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

My ideas and inspiration

I want to take environmental automotive portraiture for example I want to take photos of vehicles in a natural environment, and the difference between masculinity and femininity within the vehicle industry so I can show the difference between a female and male car, I can also show the difference with the way they drive using body parts like hands and the different ways that male and females maintain there cars

my inspiration under this idea is Aaron Brimhall who is an automotive photographer, I think the way he makes his photos including vehicles is the same way I want to, by taking photos like this photographer and implementing the difference between masculinity and femininity.

this is a photo by Aaron I think its the style of photo i wanna make because it includes both masculinity with the car and femininity with the women who is in the car with her legs out if i do something similar i think it will be very good.

another artist who I think I can take inspiration from is Clare Rae this is because she implements body parts in her photo which is the main thing that I am focusing on for my project I think some of Clare Rae’s work can be put with Aarons work.

if I take photos of body parts with also a vehicle in the back it will be the goal that I am trying to achieve for this project.

I also like the idea of lad culture because it shows how boys will be boys and how they mess around, the banter boys have together, i think that i can preform good photos by doing this and also i can do the opposite and use females as well as i think it can show a difference.

from my first photo shoot i took 85 photos and found my best three photos:

this is my first feminine and masculine comparison. I think the detail of the steering wheel and the body parts holding the steering wheel so the big part in this photo is body parts because it shows the difference in how females and males hold the steering wheel

i think these photos are also very masculine because of the motorbike and the way that these two photos link, additionally i think the model in this photo looks very serious and scary to an extent. to edit these photos i added more lighting, exposure and get rid of the shadows that were there.

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

For my virtual gallery, I decided to go for a black and white border as I feel like it makes the image look complete. I also decided to do this as this was three different lighting techniques, so by doing this border it unifies them all together. I also placed the same subject on the outer sides to make the final piece even, as the middle is a different person.

Gel Lighting and Split Lighting

Gel lighting photography is when photographers use coloured filters (which are called gels) to change the colour of the light in a photo. These gels are placed over the lights shining on the subject to create different moods or effects. For example, a blue gel can make the light look cool, while a red gel gives a warmer feel to the image. Photographers use gel lighting to add creativity, highlight certain parts of a photo, or set a specific mood, which can overall make the image look more intriguing. Similarly, split lighting also uses the gels, however the lights are placed on opposing sides to create a unique contrast between the two gel colours.

Contact Sheet and Image Selection

This is my contact sheet for both my gel lighting and my split lighting, however the images that are in red are due to the subject moving, or the camera making the image blurred. The ones in yellow I found weren’t the best images I took, but they had nothing wrong with them (like blurriness). From doing this photoshoot, I realised that I really like this style of studio photography, as it changes the vibe to the image, and it creates more fun ways to capture portraits.

Best Images

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.

This photo shows difference types of lighting and how it affects the portrait.

---

What is Studio Lighting and why do we use it?

---

Studio lighting setups give photographers the flexibility to create different looks and lighting effects in their photos. These setups have a big impact on the style and mood of your images–allowing you to create the effect you or your clients desire.

---

---

1, 2 and 3 point lighting

---

In photography, 1-point, 2-point, and 3-point lighting refer to different setups for illuminating a subject. These setups control the mood, depth, and focus of the subject through how light is positioned. Each technique addresses different visual and narrative needs.

---

1-Point Lighting

One-point lighting is the most basic lighting setup, involving a single light source. This primary light, known as the key light, is typically placed at an angle to the subject. The result is a photograph with strong shadows and high contrast, which adds a dramatic and mysterious feel to the image. This setup is often used in portrait photography to create a moody and intense atmosphere.

In this portrait, I used a hard one point lighting so create half light half shadow effect. This one point lighting technique uses a single key light at an angle to the face this makes one half of the face lit up and the other in darkness. This particular one point lighting technique is also called split lighting. This is where the face is split in contrast between light and shadow. This technique is used to create a dramatic and moody atmosphere. I also experimented with a black and white version of the portrait which gives the image a dramatic effect.

---

2-Point Lighting

When moving to a two-point lighting setup, an additional light source is introduced—the fill light. The key light remains the primary source of illumination, placed at an angle to the subject, while the fill light is positioned opposite the key light. The purpose of the fill light is to soften and reduce the shadows created by the key light, resulting in a more balanced and natural look. This technique is useful in both portraits and product photography to highlight details without casting overly dramatic shadows.

---

3-Point Lighting

The three-point lighting setup is more advanced, involving three light sources: the key light, the fill light, and the back light (also known as the rim light). The key light and fill light are positioned similarly to the two-point lighting setup. However, the addition of the back light, placed behind the subject, adds a crucial element by creating a sense of depth. This back light helps to separate the subject from the background, giving the image a more three-dimensional and professional appearance. This technique is widely used in film, television, and portrait photography to achieve a polished and well-lit look.

---

---

Rembrandt Lighting

---

Rembrandt lighting is a popular technique in photography where the light source is positioned at about a 45-degree angle from the subject. This setup creates a distinctive triangular patch of light under the eye on the side of the face that is in shadow. It’s named after the Dutch painter Rembrandt, who often used this lighting style in his portraits. This technique adds depth and dimension to the subject’s face, making the photograph look dramatic and visually appealing. It’s particularly effective for portraits, as it enhances facial features and adds a professional touch to the image.

---

---

Recreating Rembrandt Lighting

---

In these photos, I attempted to create Rembrandt Lighting by positioning the light source at about a 45 degree angle from the subject. These photos were successful as I managed to create the distinctive Rembrandt triangle underneath the eye. To improve these portraits, I could experiment with the angle of the lighting more to create a more vivid and bold triangle of light on one side of the face making it more distinct and standing out more. I also experimented with black and white versions of the portraits which accentuate the lighting technique and creates a more dramatic effect with the light and shadow.

---

Butterfly lighting

---

Butterfly lighting is a technique where the main light source is placed directly in front of and above the subject, typically above their eye level and angled downwards. This setup creates a shadow under the nose that resembles a butterfly, hence the name. This lighting style highlights the cheekbones and creates a flattering, glamorous look, making it popular in beauty and fashion photography. Butterfly lighting is especially effective for subjects with prominent cheekbones or a slim face, as it enhances facial contours and adds a touch of elegance to the portrait.

---

---

Chiaroscuro lighting

---

Chiaroscuro lighting is a technique in photography that creates a strong contrast between light and shadow, resulting in a dramatic and moody effect. The term “chiaroscuro” is derived from Italian, where “chiaro” means clear or light, and “scuro” means dark or shadow. This lighting style uses a single light source to illuminate the subject, while the rest of the scene is left in shadow. The stark contrast enhances the three-dimensionality of the subject and adds a sense of depth and texture. It’s often used in portrait photography to create intense, powerful images with a striking visual impact.

---

---

Fill lighting

---

Fill lighting in photography is used to reduce shadows and soften the overall lighting of a scene. Imagine you’re taking a photo of someone, and one side of their face is in deep shadow because of the main light source, called the key light. By adding fill light, you gently illuminate those darker areas, creating a more balanced and natural-looking image. This helps to ensure that details are visible in both the brightly lit and shaded parts of the photo. Essentially, fill lighting adds that extra touch to make your photos look more even and pleasing to the eye.

---

---

Experimenting with fill lighting using a reflector

In these portraits I used one key light positioned to one side of the face. As shown in the first portrait, one side of the face is lit up and the other is in shadow. In the second portrait, the model held up a reflector. This reflector acts as a fill light in which it subtly lights up the other side of the face. This fill light reduces the shadows and improves the general lighting in the portrait and shows more detail in the face. This creates a more balanced and natural looking image. Essentially the reflector makes the image more pleasing to the eye and reduces the moody effect that the extra shadow portrays

---

Back lighting

---

Back lighting in photography is when the main light source is behind the subject, pointing towards the camera. This creates a silhouette effect, highlighting the edges of the subject with a glowing outline while the front of the subject is darker. It’s often used to create dramatic or ethereal images, making the subject stand out against the background.

---

---

This isn’t perfect backlighting in this portrait because the light source isn’t directly behind the subject, it is more to the side. As shown in the example images above, the image on the left is more silhouette like and is what backlighting would look like if the light source was directly behind the subject. The example image on the right of Leonardo di Caprio is more like the image I created. With this particular lighting the left side of the face is illuminated however there is shadow around the eyes and the centre of the face. This creates a moody tone and a different effect.

---

This is a portrait with the same lighting as the last however, the subject is in a different pose which their face is illuminated and since they are looking up at the light and the light is shining down on them, it creates shadow underneath the chin and from the jaw. This makes most of the neck area in shadow. This lighting creates a dark and moody effect with the shadow, however the face being in light still gives the image a natural look.

---

Virtual gallery

---

---

---

---

---

Finally, I created a virtual gallery to show all the different types of lighting techniques in my portraits. One, two, three point lighting, Rembrandt lighting and butterfly lighting. All these different lighting techniques are used to create different atmospheres and each portrait has its own mood and vibe set by the lighting. If that’s lots of shadow or minimal shadow in different areas, all the techniques create unique portraits with their own feel.

---

Cindy Sherman is a contemporary genius in the world of photography that challenges social norms. She plays a significant role in the “Pictures Generation,” which is a group of American artists who gained fame and artistic growth in the early 1980s, a time known for the fast spread of mass media images. Inspired by philosophers such as Roland Barthes, who had questioned the very idea of originality and authenticity in his manifesto The Death of the Author, the Pictures Generation set out to make art that analysed their relationship with popular culture and the mass media.

 Before photography, she was painting in a super-realist style in art school during the aftermath of American Feminism, later turning to photography toward the end of the 1970s in order to explore a wide range of common female social roles, or personas.

Sherman’s artistic practice, while she tends to distance herself from theoretical frameworks, is frequently categorized as feminist. A key focus of her work is the challenge to dominant female stereotypes. By staging and capturing images of herself in diverse contexts, she highlights the objectification of women.

Cindy Sherman uses parody and distortion as techniques to create dissonance, thereby highlighting that the construction of “gender” is heavily influenced by numerous symbolic elements that individuals routinely enact. Her aim is to deconstruct not only the notions and attributes associated with female identity but also the constraints imposed on it within the context of “performance.” Furthermore, she seeks to examine the mechanisms through which “performance” culture shapes and reinforces these concepts.

Her 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. She meticulously constructs her photographs, controlling every aspect of the image, including makeup, costumes, lighting, and settings. Through her elaborate and often satirical transformations, Sherman encourages viewers to question societal norms and expectations, particularly those imposed on women.

When questioned about whether she considers her work self-portraits, she stated ‘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

Visual – In the photo above, Cindy has positioned herself on the right third with dishing liquid, pans and other kitchen supplies taking up the other two thirds of the image (hinting that she is playing the stereotype of a housewife) almost making them seem superior and more important in the image compared to her – furthermore, her being placed in a kitchen (the stereotypic environment of housewives) with nothing but objects relates to the objectification of women and how they were deemed as inferior and nothing but housewives. Also, she is squashed and cramped in the corner, creating an uncomfortable environment which is reinforced with her seeming to be distressed holding her stomach with one hand and glancing over her shoulder looking visibly concerned as if something outside of the frame is making her feel on edge and uncomfortable. As a ‘film still’, the photo subtly challenges the stereotypical female character portrayed in movies at the time.

Technical – A wide aperture has been used to capture as much detail of a housewife’s stereotypic environment, combined with a fast shutter speed to keep the subject in focus as well as keeping exposure balanced. The photo has been taken from a slightly lowered angle since Cindy herself isn’t fully in view with the top of her head exiting the frame whilst most details of her environment and surrounding objects are kept, implying they are of higher importance compared to her linking to how at the time women were treated as inferior. The photo itself is a half body shot since her legs and the top of her head are not fully visible, creating more focus on her outfit which is an apron that matches the environment she is placed in, relating to how easy it is for the media to force women into these stereotypic roles.

Contextual – Historically, women in the media were always presented in their stereotypic roles such as housewives and were always deemed inferior to men, especially in movies when the majority of lead roles and screen time went to men whereas women had smaller roles and much less screen time – implying their only purpose was to fulfil the roles that had become societal norms (cleaning, cooking, taking care of children etc).

Conceptual – Sherman’s ‘untitled film stills’ series intended to resemble the representation of women in the mass media, challenging how the media only depicted women in their stereotypic roles, environment and outfits. In the modern day, Sherman now directs her attention to selfies and highlights how online profiles and presentations of people are not their true selves but rather them trying to be their best selves to impress others and fit in, criticising how people take tens and even hundreds of selfies searching for the perfect one.

Claude Cahun

Claude Cahun, originally named Lucy Renee Mathilde Schwob, was born on October 25, 1894, and passed away on December 8, 1954. She was a prominent French surrealist known for her work as a photographer, sculptor, and author. In 1914, Schwob adopted the alias Claude Cahun, under which she gained recognition primarily as a writer and self-portrait artist, frequently embodying diverse performative identities.

In her literary writing, Cahun predominantly employed grammatically feminine terminology to describe herself, whilst stating that her true gender identity was fluid. For instance, in her text Disavowals, she articulates: “Masculine? Feminine? It depends on the situation. Neuter is the only gender that always suits me.” Cahun is particularly recognized for her androgynous appearance, which challenged the strict gender roles of her time.

Cahun offered a distinct viewpoint within surrealism by incorporating mirrors, collages, and the concept of doubling in her photographs to challenge societal norms. In several of Cahun’s portraits, she gazes directly at the viewer with a shaved head, often showcasing just her head and shoulders, which removes the body from the frame. This approach blurs traditional gender markers and behaviours, effectively challenging the male perspective. For instance, one image features Cahun wearing a top that says, “I am in training, do not kiss me,” highlighting that her identity and gender can be acknowledged but should not be objectified or fetishized by men. Scholar Miranda Welby-Everard has discussed the significance of theatre, performance, and costume in Cahun’s work, suggesting that these elements may have influenced her diverse expressions of gender.

Cahun’s life was filled with actions that went against the norm, and her public persona has turned into a statement that questions society’s ideas about gender, beauty, and logic.

Her work aimed to shake up how people viewed photography, moving it away from just being a record of reality. Additionally, her poetry pushed against the gender norms of her time and critiqued the social and economic limits of the modern world. Cahun’s involvement with the Surrealist group in Paris added a unique perspective to their work, leading to fresh representations. While most Surrealist artists were men who often portrayed women as mere symbols of sexuality, Cahun showcased a more fluid and non-conforming identity. Her photographs, writings, and overall life as a revolutionary in both art and politics continue to inspire many artists today (such as Cindy Sherman).

Image Analysis

Visual – The image is a full body portrait of a woman sitting cross-legged positioned in the centre of the photo, with very little detail in the background making it very clearly she is the focus and subject of the photograph. Her hair has been gelled in the form of an upside down heart and hearts have also been drawn on her cheeks, with another one visible on her thigh as well as her mouth being in the shape of a heart too – this was done to highlight how at the time society viewed women as nothing but a pretty face, with the hearts reinforcing this. Furthermore, the text ‘I am in training dont kiss me’ can clearly be seen on her shirt which contrasts with all the hearts almost subtly going against social norms of femininity and being nothing but an object of beauty, showing her willingness to rebel against these stereotypes. She also has leather wrist bracers of a circus strong man and a barbell laying across her thighs which are stereotypically masculine items, contradicting with the rest of the image and creating a clear sense of contrasting between masculinity and femininity.

Technical – The use of a straight-on angle creates a connection between the subject and the viewer of the image, creating focus on and directing viewer’s attention to the contrasting masculine and feminine elements being clearly displayed to them whilst simultaneously subtly challenging societal norms, expectations and stereotypes of women. Also, the fact it is a full body portrait means there is more room for different contrasting elements all over her body to be displayed to the viewer, whereas if it had been a half body portrait the heart on the thigh and potentially the barbell wouldn’t have been visible so the fact a full body portrait has been used helps to further emphasise her ideas of critiquing gender stereotypes and norms.

Contextual – During the time period Cahun was producing photography, gender stereotypes and expectations were deeply rooted within society and as a rebellious, creative Jewish person her work would have had backlash and been critiqued especially in a post World War One society (hence why her work only began to get public attention and gain relevance 40 years after her death). The contrasting stereotypic masculine and feminine elements in the image also relate to Cahun’s true gender identity being fluid and how she didn’t perceive herself as being either male or female.

Conceptual – The idea behind this particular image was to showcase her gender fluid identity as well as challenge gender stereotypes and expectations of a post-WW1 society which would have been extremely strict but beginning to change as women took over traditional male roles and jobs in society after many left to fight in the war.

Man Ray

images by Man Ray

Man Ray was an American visual artist who spent most of his life in Paris. He was a significant contributor to the Dada  and surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. Above all he was best known for his pioneering photography and was a highly known fashion and portrait photographer.

Ray is also well know for his photograms which he called “rayographs” Throughout his career Man Ray didn’t expose many details of his life or family into the public, Ray didn’t even publicly acknowledge his “other name” which was Emmanuel Radnitzky. He was born in South Philadelphia, August 27, 1890.

From a young age Man Ray was displaying a range of artistic and mechanical ability’s, whilst still at school he used to educate himself by frequently visiting the local art museums in his area.

Double / multi-exposure images

Double / multi-exposure images are photographs created by combining two or more photos into a single image, which blends different elements, subjects, or moments together. This technique can add depth or movement to an image.

To create these images I used photos from the previous post on studio portraits and edited them in photoshop

To create this image I cut out the subject of the image and made a new layer and pasted him on top. moved the second copy of the subject to where I wanted and turned the opacity down. I also edited the original image a bit more to add a bit more contrast and make the effect of the double a bit more dramatic.

I thought that it would be cool to edit one of these images from when we did the motion blur photoshoot. As I thought that seeing the blur repeated would have a cool effect.

This image was a bit harder than the previous to edit as there was the blur as well and I copied it three time instead of two, I Used the eraser tool to smoothly blend these together as well as having it make the colour of the background correctly. Additionally I made the subject in the middle dark to add a bit more depth into the image.

This was an idea I had as the regular image just had the hands in his ears which I thought would look different if they were replicated and moved around the whole subject. One issue I ran into with creating this is that the lighting on the hands didn’t match the tone of the background, especially when doing the right side which is significantly darker than the left or even higher up on the right side. The way that I combatted this is by clicking on the layer of the hand I would like to change. Then by going to the top of the screen and clicking on image then adjustments, that allows me to lower the brightness and contrast on that single layer. So I then did that for the rest of the hand I would like to make darker to match the tone of the background.

Russian Constructivism

Alexander Rodchenko

Images by Alexander Rodchenko

 Alexander Rodchenko was a Russian and Soviet artist, sculptor, photographer, and graphic designer. He was one of the founders of constructivism  and Russian design.

Rodchenko was born in St Petersburg and moved to Kazan after the passing of his father in 1909. Rodchenko became an artist without much exposure to the art world, he main drew inspiration from magazines. He began his artistic studies in 1910 at the Kazan Art School where he met his future wife.

In 1921 he became a member of the productivist group, which advocated bringing art into everyday life. He gave up painting to concentrate on graphic design for posters, books, and films.

Rodchenko was the main influence for many of the 20th century graphic designers, for example American conceptual artist Barbara kruger took huge inspiration from Rodchenko’s work.

My Interpretation

to create this image in photoshop I first got the background. Then I cut of the subjects face from a previous image, and edited it with a filter to create that high contrast look. and placed it onto the background I then added some stripes onto the image some with different of levels of opacity as I thought it looked a bit plain. Then added some bold red text as Rodchenko’s images that he created often involved adding text, so I decided that I should add some to mine to give the feel of his work. I then got the target off google images and thought that it added great effect to place it over the eye to draw attention.

Michael Betzner

Michael Betzner is a 27 year old conceptual portrait photographer, who is completely self taught. Betzners photography started when he found his husbands ( Benjamin) old camera. Because he completely self taught he approaches photography with a different view and perspective. Betzner’s main focusses with his photography are fashion, branding and building portfolios.

Betzner states: “I felt right at home walking through the woods capturing nature, but I quickly fell in love with portraits and capturing people’s emotion”

Inspiration photo

image by Micheal Betzner

My Interpretation

inspiration photo

image by Micheal Betzner

Personally, I really like this image because it’s not something that I would have thought to do with an mage and show a real creative way of thinking and show the unique approach Betzner has to his work. As well as I think that the way that Betzner has blended the hair together looks great and seamless which really elevates the image.

to create this image in photoshop I unlocked the background image, and expanded the image so that the top of the image was higher to allow me to place the copy of the guy on top, I selected the subject of the image and copy and pasted him back onto the image. I then pressed CTRL T to allow me to spin the image around to make it upside down I then used the erase tool to blend the hair better as it looked a bit weird because it didn’t blend.

Cindy Sherman

Who is she ?

Sherman tends to stay away from theoretical discussions, but people often categorize her work as feminist. A key focus of her art is challenging common stereotypes about women. By taking photos of herself in different scenarios, she highlights how women are often objectified.

Initially, while studying at art school and influenced by the wave of American Feminism, Sherman focused on super-realistic painting. However, by the late 1970s, she shifted her attention to photography to delve into various typical female social roles and identities.

Cindy Sherman is known for her unique approach to art, where she uses self-portraits to invent fictional characters. Through her work, she dives into important topics like identity, how people are represented, and what femininity really means.

Cindy Sherman explores some pretty intense themes in her self-portraits, like sexual desire and the idea of control, along with how we create our identities through deception. Her art really reflects the overwhelming consumer culture and the explosion of images that defined the late 20th century.

While she was in college, she found her love for photography and started trying out self-portraits, which would eventually shape her career. By dressing up, posing, and taking pictures of herself in various situations, Sherman skilfully comments on how women are represented in mainstream media.

Some of her photos

Image Analysis

Visual – In this photo the character is Cindy Sherman, she is possibly portraying a housewife. she is on the right third of this image, she appears trapped or cramped in the small apartment kitchen. She is looking over her shoulder as if something is taking her attention. Her left arm is fully extended onto the counter, furthermore her right arm is across her stomach as if she’s on guard. In the image is dishes and other kitchen appliances which take up more space in the image than she does which could show that they are more important than her and it could hint at the stereotype of women at the time.

Technical – The aperture is likely wide aperture and a shallow depth of field as the foreground is blurred. The shutter speed is to be faster due to the subject being fully in focus with a balanced exposure. The angle was taken from roughly waist height which makes her seem taller, it also makes the view seem like they are part of the setting and up close with her.-

Contextual – Historically women where seen as house wife’s or kitchen maids, this is shown by the image. Sherman casts herself in various stereotypical female roles inspired by 1950s and 1960s films. They represent clichés or feminine types.

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.

Second Artist Analysis

Claude Cahun

Who is she?

Claude Cahun, originally named Lucy Renee Mathilde Schwob, was a French artist born on October 25, 1894, and she passed away on December 8, 1954. She was known for her work as a surrealist photographer, sculptor, and writer. In 1914, she chose the name Claude Cahun as her pseudonym. Cahun gained recognition for her writing and her unique self-portraits, where she often took on different performative identities.

Some of her photos

Image Analysis

Technical – The lighting in this image is likely to be natural lighting, this is because the setting is quite dark and there isn’t any obvious artificial light sources. The aperture is likely to be low, something like f/1.8 or f/2 with a shallow depth of field, I think this because the background seems to be out of focus and the subject seems to be the only thing in focus. Moreover the shutter speed is probably fast, something 200 or above, I think this because the subject is in focus and the image is rather dark which could be caused by a fast shutter speed. Finally the ISO is likely to be quite high, something 800 or above, this is because I can see visual noise within the image.

Visual – There is little colour in this image, it is all black and white which creates a nice contrast between the subject and the background. there id little outstanding or obvious texture in this image, The subjects skin is pretty smooth with only some texture apparent on the back of the head. There is a decent amount of negative space which probably equals nearly half the image, however it does not take the focus away from the subject.

Contextual – This image was taken in the early 1930s and was in Western Europe. In this image she shaved her head due to the fact that she was trans gender and identified as a man, furthermore it also alludes to the war how the Nazis as she was Jewish.

Conceptual – She could be alluding to the concentration camps with the shaved head, furthermore her back turned could means she’s trying to make it harder for the view to distinguish if its a woman or a man. Finally the tank top she’s wearing is typically men’s clothing, meaning she is further trying to resemble a man.