional characters and to explore themes such as identity, representation and the construction of femininity.

To achieve her goals she would typically take photographs of herself in a range of different costumes to portray the common roles of women, the way society portrayed women as back then. And she would then take the photos by herself in her studio assuming multiple roles such as an author, director, make-up artist, hairstylist, wardrobe mistress, and model.

Cindy Sherman herself does not consider her work to be self-portraits as she took the pictures while wearing a costume/being in character but she does acknowledge that technically in the photo wearing the costumes is her but in her opinion she does not agree that her photos are a self portrait.

Cindy Sherman Image Analysis

Visual

The character that Sherman is adopting may be a women in her home who is not very comfortable and may be stressed, to back up my claim you can see on the right side of the dresser the picture frame of her, you can also see the positioning of her hand where on hand is comforting her neck like she is holding it up and on the other hand it looks like she’s holding a weapon especially with the angle that she’s holding it at. The mirror on the wall reveals her back which can suggest that she is vulnerable and we also get to see a table with a cocktail glass and a jacket on the chair which could be hers or it could be someone else’s, and in the top left corner you can notice smoke which could suggest somebody else is in her home.

From all the things we can see in this image and the title being called an “Untitled Film Still” this may be trying to portray the typical women in distress that are often seen in movies and this photo was most likely created to criticise the media and their depiction of females.

Technical

The photo could be using a wide focus aperture as all the details in the foreground are clear and easy to see, the photo could of also used a slightly fast shutter speed as the subject doesn’t appear blurry and the photo also has a lot of light coming in. The angle of the photo is quite high to show her full body so we can have more of an idea of her character but also be able to view the things around the room which helps you immersive yourself in her environment. The photo is a full body shot as well as this helps to get a full view and understanding of her character.

Contextual

Back in 1978 where the picture was taken, women were perceived as house wife’s, being weak, couldn’t fight for themselves and struggling to be independent in society. The photo she has taken takes these ideas and she portrays them to criticise the media with how they used this perception of women that society saw back in the day and how they integrated those stereotypes into their films, hence why these series of photos she took were named “untitled film stills”. This photo is meant to show that women can fight for themselves and that the stereotypes that were used and seen were not accurate.

Conceptual

Seeing that the photo is not a housewife but instead Sherman herself who is posing, it gives us the idea that Sherman is the one directly calling the media out as she was the one who took and posed for her photos. She may have done this to show the mass media that she’s aware of what happens in the media and how females are presented in those films, and criticises how they always make females look so vulnerable. This could link to the media today as there is still many movies and different types of media which still show women playing the same stereotypes from decades ago, However it is less common now then it used to be back in the 1970s.

Identity is the unique set of characteristics that are used to describe and identify the person themselves. Identity is not just based off looks but also their personality, views, interests and what they do in their life in general. Having an identity is important as you can identify yourself as a person and it can also help you connect with people who may have similar interests as you.

Femininity is the characteristics, attributes, behaviours and anything related that is generally associated with women and girls. For example this is things like long hair, wearing pink, having long nails or they’re moods and personality. It is basically a typical representation and picture of how women and girls are seen.

Masculinity is the same but with characteristics of men and boys. This can be things like being strong, independence, confidence and taking interest in things like football and cars. Its the typical representation and picture of how men and boys are seen.

Identity can be influenced by lots of things like for example:

Gender identity is the identification of someone’s gender and how they perceive themselves. People may identify themselves as someone different and differ themselves to how society would perceive them as.

Culture identity is a part of a persons identity and is usually related to their race, culture, nationality and religion. For example stating your nationality would be identifying your culture identity.

Social identity is the group in society that you identify as, for example people born in 1997 – 2012 would be identified as gen z as they were born in that specific span of a few years. So if they’re gen z they would be seen in the gen z group of society.

Geographical identity is the identification of a person based in the country/area they live in, for example lets say you were born in Texas and raised there for a majority of your life you may refer to yourself as a Texan to other people.

Political identity is where people define and engage their beliefs in relation to the political system, movements and policies. There beliefs typically come from personal beliefs, cultural influences or experiences with governance and power dynamics.

Lack/loss of identity is where someone experiences confusion or absence of their identity. By having a lack or loss of identity it can affect a persons personal, social, cultural or political parts of their life and often leading them feeling disconnected with other people.

Stereotypes is assumptions or generalized beliefs made based by a persons characteristics such as their race, gender, age, religion, profession, nationality and other traits. These beliefs are often exaggerated and inaccurate and can lead to certain biases in how people see and interact with others.

Prejudices is a opinion or judgement made on someone without any reason, experience or evidence. This often involves negative attitudes, feelings or beliefs about people based on their particular group, such as gender, religion, race, ethnicity.

Cindy Sherman was a key figure in the pictures generation. The purpose of the movement was to make art that analysed their relationship with popular culture and the mass media.

Cindy Sherman  enrolled in the visual arts department at Buffalo State University, where she majored in painting. this was before she did photography. In the late 70s she switched to photography.

Cindy Sherman’s work is use of self-portraiture to create fictional characters and explore themes such as identity, representation, and the construction of femininity. She also  To portrayed the various roles and identities of herself and other modern women.

Her work usually features photographs that depict herself dressed and made up as different female characters. Sherman’s 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.

Cindy Sherman’s photos were self portraits because a statue or a person was present every time. Cindy Sherman think her photos are not self-portraits because it looks nothing like her, she stated.

Cindy Shermans Photos In A

Mood board

Image Analysis

Visual

Sherman is looking away from the camera this implies she might be looking at someone or she might be guarded. By having the mirror it shows her back, which is quite revealing and it implies she’s quite vulnerable. In her left hand she’s is holding her own evening bag, this isn’t being held the correct way, by holding it like a weapon it shows she’s in danger. By seeing the smoke in the mirror it shows someone else is present in the room at the same time. She is posed with the right fist on her neck to support it this shows she may be uncomfortable or she might of hurt her neck. Furthermore there could be a bruise on her arm which would explain her discomfort and vulnerability.

Technical

The aperture in this Film Still is a narrow aperture because everything in the photo is in focus. A smaller aperture suggests there is a larger depth of field. The shutter speed is slow because you can see all of the details and there is no filming any action in this photo. I predict the shutter speed is 1/15-1/2. This photo is a full body shot because none of here body has been cut off. This photo has photographed the important things.

Contextual

Historically,media narratives have constrained women to follow what the man does. In the 1950-60s the film stills that Sherman made imply femininity that, through the media culture of movies, had a hold on America’s collective imagination at the time.The film also represented social class, status and reputation.

Conceptual

Overall, Cindy is using selfies to show she can deceive everyone and can be who she’s wants to be. Furthermore challenging mass media. This also relates to the current culture of phones and media.