The photos I took at the skatepark are a genre called documentary photography – this is the perfect opportunity to create a magazine so the photos are all linked together and tell even more of a story.
Skateboard photography normally consists of hot summer days, shirtless, sweaty people and sweltering sun. I wanted to convey a time in skating unique to the UK – cold, winter night skating – only for the hardcore. Everyone is wrapped up, gloves, hats, big coats. Skating on winter nights is hard – everything hurts more, your legs don’t work as well, the cold bites your fingertips – and this is conveyed pretty well in the photos through outfits, positions, the way people are huddled up.
I want to convey this through body language, angles, and people emotions.
Evaluation:
I think the zine conveys a sense of cold, shivery happiness like I wanted it to. I had to make some tough creative decisions in order to get some of these spreads the way they are, for example, when an image that I like becomes more of a background it is hard to accept – but it is worth it when I can put framed images over these photos because they end up look much more thought through. Also, when a landscape image has lots of negative space on one side I find it works really well to use the space to put frames or text in it. Throughout making this magazine I realised that text almost always looks more professional when it is much smaller than you would initially think. Most of the text that is in the final edition is over half the size of how I originally thought it looked good. Overall I’m really happy with how the zine came out, the high amount of contrast in the photos, and the grainy look I intentionally shot it with at a high ISO in order to have a more lo-fi effect.
Big Prints
I also want to have 5 of these photos printed in large, matte A3 size – I think this will look brilliant with the heavy grain. I’m going to choose 3 darker portraits, and 2 much more heavily exposed photos of small details like clothing or objects. That way I can have them in such an order that its almost like 1 line of a checkerboard.
Hopefully it will look something like this once printed.
Double exposure is the art created by jointing/ layering images together. This can be achieved in camera settings, or editing platforms. This technique can be made by using different images and layering them or the same image and move it around you created the effect to wanted to.
MAN RAY
Man Ray was born on August 27th, 1890, he was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He produced major works in a variety of media but considered himself a painter above all, He was best known for his pioneering photography, and was renewed fashion and portrait photography.
MY PICTURES INSPIRED BY HIS WORK
I used photoshop to edit this image Started by picking an image that I liked and then layer the same image on top but removing the background, I then lowered the opacity and positioned it where I though it looked better.
JUXAPOSITION
Juxtaposition is the art of combining two or more elements in the same picture, highlighting the interesting contrast between them, to create an eye- catching and thought-provoking image.
ALICJA BRODODWICZ
Alicja Brodowicz is a photographer born in Poland. She graduated of the institute of creative photography in Opava. And later in her life won 1st place in the portrait category in Black and White Child Photo Competition.
The first photoshoot was taken in the studio in just one day however we had a few ideas so even though it was taken in just a day we made our ideas come to life.
In total we took 139 pictures
I alone took 56 pictures not including the ones tat didn’t work out
I labelled green 37 pictures
I didn’t edit this image much since I liked how it looked without any alterations however I wanted to add more colour and reduce the whiteness in the picture so it added more contrast.
I decided to make this image black and white because I think It fits with the message that I’m trying to show.
With this being my mood board I decided to take inspiration from one image and chose to take a more creative outlook showing the make of the makeup look, to give an almost behind the scenes mood.
Untitled #360 Cindy Sherman 2000
Technical: The lighting looks like it could be natural as the hair is looking more golden than the rest of her meaning the sun could be shining on her. However, studio lighting could be used just to brighten the image up and get clearer features. For the white balance I don’t think theres any setting changed as tungsten wasn’t used because she isn’t blue and daylight wasn’t used because she isn’t yellow or really bright. I think the photographer asked the person to be located against a white wall in a studio or a home to give it a more sophisticated and clean look. The image doesn’t look over exposed although the saturation looks quite high to create an almost doll-like effect. The photographer decided to keep the tonal range warmer showing lots of different shades of orange and yellow contrasting with the whiteness of the t-shirt and the background. For the aperture it looks like a standard lens was used to take an upper body picture, the image isn’t blurry and uses sharp and focused depth of field. The ISO looks like it’s on a medium setting (maybe 800 – 1200) as the image isn’t grainy or coarse. Texture can be seen through the image from the veins on her hand to the way her hair is layed, this shows that she was the main focus.
Visual: Cindy Sherman decided to go with a warmer tone and colour through this image creating a more inviting space instead of using a cool toned palette perhaps to not ‘scare’ the viewer. Sherman layed out the model by making her look away from the camera but still smiling as if she’s looking at something that she’s enjoying. The image looks less formal than normal as the model looks like shes in casual clothes and has an averting gaze – it is almost as if its a non staged, staged photo trying to make her seem ‘casual’ and ‘easy-going’. The image doesn’t have symmetry but has a good focus on face so she isn’t hidden and blurred.
Conceptual: To my knowledge, Cindy Sherman doesn’t see herself as a self portrait artist as everytime she does a photoshoot she’s alway playing a new character(s). With this photo I think she might of wanted to break away from women stereotypes people create and show the real meaning of being a girl. The messy makeup look shows the beginning of something: her trying out a new style or practicing for the first time. Most of her photoshoots have normally been about over exaggerated things like the clowns or the traditional housewife but for this shoot, she kept it more simple and let her face do the work instead of her body.
Contextual: At the time of the 2000s fashion and bright fun makeup was very big. A lot of women decided to come out their shell and experiment with what they could do, this was shocking because before then women were traditionally seen as objects or people that were subordinate to men. The stereotyping to women came heavily when it came to photoshoots as they were meant to be perceived for the male gaze however, after Sherman’s photoshoot from 1977 I think she realised how much the world has changed about their view on women and how they should act, dress and look.
I worked with different heights, lighting and poses to give a variety of images to choose from. This allowed me to make a further selection in which images I want to edit and makes changes to.
Original Images
123456
I then did the behind-the-scenes esque photoshoot where I pretended the camera was the mirror I was doing my makeup in.
Editing + Experimenting
I chose image 6 to be my final image to compare the original photo as I think I positioned myself best and used the the same facial expressions as Cindy Sherman. I also think the lighting and height were more accurate than the other images I could’ve chosen because I think the photo is angled lower rather than at head height.
Here I took the image I think fits best with Cindy Sherman’s photo and edited it to look similar. I cropped and upped the saturation to give an almost doll-like look to the image. I also used the drawing tool to give myself the same colour nail polish which allowed me to get the same effect that Cindy Sherman used.
For these images I decided to take on my own approach giving an almost behind-the-scenes take on it. I took pictures during me putting on the bright makeup. This to me shows a feminine side as growing up as a girl to me is exploring and finding out how to do makeup. The use of the bright makeup allowed me to be more creative with this shoot and editing because I needed to try and accentuate the brightness and extremeness of the look.
Here I also decided to mesh to photos together to create almost a story of how i’m getting ready. I think it looks good because the haziness of the left photo blended with the right makes it seem as if it were intentional. If I were to do this again I would make sure the camera is more focused which would make the image look clearer yet, it still works with how it’s normally taken.
My Final Images + Gallery
Next time, I’d use a tripod to help me set up and get the images straight which would mean less editing for me. It would also help me by having a place the camera can be set, I’d also try and use natural if possible as you can tell in the images how fluorescent the lighting is.
Cynthia Morris Sherman (born January 19, 1954 is an American artist whose work consists primarily of photographic self portraits, depicting herself in many different contexts and as various imagined characters. She is well known for testing the stereotypes of each gender.
Her breakthrough work is often considered to be the collection untitled film stalls, a series of 70 black-and-white photographs of herself evoking typical female roles in performance media (especially art house films and popular movies.
Cindy Sherman is famous for her use of make-up, costumes, props and prosthetics to create complex and ambiguous photographic images. She invents fictitious characters and photographs herself in imaginary situations. Her work #cindysherman will continue to inspire artists around the world for many years to come.
For four decades, 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 humour and criticism, appropriating images from advertising, film, television, and magazines for their art. She was a key figure of the conceptual art movement.
Cindy Sherman has always been adamant that her photographs are not self-portraits, even though the photos are of her. In a interview when asked about this she replied with this ‘I guess technically they’re pictures of me, but not, because I’m doing all these weird things to my face so it doesn’t look anything like me.’ ‘I always want my photographs to be a little off, whether it’s the background not quite fitting in or, in the old work, you’d see the shutter cord, or be able to tell that I’m using fake tits or a fake nose. Everybody knows it’s not real anyway.’
Image analysis: Cindy Sherman is trying to represent a house wife in the kitchen in this photo and in black and white to show that this could be trying to show how it was in older years. Cindy is not looking into the camera which could mean she is maybe looking around for someone or some thing
We went down to the studio as a group of 5 and we tried different techniques of lighting them being Butterfly lighting and Rembrandt lighting we switched positions through the photoshoot so everyone would have a go at taking the pictures, arranging the light, modelling and managing the reflector.
These were out best images.
This was the first picture I took trying out the Rembrandt lighting technique, I think the upside down triangle is really defined and we did that by using a reflector on the side that we wanted the triangle. The light was far away from the model and a bit higher than her but not too much.
EDITING
I made this image black and white because it makes it look more professional and it also makes the Rembrandt lighting stand out wish was the initial idea.
BUTTERFLY LIGHTING
For the butterfly lighting we positioned the camera quite high and pointing down , then the model used a small reflector to this effect of a butterfly.
EDITING
I decided to keep this one in colour but make the shadows more defined this darker lighting that I’ve created through editing makes the image have more meaning in a way that it looks moody. This way I think the image also looks very professional and the quality is very good.
Surrealist photography is experimental. Photographers employ manual camera settings, imaginative composition, and unusual photo editing techniques to represent unconscious ideas, dreams, and emotions. “Surreal images tend to be dreamlike and tap into people’s unconscious.
Artists who utilise these techniques.
Dora maar
Henriette Theodora Markovitch (22 November 1907 – 16 July 1997), better known as Dora Maar, was a French photographer, painter, and poet. A pioneering Surrealist artist and passionate antifascist activist, Maar’s work spanned a wide range of subjects, from commercial photography for fashion and advertising to documenting the social and economic struggles during the Great Depression. Her art frequently explored Surrealist themes, and her innovative darkroom techniques delved into psychology, dreams, and inner states.
In the 1930s, Maar was one of the few photographers to exhibit alongside prominent Surrealists like Man Ray and Salvador Dalí in major exhibitions in Paris, New York, and London. Her bold and experimental approach to photography was central to the Surrealist movement.
Maar’s political activism and distinctive photographic style also had a significant impact on Pablo Picasso, especially during their romantic relationship. Many believe her influence contributed to Picasso’s creation of Guernica (1937), his powerful anti-war masterpiece. According to Amar Singh, curator of the Amar Gallery in London, “She influenced Picasso to paint Guernica – he had never entered political painting before.”
Picasso depicted Maar in several of his paintings, such as Portrait of Dora Maar and Dora Maar au Chat. However, Maar herself remarked, “All his portraits of me are lies. They’re all Picassos. Not one is Dora Maar,” suggesting that the images Picasso created of her did not capture her true essence.
Man ray
Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky; August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. He produced major works in a variety of media but considered himself a painter above all. He was best known for his pioneering photography, and was a renowned fashion and portrait photographer. He is also noted for his work with photograms, which he called “rayographs” in reference to himself.
jerry Uelsmann
Jerry Norman Uelsmann (June 11, 1934 – April 4, 2022) was an influential American photographer, renowned for his surreal and enigmatic photomontages. Emerging as an artist in the 1960s, Uelsmann gained international acclaim for his unique approach to composite printing, which he used to explore and express the emotional depths of the human experience. Over his six-decade career, his work was showcased in major exhibitions, earned him prestigious awards, and was widely published.
Among his many honors were a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, a Royal Photographic Society Fellowship, and a Lucie Award. Uelsmann described his creative process as a journey of discovery in the darkroom, which he considered a “visual research laboratory.” Rather than adhering to the previsualization technique popularized by photographers like Ansel Adams and Edward Weston, Uelsmann coined the term “post-visualization,” creating his final image after taking the photograph, rather than planning it in advance. This allowed him to construct visual narratives akin to dreams, resulting in works that often felt emotionally more truthful than the physical world itself.
By the 1980s, Uelsmann became one of the most collected photographers in the United States, influencing both analog and digital photographers. Although he admired digital photography, Uelsmann remained firmly dedicated to the craft of black-and-white film photography, preferring the darkroom’s alchemical process.
ERIC Johansson
Erik Johansson (b. 1985) is a Swedish photographer and visual artist based in Prague, Czech Republic. He is known for creating surreal worlds through the combination of photographs. He primarily focuses on personal projects and exhibitions, and his approach to photography is unique in that he seeks to capture ideas rather than moments. Using his camera and imagination, he strives to create a single, realistic image that tells a story, even if it includes elements that seem impossible. Essentially, he works to solve the problem of how to capture the impossible.
WORK PROCESS
Erik places a strong emphasis on realism in his work and aims to make the viewer feel as though they are part of the scene. While much of his process involves post-production and combining photographs, he also makes an effort to capture as much as possible on location. This often involves building props and carefully planning the shoot.
Lighting and perspective are crucial in creating realistic compositions through the combination of images. If certain elements cannot be captured on location, Erik recreates them in a controlled environment. He has a thorough understanding of every aspect of the process, from idea and planning to photography and post-production, in order to ensure that everything comes together seamlessly. Each photograph and element serves a purpose in the final image.
Erik handles all post-production himself in order to have complete control over the final result. The idea, photography, and post-production are all interconnected, and the final image does not surpass the quality of the photographs used to create it. Similarly, the strength of the photographs is derived from the underlying idea.
Erik does not use computer- or Ai-generated material, nor illustrated- or stock images, relying solely on complex combinations of his own photographs. This process is time-consuming, and he produces only about ten new works per year. To learn more about how his images come to life, you can watch his behind-the-scenes videos as well.
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
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.
Masculinity
Masculinity involves displaying attitudes and behaviours that signify and validate maleness, and involves being recognised in particular ways by other men and women.
Masculinity Photography MoodBoard
How identity can be influenced by “place”, or belonging, your environment or upbringing.
There are many factors that shape identity, and they can be both external and internal factors. Society, family, friends, ethnicity, culture, location, media, interests, self-expression, and life experiences are all common factors that shape identity.
Multiple pathways exist through which families may influence adult identity formation, including levels of social control and monitoring, warmth and closeness, responsibility, and hierarchical family relations
When we are in familiar surroundings, we tend to feel more secure and strengthen our sense of identity. We feel more in control of our lives and boost our self-confidence. On the other hand, when we lack an established place, a home, we may feel lost and disconnected.
“Placefulness” is an awareness of the place—where one is or where one comes from. And remembering that places shape one’s expectations and understandings of the world. Feeling a sense of belonging is very important.without it, we’re unmoored in the world.but it can also lead to a lack of awareness.
Our sense of identity and belonging is impacted by various factors, including our experiences, relationships, and our environment. The journey to find identity and belonging can often be a struggle, since we ask ourselves, ‘who am I?
Claude Cahun (1894–1954)
Who: Claude Cahun, born as Lucy Schwob in Nantes, France, was a pioneering photographer, poet, and writer. She adopted the name Claude Cahun as a gender-neutral persona, reflecting her resistance to societal gender norms and her exploration of identity beyond the binary. Cahun’s work was highly experimental, challenging conventional notions of gender, sexuality, and the self.
What: Cahun is best known for her self-portraiture, which she used as a tool for gender exploration and identity fluidity. She transformed herself into various personas using makeup, costumes, and props, blurring the lines between masculine and feminine. Her works often included surrealist elements, utilizing symbolic imagery and dreamlike compositions to challenge perceptions of reality and identity. Cahun’s photographs also explored the performative nature of identity, questioning how roles and gender are constructed.
When: Cahun’s most significant photographic work was created in the 1920s and 1930s, during her involvement with the surrealist movement in Paris. Her later works, particularly during the 1940s, became politically charged as she and her partner, Marcel Moore, were involved in resistance activities during World War II.
Where:
Born in Nantes, France, Cahun moved to Paris during the 1920s, where she became part of the avant-garde and surrealist circles. In the late 1930s, she and Moore relocated to the Channel Island of Jersey, where they lived during the German occupation in WWII. It was in Jersey that Cahun’s work took on a more political tone as she used photography for resistance propaganda.
How: Cahun’s photography was deeply performative, with the artist using herself as the subject to create multiple constructed personas. She utilized props, costumes, and makeup to transform her identity, playing with gender ambiguity and challenging the traditional notions of the feminine and masculine. Her works often included surreal, dreamlike compositions and symbolic imagery. Cahun’s approach to self-portraiture was collaborative, particularly with Marcel Moore, who assisted in capturing many of her most iconic works.
Why: Cahun’s photography was a direct challenge to societal norms around gender and identity. By using self-portraiture as a tool for experimentation, she questioned the fixed nature of gender roles and explored how identity is shaped by culture. Cahun’s work, much of which was feminist in nature, critiqued the traditional expectations placed on women and offered an early commentary on gender fluidity and sexuality. Her photographs also explored the performative aspects of identity, positioning her as a significant figure in the history of self-representation and early critiques of fixed gender norms.
World war II activism
In 1937, Cahun and Moore moved to Jersey, where they became active in resisting the German occupation during World War II. Opposed to war, they produced anti-German propaganda, including rhythmic poems and critical messages derived from BBC reports on Nazi atrocities. Using the pseudonym Der Soldat Ohne Namen (The Soldier With No Name), they secretly distributed these flyers at German military events, placing them in soldiers’ pockets, on chairs, and in cars. One notable act was hanging a provocative banner in a church that mocked Hitler’s authority. Their resistance was not just political, but also artistic, reflecting their desire to challenge and undermine authority.
In 1944, they were arrested and sentenced to death, but the sentence was never executed due to the liberation of Jersey in 1945. Despite this, Cahun’s health suffered from her imprisonment, and she died in 1954. During her trial, she reportedly told the German judge that they would have to shoot her twice, as she was both a resistor and a Jew, which led to laughter in the courtroom and may have saved her life. Cahun and Moore are buried together in St Brelade’s Church. Their resistance efforts were a deeply personal, lifelong fight for freedom.
LEGACY
Claude Cahun’s work, which remained largely unrecognized during her lifetime, has since gained significant attention for its social critique and revolutionary impact on art and gender norms. She used her photography and writing to challenge societal expectations, particularly those related to gender, beauty, and logic, destabilizing conventional notions of reality. Cahun’s involvement in the Surrealist movement added new perspectives, especially with her portrayal of women not as erotic symbols but as fluid, gender-nonconforming figures. Her work has been described as “prototransgender,” with some considering her a precursor to modern trans self-representation.
Cahun’s life and legacy have gained renewed recognition in recent years. A street in Paris was named after her and her partner Marcel Moore in 2018. Cahun’s WWII resistance work, along with Moore’s, was highlighted in the 2020 book Paper Bullets. She was also honoured by Google in 2021 with an animated Doodle for her birthday. A novel based on her life, Never Anyone But You, was published in 2018, and in 2023, a graphic novel about her life, Liberated: The Radical Art and Life of Claude Cahun, was released, further exploring her artistic and political activism.
Image Analysis
Visual Aspects
Claude Cahun’s black-and-white self-portrait immediately draws you in with its strong composition and exploration of identity. The image is split between two versions of Cahun: her physical form on the left and her reflection in the mirror on the right. This duality feels deeply personal, almost like a visual representation between how she sees herself and how the world perceives her.
Her androgynous appearance is striking. The short hair, checkered shirt, and upturned collar challenge conventional ideas of femininity. The raised collar seems to suggest she’s hiding a part of herself, while the reflection, showing her bare neck, hints at a more vulnerable side. Creating a interesting contrast between what’s concealed versus what’s revealed.
Her serious expression adds emotional weight. She looks directly at the viewer, almost challenging us, yet she turns away from the mirror, as if rejecting her own reflection. The plain background keeps all the focus on her, amplifying the intensity of her presence and the interplay with the mirror.
Technical Aspects
The soft, natural lighting in this photo enhances the fluency of the photograph , Shadows are gentle, giving depth to her face and texture to her clothing. The absence of harsh contrasts makes the image feel intimate and smooth.
The composition feels deliberate, with the mirror perfectly aligned to create balance. The camera is at eye level, making the connection between Cahun and the viewer feel direct and personal. Her sharp focus ensures both she and her reflection demand equal attention, forcing us to at least acknowledge the tension between the two.
Conceptual Aspects
This portrait is a conversation about identity, duality, and self-perception. Traditionally, mirrors in art symbolize vanity or beauty, but here, Cahun flips the script. She doesn’t admire her reflection. she seems to reject it. Her pose suggests discomfort with what the mirror reveals, yet she confronts the viewer head-on, as though asking us to consider the same questions about identity.
The raised collar adds layers to this narrative. It hints at concealment. something she’s choosing not to show us. But the mirror exposes her neck, a symbol of vulnerability and openness. This interplay between hiding and revealing feels universal. Highlighting the internal conflicts we all face about how much of ourselves we show to the world.
Cahun’s choice of clothing and androgynous style were radical for her time. By rejecting societal expectations of femininity, she challenges us to think about gender as something fluid , not as a fixed and deeply cemented concept. This bold self-representation speaks to themes that feel just as relevant today as they did during her time, as she battles her own physical reality with how she really feels.
Contextual Aspects
Cahun created this photograph in the early 20th century, a time when gender roles were rigid and societal expectations weighed people down heavily. As a French artist associated with Surrealism, she was part of a movement that loved to explore dreams, illusions, and hidden truths. This aligns perfectly with her use of mirrors to delve into identity and self-perception.
During this period, photography was gaining traction as an art form, and Cahun used it not just to create striking images but also to push boundaries. Her work feels like a quiet rebellion/ refusal to conform to the era’s strict ideas of gender and identity.
Emotional Response
Looking at this photograph, you can’t help but feel a mix of unease and empathy. The direct gaze pulls you in, almost demanding your attention, while the turned-away reflection creates a sense of conflict. It’s as if Cahun is wrestling with self-acceptance, a struggle that feels both deeply personal and universally human.
The raised collar and the mirror deepen this emotional tension. They remind us of the parts of ourselves we keep hidden and the vulnerability of having them exposed. Her serious expression feels heavy, as though she’s carrying the weight of these questions. questions we might ask ourselves, too. In the end, the portrait leaves you thinking about the complex, often contradictory nature of identity, making it as impactful today as it was then.
Clare Rae: Exploring the Body, Landscape, and Performance
Melbourne-based artist Clare Rae is known for her evocative photographs and moving image works that challenge traditional representations of the female body by exploring its relationship with physical environments. In 2017, Rae participated in the Archisle International Artist-in-Residence programme in Jersey, where she delved into the Claude Cahun archive. During her residency, she created new photography and film, ran workshops, and examined Cahun’s connections to Jersey’s cultural and physical landscapes.
Her residency culminated in the creation of the series Entre Nous (Between Us): Claude Cahun and Clare Rae, which debuted at the Centre for Contemporary Photography in Melbourne (March 22–May 6, 2018) and later exhibited at CCA Galleries in Jersey, UK (September 7–28, 2018). Accompanying the series, Rae published Never Standing on Two Feet in April 2018, featuring an introduction by Susan Bright and an essay by Gareth Syvret.
Never Standing on Two Feet: A Feminist Perspective on Landscape and Identity
In this series, Rae investigates how Claude Cahun’s engagement with Jersey’s landscapes shaped her work, particularly in relation to its coastal geography and Neolithic ritual monuments. Rae reflects:
“Like Cahun’s, my photographs depict my body in relation to place; in these instances, sites of coastal geography and Jersey’s Neolithic ritual monuments. I enact a visual dialogue between the body and these environments and test how their photographic histories impact upon contemporary engagements.”
Rae builds on Cahun’s legacy of using self-portraiture to critique the male gaze, positioning her work as a feminist exploration of self-representation. Her practice integrates gesture and performance to reimagine the female body in landscapes, contrasting and unsettling traditional depictions.
Artistic Influences and Methodologies
In an artist talk, Rae contextualized her practice, drawing connections to artists such as Claude Cahun, Francesca Woodman, and Australian performance artist Jill Orr. She highlighted the role of performative photography in her work, where gesture and the body become tools for disrupting conventional narratives. Rae also discussed her engagement with architecture and the body, her methodologies for image-making, and the conceptual outcomes of her projects.
Her work invites viewers to reconsider the interplay between identity, landscape, and performance, building on historical contexts while addressing contemporary feminist concerns. For a deeper exploration of her process and its influences, see the blog post Photography, Performance, and the Body.
Identity self portrait mini project.
This series of photographs delves deeply into themes of identity, self-discovery, and the conflict between societal expectations and personal desires. The illuminated balloon replacing the subject’s head becomes a powerful metaphor, serving both as a mask and a representation of the subject’s emotions and turmoil. The balloon, glowing with a surreal, almost childlike quality, evokes nostalgia for the simplicity and freedom of childhood—a time unburdened by the rigidity and monotony of adult life. Its weightlessness contrasts sharply with the heavy symbolism of the suit the subject wears, a uniform of professionalism that hints at his role as an office worker trapped in the endless loop of societal conformity. The suit signifies the oppressive nature of his identity, reduced to being just another cog in the machine, an “ant” in the larger structure of a system that suppresses individuality.
The balloon also serves as a visual representation of his inner conflict—its glow suggests fleeting moments of clarity and self-awareness, while its fragile, impermanent nature symbolizes his longing to escape the identity forced upon him. The balloon’s presence acts as a mask, concealing the emotions and dissatisfaction beneath, while amplifying his hatred toward the person he has become. The use of color strengthens this narrative: blue evokes sadness and the monotony of routine, purple reflects introspection and the deep yearning for escape, and yellow hints at fleeting hope or memories of a happier, untainted self.
The subject’s body language—tense and reflective—paired with the dramatic interplay of light and shadow, further emphasizes his internal struggle. The darkness around him reinforces his feelings of isolation, while the illuminated balloon stands out, as if mocking him with its surreal brightness, a symbol of both his desire for freedom and his inability to achieve it. By removing the subject’s facial features, the series universalizes its narrative, inviting viewers to project their own feelings of nostalgia, dissatisfaction, or longing onto the imagery. Ultimately, the photographs capture the haunting idea of a man who despises his identity and longs to shed the mask of adulthood, yearning to return to a time when life was defined by freedom, playfulness, and authenticity.
Statement of intent
The intention behind this series of photographs was to explore themes of identity, nostalgia, and the conflict between personal desires and societal expectations. The images were created in my living room, using household lamps as lighting sources to craft dramatic and moody atmospheres. I utilized a tripod to keep the camera steady and relied on a timer to capture self-portraits. To achieve the surreal illusion of the balloon replacing my head, I held a lit-up balloon in my mouth, allowing it to appear as though it were my head glowing with emotion and inner turmoil.
By wearing a formal suit, I aimed to symbolize the restrictive nature of adulthood, particularly the monotonous life of an office worker. The suit represents societal conformity and the feeling of being trapped in an endless cycle of professional obligations, reducing individuality to mere functionality. The illuminated balloon, serving as both a mask and a metaphor for my emotions, embodies the tension between self-awareness and dissatisfaction. Its glow evokes fleeting moments of clarity, while its fragility and playful, weightless nature reflect a yearning to return to the innocence and freedom of childhood.
The colour choices and lighting were intentionally dramatic to convey specific emotions: blue suggests melancholy, purple reflects introspection, and yellow symbolizes fleeting hope or moments of self-discovery. The series aims to capture the struggle of defining one’s identity within societal constraints while expressing the longing to shed the burdens of adulthood and rediscover authenticity and joy.
I used coloured gels and strategic lighting to emphasize contrasts and create a sense of mood and depth in the portraits. Here’s how I approached the process:
Lighting Setup
I placed coloured gels over two types of lights to achieve this effect:
Spotlight: Used to direct focused light on the subject’s face or create striking highlights. The gels added bold, saturated colours, like red and blue, which helped shape the mood of the image.
Honeycomb Light Modifier: This was key to controlling the spread of light. By narrowing the light beam, I could focus on specific areas of the subject while preventing unwanted spill into the background, allowing for sharp contrasts between light and shadow.
Creative Process
Colour Selection: I chose complementary colours (e.g., red and blue) to create visual tension and contrast in the portraits. These colours helped highlight the contours of the face and added a dynamic energy to the shots.
A red gel on the side light created a strong outline of the subject.
A blue gel from the opposite side added cool highlights.
Camera Settings
ISO 100: I selected a low ISO to ensure the cleanest possible image with minimal noise. Studio lighting provides ample light, so a higher ISO wasn’t necessary.
Shutter Speed 1/125: Studio flashes have a sync speed limit, and exceeding this (e.g., going faster than 1/125) could result in a partially exposed frame, as the camera shutter might not fully open during the flash. Keeping it at 1/125 allowed me to properly sync with the studio lights without losing any of the exposure.
Aperture (f-stop): I set the aperture based on the intensity of the studio lights and the desired depth of field. A moderate aperture (e.g., f/8) helped maintain focus on the subject while keeping the lighting balanced across the face
Shooting Process
Flash Syncing: The studio flash provided consistent light bursts, so I ensured my settings were in sync with the flash duration for even illumination.
Colour Gels: The gels absorbed some light, so I occasionally adjusted the aperture to compensate and maintain the correct exposure.
Creative Portraits
Creative Montages
Montages in photography, often referred to as photomontages, are a creative technique where multiple photographs or visual elements are combined to create a single composite image. This approach allows photographers and artists to transcend the boundaries of traditional photography, crafting narratives, exploring symbolism, or simply creating visually striking compositions. Here’s a deeper look into photomontages:
History and Origins
Photomontage originated in early 20th-century Dadaism, where artists like Hannah Höch and Raoul Hausmann used it to critique political, social, and cultural norms. Höch’s works, in particular, challenged gender roles and societal hypocrisies through cut-outs from mass media. Beyond Dadaism, photomontage became a powerful tool for propaganda and political critique, using juxtaposed images to deliver subversive messages.
Techniques
Photomontage techniques include the traditional cut-and-paste method, where photographs or printed materials are physically assembled on a canvas for depth. Modern digital tools like Adobe Photoshop have transformed the process, using layers, masks, and blending modes for seamless integration. Adding textures or frames enhances the montage by providing richness, depth, and a tactile or vintage feel.
Aesthetic and Conceptual Elements
Photomontages can evoke surreal, dreamlike imagery by combining unrelated elements, a technique often associated with artists like Max Ernst. They also carry symbolic meaning, with juxtapositions like a human hand and machinery exploring themes such as labour or technology. Additionally, montages can craft narratives by blending details and scenes that wouldn’t naturally coexist in a single image.
Applications in Modern Photography
Photomontages are widely used in fine art to create thought-provoking or abstract pieces for gallery displays. In advertising and media, they craft visually engaging content by blending lifestyle imagery with product shots. For personal projects, photographers use montages to explore conceptual ideas or enhance storytelling.
Examples of Artists
Hannah Höch: Pioneer of photomontage, known for her feminist and political critiques during the Weimar Republic era.
John Heartfield: Another Dadaist, whose montages were explicitly anti-fascist, criticizing the Nazi regime through powerful imagery.
Jerry Uelsmann: A modern pioneer of surreal photomontages, Uelsmann used analogue darkroom techniques to combine multiple negatives into seamless compositions long before digital tools existed.
El Lissitzky
El Lissitzky (1890–1941) was a Russian artist and designer, a key figure in the avant-garde movements like Constructivism and Suprematism. His work spanned painting, graphic design, and architecture, and he sought to reflect the social and political changes in post-Revolutionary Russia.
Lissitzky is especially known for his photomontages—artworks that combine photographs with other graphic elements like typography and abstract shapes. These montages often carried political messages, supporting the Bolshevik Revolution and promoting socialist ideals. His style was bold and geometric, blending dynamic visuals to capture the energy of modern, industrial society.
One of his most famous works, Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge (1919), used a simple red wedge to symbolize the victory of the Bolsheviks over their enemies. Lissitzky’s innovative use of space, color, and form extended beyond montages, influencing architecture and design.
Lissitzky contributions to modern art continue to inspire graphic design, typography, and architecture, and he remains a crucial figure in the history of 20th-century art.
Here is my attempt at recreating some of his work.
My Attempt at recreating his work.
-John Heartfield
(1891–1968), born Helmut Herzfeld, was a German artist and pioneer of political photomontage, renowned for his sharp critiques of fascism and social injustice. A member of the Berlin Dada movement, he used innovative cut-and-paste techniques to create bold, satirical works that exposed Nazi propaganda, such as Adolf, the Superman: Swallows Gold and Spouts Junk and Hurrah, die Butter ist Alle! His photomontages, often published in leftist magazines like AIZ, combined visual allegory and typography to advocate for socialist ideals and workers’ rights. Forced to flee Germany in 1933 due to his anti-Nazi stance, Heartfield lived in exile before returning to East Germany after World War II. His legacy as an artist-activist continues to inspire contemporary visual and political art.
Who he was: A celebrated portrait photographer of Hollywood’s Golden Age (1930s–1950s), Hurrell is known for his glamorous black-and-white images of film stars.
Connection to butterfly lighting
Hurrell mastered the use of butterfly lighting to sculpt faces with soft, even illumination. By placing a high key light directly in front of his subjects, he highlighted their cheekbones, smoothed imperfections, and created an elegant, polished look. This technique became synonymous with the Hollywood aesthetic, showcasing stars like Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford in their best light.
Caravaggio
Who he was: An Italian Baroque painter (1571–1610) famed for his revolutionary use of dramatic lighting and realism.
Connection to chiaroscuro lighting
Caravaggio’s work exemplifies chiaroscuro, using stark contrasts of light and dark to add drama and emotional intensity. In paintings like The Calling of Saint Matthew and Judith Beheading Holofernes, he directed light to illuminate key elements of the scene, drawing the viewer’s eye to the focal point while surrounding areas fade into shadow.
Rembrandt van Rijn
Who he was: A Dutch painter (1606–1669) whose portraits and self-portraits are celebrated for their emotional depth and technical brilliance.
Connection to chiaroscuro lighting
Rembrandt’s use of chiaroscuro is subtle yet impactful, often combining soft transitions between light and shadow with dramatic contrasts. His works, such as The Night Watch and Self-Portrait with Two Circles, create a sense of realism and intimacy, influencing portraiture and lighting techniques across centuries.
Artist Reference research
Annie Leibovitz: Known for her dramatic use of soft lighting and shadows in portraiture.
Richard Avedon: Famous for minimalist lighting in studio portraits, highlighting facial expressions and details.
Irving Penn: Renowned for his use of controlled lighting to emphasize form, texture, and elegance.
David LaChapelle: Known for vibrant and surreal compositions, utilizing bold lighting techniques for impact.
Further detail on my favourite artist, David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a renowned photographer and director known for his bold, surreal, and hyper-stylized imagery. His work often combines elements of fine art, pop culture, and social commentary, resulting in vibrant and thought-provoking compositions. LaChapelle’s photography is iconic for its extravagant use of colour, dramatic lighting, and creatively staged sets. He frequently collaborates with celebrities, creating editorial pieces that blur the line between fantasy and reality.
LaChapelle’s work often addresses themes like materialism, celebrity culture, religion, and human vulnerability. His images tell intricate stories through their elaborate setups and symbolic elements.
Staging and Detail: Every element in LaChapelle’s photographs is carefully planned and executed. He uses custom-built sets, costumes, and props to bring his visions to life.
Colors: His work is saturated with intense, often unnatural colors that make his images pop.
Lighting: He uses bold lighting setups to create a sense of drama and dimension, often blending hard and soft light for contrast.
Surrealism: Props, costumes, and sets are often exaggerated or surreal, adding layers of meaning to his work.
