Identity is what makes us as a human. Everything we do leads to our identity which defines who we are. This could be a range from your finger print, hair colour and behavioural traits etc.

Femininity are qualities in which are ‘female’ or ‘girly’. The word is normally used against women as they are seen as more let loose and bubbly however there are other ways femininity can be seen as a bad way to describe how women act because males often see women in household settings like, cooking or cleaning because this is seen as a feminine thing to do as its almost a delicate way of living because they are home bound and not doing ‘masculine’ activities.

Masculinity are qualities in which are ‘male’ or ‘acting tough’. The word normally links to men as they are usually seen as having to be masculine. This means instead of doing household work they’re outside providing for the women showing that they are in charge of the house. However, the thought of having to be ‘masculine’ can effect boys’ mentality as they think they need to fit in a specific category causing them to think which side is wrong or right and which one they should fit in.

Identity, Femininity and Masculinity can be strongly influenced by where you’ve lived, who you surround yourself with and many other attributes. Cultural identity allows people to be closer to who their family are but can lead to aspects in which people might not want to participate in like having an arranged marriage set up for a woman who doesn’t want to but with her culture its allowed. Social identity is also a major problem as society is a big part of the world but this means it can lead people judging and giving their opinions on how someone should act, dress or look like. This can affect someone deeply if it’s coming from people you might know or just a group of people who have opposing views from you. This leads to stereotyping and prejudice against women and men having to act how the rest of the world wants them to act. Women stereotyping are seen as doing delicate jobs and only helping their higher male figure, while men are seen ass doing the hard stuff providing for their families, laying back, playing sports etc however when either gender steps out of that category society sees this as a personal attack as they ‘aren’t fitting in society’.

Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman was a key figure of the movement Pictures Generation. This movement was a transformation that reveals identity as role-play, where femininity appears as something that is shaped by male expectations. The pictures were profoundly intriguing to intellectuals of the time.

Before becoming a photographer, in 1972 Sherman enrolled in the visual arts department at Buffalo state University, where she majored in painting. However, when she finished school in 1977 she moved to New York where she would begin working on what would become the Untitled Film Stills.

Her main key goals were to explore with themes such as identity, gender, and the role of women in society. She achieved these goals by using herself (self-portraiture) to create fictional characters to explore such themes. A range of personas are created as she uses make up, costumes, lighting and settings to make each of them different like, Clowns (2003-2004) a series of colourful images where Sherman portrays herself as a variety of clowns, or Untitled Film Stills (1977-1980) a series of black-and-white photos in which she plays various female characters inspired by film noir.

Cindy Sherman Mood Board

Photoshoot plan 1 & 2:

• location: my house —> my room, kitchen, living room and dining room
• People: myself in different settings —> self portraits
• lighting: natural lighting using windows or artificial light to emphasise the image setting
• how i’m going to do it: using my Sony camera
• editing ideas: use Lightroom to turn most images b&w or turn up the saturation

Rosanna Jones

Rosanna Jones is a photographer and mixed media image maker based in London. She is a graduate in Fashion Photography from Falmouth University. Her work specialises in an experimental blend of art and photography; celebrating the physical possibilities of an image, rather than simply its two dimensional form. Her trademark aesthetic has been built through years of painting over, ripping up, burning and otherwise distressing her photography to create tactile portraits that defy the flat images they once were.

She finds destroying the photographs a largely therapeutic process and her work “draws attention to portrait photography’s central conflict—the idea that taking a person’s photo can immortalize them, in a way, but it can also be an act of violence.” Jones also did another collection called “Skin” about how body image, positive or negative, can impact identity.

A lot of Jones’ work is making a statement about misogyny and the male gaze within the art/photography world, as it is still mainly dominated by men. Her manipulations of the photographs and the fact that in most of them the majority of the model’s bodies are painted over or edited so that they are unclear, even to the extent of being torn up could symbolise that Jones refuses to let her model’s bodies be exploited and wants people to focus on the photograph and why she creates it the way it is, rather than only focusing on the model’s body itself. This is clearly shown in another of her collections called ‘Girls’ where she manages to convey more attention to what’s going on in the image rather than the girls in the picture.

Rosanna Jones Mood Board

Photoshoot plan 3:

• location: friends house —> their room, plain walls —> outside, shed, hammock
• people: friend —> style them to fit the different shoots (including hair, makeup etc). —> myself to add contrast to the images (helps link to other photos in the mood board)
• lighting: —> mostly artificial lighting as most images are set in a studio, some natural lighting
• how i’m going to do it: using my Sony camera, my polaroid camera and my cheap digital camera to capture an old style of shooting.
• editing idea: print out most photos —> tear them up, paint over them, glue and layer them —> edit them in Lightroom where i can turn them into b&w if need to

I used images from the studio lighting photoshoot to be able to create these images. Whilst doing that I also used coloured gels to give the images a different look to them making none the same.

I put all the images into lightroom where I would be able to see all of them in better detail. This also helped me choose which photos I wanted to use and which ones I didn’t. We used a range of poses to see which ones would look the best and different shutter speeds to see how it would look against the coloured gel.

I went through the images and chose 9 final ones to edit. I chose these pictures because I felt I had the most creative freedom to do something with it. I inspired colours from Spider-man using the red and blue and making Emma pose as if she’s just found out she’s been bitten. Using other movies the blue and red reminded me of Star Wars, good vs. evil. I made Luke and Emma pose on either side of the light to show the contrast

Creative Portrait Edits

Here I used two images and layered them. I then turned down the opacity of one creating a split effect. I also used a high saturation setting to create the vibrant colours, I like this image because you can still see both pictures even if they are layered. The clothing from each picture are also opposite colours which adds a nice contrast.

In this image I used the same technique as the one before to create the overlay effect. This created a cool layering of colours on the clothes and in the background giving the picture depth and tone.

With this image I used the smudge tool where I would use it to almost erase her eyes and used the spot blemish tool to fully erase her mouth to give it a creepy look. The harsh lines of red and blue on her eyes give a nice contrast to the blended blue and red on her jumper.

I went for a more simple look just overlaying one image on another however, both images are completely different creating strong contrast between both pictures.

For this image I layered multiple of the same image and either moved them up or down to create the desired effect. I then lowered the opacity to create a multi-exposure look like Alexander Rodchenko

For this image I decided to overlay the same image and flip it upside down. I also turned the original image black and white so the upside image with the selected overlay setting would be visible and create a cool effect, curating a contrast between pictures.

Lastly, I used the original image of the red and blue and decided to incorporate the colours by surrounding them in the neon versions of them, this created a ‘trippy’ effect.

Moodboard

What is identity? Identity is the set of qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance, and/or expressions that characterize a person or a group. Identity emerges during childhood as children start to comprehend their self-concept, and it remains a consistent aspect throughout different stages of life.

MINDMAP/ MOODBOARD: Add a mind-map and mood-board of ideas and associated visual stimulus. This is very important for this project, because it will steer your individual photoshoots…. E.g:

Femininity: Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviours, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed and there is also some evidence that some behaviours considered feminine are influenced by both cultural factors and biological factors. To what extent femininity is biologically or socially influenced is subject to debate. It is conceptually distinct from both the female biological sex and from womanhood, as all humans can exhibit feminine and masculine traits, regardless of sex and gender.

Masculinity: Masculinity involves displaying attitudes and behaviours that signify and validate maleness, and involves being recognised in particular ways by other men and women. Traits traditionally viewed as masculine in Western society include strength, courage, independence, leadership, and assertiveness.

Identity in photography explores how we see ourselves as a person but also how we see ourselves in relation to others. The photograph or image is the physical manifestation of an individual experiencing the indexical world. Portraits or self-portraits can reveal aspects of a person’s identity and ways in which it is influenced by family, class, gender, ethnicity, religion, culture, or nationality.

Paul M Smith

Paul M Smith is course director for the BA Hons Photography at Coventry University. He originally studied Fine Art at Coventry University and as part of his course he undertook a research project into contemporary art which included living on an Aboriginal reserve for four months.

After completing his degree at Coventry he completed a Masters degree in Photography at the Royal College of Art. During this time he examined the meaning and construction of masculinity, concentrating on the cultural and visual creation of various alpha male identities.

Smith’s commissioned work includes pieces for Channel 4, Matterson’s, and the CD cover for Robbie Williams’ Sing when you’re winning. His work has been shown at the Saatchi Gallery, Museo de Arte Carrillo Gil in Mexico City, The National Portrait Gallery, The Photographers Gallery, Technisches Museum Wien in Austria the Australian Centre for Photography.

In 2004 Goliath published ‘Paul M Smith, Photographs’. This book catalogued his work from 1997–2004. Smith’s work can also be found in ‘Digital Art’ published by Thames and Hudson.

Clare Rae

she said:
I’m an artist I also teach in photography and I’ve been making artwork for about nearly 20 years that utilizes my body in relation to architectural space.

In her photographic practice Clare explores ideas of performance and gesture to interrogate and subvert dominant modes of representation. Her work is informed by feminist theory, and presents an alternate and often awkward experience of subjectivity and the female body, usually the artists’ own.

A central interest within her practice is the exploration of performance documentation, specifically how the camera can act as a collaborator, rather than mute witness, to the performer.

Known for her engagement with domestic and institutional spaces, recently Clare’s work has been captured and exhibited in locations such as the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), the National Gallery of Victoria, Monash University, the Abbotsford Convent, Sutton Project Space and the Substation, Melbourne.

In 2020 Clare began a PhD at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. She completed a Master of Arts by research in 2014 at Monash University, and received first class Honours in Fine Art in 2009 at RMIT University. Her work is held in public and private collections nationally, including Art bank, The National Gallery of Victoria, Monash University, RMIT University.

Clare is a founding member of LAST Collective.

inspired contact sheet and selection –

with the photography I took its been baced on 2 artist Anastasia jobson and Ilse Bing, the photos in green I used the style of self portraiture which Ilse Bing and I involved roller skates like some of the photos which Anastasia jobson, and I also do similar with the photos which are highlighted in blue via the roller skates and similar poses. with this photo shoot I will be taking more photos because there wasn’t as many good usable ones available and haven’t tried taking photos out in the street. which would relate more to Anastasia Jobson.

which the best raw photos are flagged

best raw photos –

with this photos I took it quite like Anastasia jobson but the facial expression is more so like Ilse Bing

these photos are inspired by Ilse Bing by the they have been taken as self portrait mirror selfie.

Another photo shoot –

within this photos shoot, which relate a lot to Anastasia jobson with roller-skating within an environment that you wouldn’t normally see people doing that type of activity and in some of the photos relates to her because of the facial expressions which my subject is given with in some of the photos. however with some of her images is quite bland which relates to Ilse Bing

best raw photos

Anastasia jobson

stuff she has said on her website about her –

“A little about me and what I do… I am a bit of a rolling stone, I have lived and worked in four different countries. Formerly a professional dancer, now I’m a professional photographer and video creator operating in Birmingham, West Midlands. I am really excited to see where my craft takes me next!”

“Simply put, I love working with people, hence why portrait photography is my passion.“

“As a former professional dancer and choreographer, I understand the way the body moves. I have transposed this skillset into my photography; I can instruct my clients to make subtle body adjustments that will transform an image in a spectacular fashion!”

“I’ve been studying posing for years and I believe there’s no “one pose fits all”. To me, effective posing requires a personal approach. I work with every single client by studying their body language, in order to find the flattering shapes, angles and poses specifically for them, and the personality they are trying to project.”

“I deeply believe that every single person I photograph should love their portrait, especially when it comes to a professional headshot/business portrait. I know how frustrating it can feel having a photo that you’re not particularly happy with, on a public display representing you. “

examples of her work – on a photoshoot of roller-skating –

analysis –

Visual Analysis

This black-and-white portrait exudes a sense of joy, individuality, and empowerment.

• Composition: The subject is positioned in a relaxed, squatting pose, which feels natural and inviting. Her smile and gaze directed away from the camera suggest spontaneity and an effortless connection with her surroundings.

• Lighting: Soft, natural light emphasizes the subject’s features, creating contrast against the smooth marble backdrop. The shadows cast by her figure and braids add depth and texture to the image.

• Contrast and Tonal Range: The monochrome palette enhances the interplay of light and shadow, drawing attention to the subject’s expression and the texture of her braids, denim jacket, and the marble wall.

• Textures and Details: The mix of soft and sharp textures—the smoothness of the marble, the braided hair, the denim fabric, and the sneakers—creates a dynamic visual experience.

Technical Analysis

The photographer has carefully balanced the technical elements to highlight the subject’s personality and style.

• Framing: The tight crop ensures the subject is the focal point, while the diagonal lines created by her posture and shadows guide the viewer’s eye through the composition.

• Depth and Focus: The shallow depth of field keeps the subject sharp and detailed while softening the background, further emphasizing her presence.

• Lighting and Shadow Play: The direct sunlight creates crisp shadows that enhance the three-dimensionality of the image while maintaining a flattering softness on the subject’s face.

• Monochrome Choice: The decision to render the image in black and white eliminates distractions and focuses attention on form, texture, and emotion.

Conceptual Analysis

This photograph captures themes of individuality, freedom, and self-expression.

• Representation of Identity: The subject’s confident pose and vibrant smile suggest a celebration of individuality. Her braids, denim jacket, and roller skates express her personal style and evoke a sense of youth and freedom.

• Timelessness: The monochrome aesthetic lends the image a classic, timeless quality, allowing it to transcend specific eras and connect universally with themes of joy and authenticity.

• Movement and Energy: The roller skates hint at mobility and playfulness, while her relaxed yet dynamic posture conveys a sense of ease and energy.

Contextual Analysis

The image’s cultural and stylistic elements provide deeper context:

• Cultural Identity: The subject’s braided hairstyle and casual attire suggest a celebration of cultural heritage and individuality.

• Urban and Contemporary Aesthetic: The roller skates and denim jacket speak to modern, urban fashion and lifestyle trends, emphasizing a connection to contemporary youth culture.

• Symbol of Liberation: Roller skating is often associated with freedom and self-expression, further reinforcing the photograph’s uplifting and empowering tone.

Evaluation

This photograph is a striking example of how simplicity can convey depth. The combination of visual, technical, conceptual, and contextual elements creates a portrait that feels both personal and universally relatable. Its balance of light and shadow, relaxed composition, and joyous energy make it a celebration of individuality, self-confidence, and freedom.

also one other artist which more links in with the previous artist reference, which showed femininity and masculinity –

Ilse Bing –

a pioneering German-born photographer known for her innovative work and use of the Leica camera. Often referred to as the “Queen of the Leica,” Bing played a significant role in modernist photography, blending artistic creativity with technical mastery. This passage highlights her early life, academic pursuits, and eventual pivot to photography, which became her lifelong passion and career.

examples of her work –

analysis-

visual Analysis

This self-portrait by Ilse Bing presents a layered and reflective composition that draws the viewer into its complexity.

• Composition: The image is carefully framed to include multiple perspectives of Bing, with her reflection in the mirror to the left and her direct gaze toward the camera lens. This interplay of reflections creates a fragmented yet intimate atmosphere.

• Lighting: Soft, natural lighting enters from the left, casting subtle shadows and emphasizing Bing’s facial structure. The highlights on the camera’s metallic surface provide a focal contrast in the otherwise muted tones.

• Contrast: The black-and-white tonal range enhances the drama, with deep blacks in her clothing contrasting with the brighter, overexposed window in the background.

• Focus: The sharpness of Bing’s face contrasts with the softer, blurred edges of her mirrored reflection, further emphasizing her direct engagement with the viewer.

Technical Analysis

Ilse Bing’s technical mastery is evident in her use of innovative techniques for the time.

• Camera and Equipment: Bing holds a Leica camera, a symbol of modernity and mobility in the 1930s. Its inclusion in the image reflects her identity as a pioneering photographer.

• Framing and Depth: The use of mirrors introduces layers of depth, making the viewer question what is “real” versus a reflection. This effect also speaks to her technical precision in controlling multiple focal planes.

• Exposure: Bing skilfully balances the light to avoid overexposure of the reflective surfaces while maintaining detail in her face and the camera.

• Self-Portraiture Technique: Using a mirror and tripod, Bing constructs a self-portrait that feels both candid and deliberate, showcasing her dual roles as both subject and creator.

Conceptual Analysis

Conceptually, the photograph explores identity, perception, and the role of the photographer.

• Themes of Reflection: The use of mirrors signifies introspection and the multifaceted nature of selfhood. Bing presents herself not just as an individual but as an artist in control of her image.

• Breaking the Fourth Wall: By directly engaging the viewer through her gaze, Bing asserts her presence, creating an intimate yet authoritative connection.

• Photography as Art: The inclusion of her camera within the composition blurs the line between the act of creation and the creator, emphasizing her role in redefining photography as an art form.

• Modernist Ideals: The image reflects modernist influences, with its focus on technology, innovation, and a rejection of traditional portraiture.

Contextual Analysis

Understanding the historical and cultural context deepens the appreciation of this work.

• Cultural Context: Taken in 1931, this photograph situates itself within the interwar period, a time of significant technological advancements and shifts in artistic expression. Bing’s work is emblematic of the avant-garde movement, which sought to challenge conventional forms.

• Artistic Influences: Bing was known as the “Queen of the Leica,” and her work aligns with contemporaries such as Man Ray and László Moholy-Nagy, who explored experimental and abstract photography.

• Feminism and Identity: As a woman photographer in a male-dominated field, this self-portrait can be interpreted as an assertion of autonomy and professional identity, with Bing presenting herself as both subject and creator.

• Personal Context: Bing’s use of the Leica camera not only symbolizes technological progress but also represents her personal connection to her craft, making the photograph a testament to her innovation and artistry.

Evaluation

Ilse Bing’s 1931 self-portrait is a remarkable fusion of visual, technical, conceptual, and contextual elements. Its layered composition, technical precision, and conceptual depth challenge the boundaries of self-portraiture and photography itself. Through reflections, lighting, and her direct gaze, Bing captures not only her physical presence but also her identity as a pioneering photographer and artist.

While minimalist in its setting, the photograph is rich in meaning, serving as a testament to Bing’s ability to combine personal expression with innovative techniques, making it a landmark in modern photography.

Ideas For Photos

A Mood Board For Inspiration

This is what I am going to achieve during the identity project. I’m inspired by Clare Rae.

Moodboard

Hands are unique because they combine dexterity, strength, and precision in a way that few other body parts do. The human hand’s ability to perform fine motor tasks, like writing or playing an instrument, is unmatched in the animal kingdom. The thumb allows for gripping, manipulating, and creating tools, which has been essential to human evolution and culture. The complex arrangement of bones, muscles, and tendons in the hand also enables a vast range of movements, from delicate gestures to powerful actions, making it a remarkable feature of human anatomy.

Family is important to me because they provide love and support. The people surrounding me also give me a sense of belonging, helping me push through life’s challenges and celebrate my successes.

Identity is important because it shapes how we understand ourselves and our place in the world. It influences our values, decisions, and relationships, helping us navigate with a sense of purpose and direction. A strong sense of identity fosters confidence, self-acceptance, and resilience. Ultimately, understanding who we are enables us to live authentically and connect fully with others.

Love is important because it forms the foundation of human connection, empathy, trust, and understanding. It provides emotional support, helping us through life’s struggles and amplifying its joys. Love nurtures personal growth, encourages kindness, and strengthens relationships, creating a sense of belonging and security. Love is what binds us together, making life richer and more meaningful.

Studio Lighting is any form of lighting equipment used when taking photos. It’s also used by photographers, often when working in a photography studio, to enhance their photography. Most professional photographers have different light kits they use depending on the situation they find themselves shooting in.

The purpose of studio lighting to illuminate their images and videos. Lighting is a very important tool when it comes to controlling the image. And using studio lights in an effective way is an art in itself.

The Three different types of point lighting are:

• Key Light – 1 point lighting
• Fill Light – 2 point lighting
• Backlight – 3 point lighting

One-point lighting would involve just one light and this would be illustrated as the key light. The way in which we would utilise this light effectively would be to use a softbox in order to convert the light into a powerful diffusion light source.

Two-point lighting is a basic lighting technique used in film and photography that involves the use of two light sources to illuminate a subject. This setup creates depth and dimension, enhancing the visual appeal by casting shadows and highlights that define shapes.

Three-point video lighting is all about creating a three-dimensional look. By placing three light sources at strategic points around the subject, each light source illuminates a separate dimension of the subject and creates an image with greater representation of height, width, and depth.

Rembrandt Lighting, Butterfly lighting, Chiaroscuro

1.  Rembrandt lighting is characterized by an illuminated triangle (also called “Rembrandt patch”) under the eye of the subject on the less illuminated side of the face. It is named for the Dutch painter Rembrandt, who occasionally used this type of lighting.
2. Butterfly lighting is a lighting pattern used in portrait photography where the key light is placed above and pointing down on the subject’s face. This creates a dramatic shadow under the nose and chin that looks like a butterfly.
3. Chiaroscuro lighting refers to the intentional employment of highlights and shadows to draw attention to the shape of the subject. In order to produce striking contrasts, this approach usually entails employing a single light source — such as a lamp or window — positioned at a certain angle.

Artist Research:

David Bailey is an English fashion photographer best known for his images of celebrities, models, and musicians. Born on January 2, 1938 in London, United Kingdom, Bailey dropped out of high school to serve in the Royal Air Force where he developed an interest in the photography of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Over the course of the 1960s and 70s, the artist gained attention from the press after a string of high-profile marriages to Jean Shrimpton, Catherine Deneuve, and Marie Helvin. In 1965, he published his first photography book Box of Pin-Ups, a collection of black-and-white images portraying Mick Jagger, The Beatles, Twiggy, and Andy Warhol, along with several other celebrity figures.

Bailey has gone on to receive the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2016 a Lifetime Achievement award from the International Center of Photography in New York. The artist’s photographs are held in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Technical: the lighting is artificial as the photo was taken in a studio where the flash was used as the lighting technique used is split lighting, where half of the face is lit up whilst the other half isn’t. The level of contrast in the face is not that major as the right eye is still very visible and bright, although the right side of the blazer is a much lighter grey than the right shows that the light was more angled at the blazer. A reflector could of been used to create the lighter right eye so the viewer would be able to see a full face. The ISO seems at a low sensitivity as the image isn’t grainy so it doesn’t show that much texture but enough to see it on the blazer. The shutter speed seems quite fast because enough light has entered where it’s not over-exposed but also not under-exposed. The white balance was probably set to daylight as the photographer used a flash trigger.

Visual: the image has been set to black and white to show its tone and contrast better. This also gives a darker, moodier feel to the photo which adds character to it and makes it not boring. You’re able to see the texture of the jacket showing depth . The model is in the centre of the lens which means he is in the middle ground.

Contextual: the photographer normally took pictures of famous singers of the time so Mick Jagger was a perfect model as he was in The Rolling Stones. At the time british rock music was popular so bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and singers like David Bowie would be good candidates.

MOOD BOARD

My aim is to achieve at least 3 good photos with each technique whilst being in different poses and using different colour gels. This would get me a good range of photos to edit as I would have a nice variety to post. I’ll also use the reflector to bounce the light onto the models face to see what that would look like and see what effect is created and with doing that I’d also do a range of different shots and angles: close-ups, rule of thirds, low angle etc this would allow me to get images like David Bailey whom I’m getting inspiration from.