Final Project « CERI'S PHOTOGRAPHY

Within my photography, I focused on the idea of ‘division’. Taking inspiration from work such as Maggie West, Brandon Woelfel, Geoff Jones and Mary Kuzmenkova I focused on dividing coloured light illuminating the divide in identity and emotion within individuals. I gained inspiration for the framing of my images in terms of framing in portraiture from Diane Arbus and Richard Avedone. My main point of inspiration for portraiture drew from Maggie West capturing a variety of well known people including artists, models, musicians and so on who stand with planned parenthood for her project. The use of the blue/orange and the cooler blue/purple tones were used within my work in the form of gel filters. Single portraits and two shots were created in order to capture my subjects in a variety of different colours and frame the images to capture different meanings. The models were asked to keep a straight face as the lighting is the focus of portraying emotion rather than in facial emotion as “the construction of the social self involves three main elements: the way the individual thinks he appears to the others; the way the individual thinks he is judged by the others; and the way in which the individual feels about himself (happiness, sadness, pride or guilt, etc.).”(Miriou) This idea of presentation I wanted to convey in terms of lighting to represent emotion rather in facial construction as I felt this was a false illustration. I chose to have a white background but not have it lit up as I wanted my focus to be on the subject following the ideas that “this stripped- down lighting really enhances the connection between photographer and subject”(Grecco).

PORTRAITS OF COLOUR

Within these sets of images, I wanted to capture the models on their own in the same two sets of lighting to capture the difference of the result of the image even if they’re caught in the same lighting. In terms of division, they are divided by the representation of emotion within the lighting to demonstrate how both sets of images will still look completely different due to the fact they are captured on two different identities.

The influence for the lighting of the photo is taken from Maggie West. As shown within the portrait, there is a divide in the coloured lighting which portrays the contrast within the colours. It can be inferred but the viewer this contrast divide could suggest the harsh contrast of emotions.

The idea of emotion captured within coloured lighting is inspired by Mary Kuzmenkova with her ‘Sensually Lit Angels’ series with the inference of seductive emotion which is empowered by the eye contact between the model and the lens.

Dianne Arbus looked at the idea of shadow which I feel is captured in the form of a darker blue within the portraits. The use of shadow in the form of colour i feel is interesting as well as conveying a sense of darker emotion whilst fitting the division.

THE LINE OF DIVISION

I wanted to capture a clear line of divide down the individuals as a way to capture their difference in identity but experience the same emotion to an extent. The clear line works well as a divide running down both of the models to show they experience this divide together within society whether this division may be the metaphorical division of emotion, identity, race, religion, gender and so on. There are many classifications of division in society especially with deviation from social norms, race or religion yet the acceptance that are are all divided from each other as individuals is widely accepted until another division is demonstrated that society does not agree with.

Diane Arbus influenced the my idea of having the subjects central with a shadow down the side on the face captured in the purple and green/blue which worked well as a divide line. This was done by positioning the LED lights more to the side of the subject so it caught the side of their faces rather than the front of their face.

The orange with the green/blue colour photography was inspired by Geoff Jones’ work shown above which I thought was interesting to include as the two colours work well together and contrast effectively.

SHARED IDENTITY

Roland Barthes suggests “that photographs represent an instrument in identity construction and presentation of the self”(Miriou). Both of the subjects are caught in each others light representing the idea we all share the same identity to an extent yet the divide is still shown with the use of the other colour still being involved. In these images, I have two English females both at a similar age and a clear division in identity is unnoticed. Yet, we subconsciously accept that these are two different individuals whose experiences are widely different from another and a divide is not noticed at first in comparison to if I took images focusing on division shown in appearance. I believe these images capture that all of us are divided in society and it is only in the forms of physical appearance we notice division until this fact is pointed out to us.

The framing of having each subject on each side was inspired by Richard Avedone’s image shown above as I feel by having them separate to an extent draws out more connotions of division within the frame.

THE DIFFERENCES

These images convey the complete division between us all as individuals. The framing of capturing the two individuals in two different lights clearly show the divide between each and every one of us as humans. For the image with the eyes, I had my myself put up their hand on the side of their face to experiment with the idea of a physical divide between them. In comparison to the other image, the only divide is in the lighting itself suggesting more of a metaphorical divide between us all as individuals generally unnoticed in society.

The image on the right was influenced by this photo by Brandon Woelfel. I feel the combination of two colours work well and heavily connote identity and the division between them.

I decided to not edit my images heavily only enhancing the colour within the image slightly as I agree withe the statement that editing can “disrupt the formal understanding of artistic portrait photography”. I wanted my viewer’s focus to be on the creation of the image itself and how that represents identity in its rawest form rather than the editing of the photo itself.

I believe division is conveyed effectively within my work and the inspiration from a variety of photographers helped shape my product to convey the division of emotion and identity within individuals in the forms of lighting, the lack of facial emotion and framing.