I have chosen to theme my personal study around portraiture as I feel that Identity and Disguise has an intrinsic belonging in it. Exploring the identity of a person can almost always be explored within the outward appearance of a person and how they choose to appear towards others. Disguise is also often associated with people and their appearance too, which is most commonly explored within portraiture. Therefore, I feel that portraiture is one of the most straightforward and direct aspects of photography in relation to my personal study and exploring it in depth will aid my approach to the whole component.
Identity & Disguise
Costume and Mask
Initial Ideas/Inspiration from Other Photographers
The photos above are from other photographers and how they have personally explored the theme of Identity and Disguise. These are images that potentially could be starting points for me in my own take on the project as each one has inspired me in some way due their unique art styles and variation in colour, concept and atmosphere. The images with the strongest influence on me as to where I could take this project are the ones specifically use vibrant colours and also creative uses of light. This is because I feel these images are more eye-catching as opposed to monochromatic images because they are easily distinguishable. The use of light and shadows is also a draw for me as the photographer can manipulate the two to convey a wide variety of different perspectives and emotions.
An Exploration of Portraiture
Artist Research
The topic I am going to follow is portrait photography. The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography describes portrait photography as “a photograph of a person or group of people that captures the personality of the subject by using effective lighting, backdrops, and poses”. This is exactly how I intend to take impressive portraits throughout my projects. As the school has professional lighting equipment as well as backdrops, I will have the ability to take photographs with effective lighting to better capture more colourful and vibrant images along with contrasting backgrounds which highlight these colourful tones. Despite the fact that I may take either colourful or black and white images, lighting and backdrops will be essential to both. Colour portraits will require good lighting to accurately convey the colours I am photographing while black and white portraits will require good lighting to highlight the contours of the face. Backdrops will be essential in both types of image to contrast against the model. Poses and personality will be what I specifically strive for in my project as I feel that portraits with an expressive model are the most noteworthy and catch the most attention. I am therefore going to aim to produce images in the Identity and Disguise project which aim to grab the viewer's attention. This will mainly be through dramatic poses and expressive models but also combining these with interesting Photoshop edits. While I will mainly be photographing people's expressions, the costumes themselves enable a very expressive nature as examples of people who wear costumes tend to be very expressive such as actors.
People are an intrinsic part of the Identity and Disguise project as people themselves through their own unique ideas and viewpoints are the basis of the theme. Exploring people up close and producing images that fully and precisely convey their features is of particular interest to me as it will link in well with Identity and Disguise. The people I will photograph may be wearing makeup, a particular item of clothing or may just look ordinary until I edit the images and add identity aspects in Photoshop. Therefore, portraits would be the most effective way to capture their face/facial features as they will best display a distinctive aspect of disguise or their mood through their intricate facial features. I also have an interest in portraiture in general as I have very rarely had the opportunity in the past since becoming a photographer to take portrait photos.
I will follow a variety of different artists throughout my work but will start with the photographer Richard Avedon (work pictured above). Avedon's work particularly intrigues me as it is very well shot and always appears to be slightly offbeat. Richard Avedon was an American portrait and fashion photographer. The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century". His interest in photography began at an early age and he joined the Young Men’s Hebrew Association camera club when he was 12. Avedon joined the armed forces in 1942 during World War II, serving as Photographer’s Mate in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Avedon has previously said, “My job was to do identity photographs. I must have taken pictures of one hundred thousand faces before it occurred to me I was becoming a photographer." After two years of service, he left the Merchant Marine to work as a professional photographer. Avedon then went on to run a successful commercial studio and is widely credited with erasing the line between “commercial” and "art" photography. His brand-defining work and long associations with Calvin Klein, Revlon, Versace and dozens of other companies resulted in some of the most famous advertising campaigns in American history. His own website says he was "fascinated by photography’s capacity for suggesting the personality and evoking the life of his subjects. He registered poses, attitudes, hairstyles, clothing and accessories as vital, revelatory elements of an image". This is exactly the key aspect I have taken away from his work and wish to incorporate into my own. In my photographs, I will be aiming to transform my models from the mundane and ordinary photographs that are commonly seen. I will be looking to evoke a reaction from my work through, like Avedon, taking photos with unusual poses, camera angles and general looks of models including clothing and accessories. This will fit into the theme of Identity and Disguise as my models will typically be dressed in or disguised by an unconventional item of clothing or accessory. Some of my planned project additions such as portraits at Manchester Comic Con and Liverpool's Halloween Lantern Parade will fit in particularly well with this as both events revolve around people dressing up in unconventional costumes and often posing for pictures. This will then form the basis of my unorthodox portraits. Avedon's portraits are always taken from an unusual angle, whether that be literal or metaphorical, and provide an unusual, new perspective on people (and a lot of celebrities). For example, he has taken photos of many celebrities using unusual angles but has also taken close up portraits of mental institution patients which is very unusual for a commercial photographer to do. I will also aim to, like Avedon, make my portraits unique through exploring poses and models' personality (as previously mentioned) that are irregular. I will do this through a combination of manipulating my photographed subject, exploring unusual angles, poses and also post production techniques in Photoshop which will further add to make my photographs just a bit more quirky and conspicuous.
The second photographer I will draw inspiration from is the celebrity portrait photographer Andy Gotts (work shown below). Andy Gotts MBE MA is a photographer based in London, England, and New York, USA. He is most noted for his black and white portraits of Hollywood actors and singers. Since 1990, Gotts' work has been published internationally and has appeared in many magazines, including Empire, Total Film, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue and Vanity Fair as well as in newspapers and advertising campaigns. The National Portrait Gallery has a selection of his photographs in their permanent collection. In 2012, Gotts was appointed MBE in the Queen's New Years Honours List. Gotts is noted for his magnum opus 'Degrees' which was inspired by the game, the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. In this project, Gotts takes very expressive portraits of many celebrities who suggest photographing a famous friend or family member in order to try and form a link from actor Joss Ackland to Kevin Bacon. It is from this collection that I will draw inspiration from as it is a strong source of his excellent portrait skill and is overall his best work.
In the Degrees project, Gotts perfectly exemplifies what sort of style I wish to take my portraits in. Clearly evidenced from the collection of celebrity images below, each individual pulls a very animated face and contorts it to convey emotions ranging from intense anger to disgust. From Gott's 'Degrees' project, there are a lot more celebrity portraits which evidence a similar style. Each celebrity in their own respective photoshoots evidence a different set of expressions: all pull overly expressive and often silly faces. Gott's images as a result of the contorted faces he photographs are a lot more noticeable than the average portrait and bring dimensions to these Hollywood actors that we may not have seen before or otherwise outside of these photo shoots. It is this aspect and style which I wish to draw from Gotts. I would like to follow his approach of portraiture as strong facial expressions have much more of a long lasting effect as opposed to a stoic portrait. While not all of the models I photograph will have exaggerated expressions parallel to Gotts' work, this is not specifically what I am aiming for in my photographs. While Gott's portraits consistently showcase celebrities with extreme expressions, I aim to simply photograph people with strong expressions. This is because I believe that a strong portrait centres around a model's face and therefore their expressions are key. All portraits I will take may have their models vary from distinctly expressive to minutely but potently expressive. My images may not directly compare to Gotts' images but it is through the influence of his work which I will base my understanding and vision for portraiture with expression. Through Gotts' portfolio, I have had my concept of expressive portraits reinforced by a professional photographer in his exemplar work and will hope to follow in Gott's footsteps in my own project.
People are an intrinsic part of the Identity and Disguise project as people themselves through their own unique ideas and viewpoints are the basis of the theme. Exploring people up close and producing images that fully and precisely convey their features is of particular interest to me as it will link in well with Identity and Disguise. The people I will photograph may be wearing makeup, a particular item of clothing or may just look ordinary until I edit the images and add identity aspects in Photoshop. Therefore, portraits would be the most effective way to capture their face/facial features as they will best display a distinctive aspect of disguise or their mood through their intricate facial features. I also have an interest in portraiture in general as I have very rarely had the opportunity in the past since becoming a photographer to take portrait photos.
I will follow a variety of different artists throughout my work but will start with the photographer Richard Avedon (work pictured above). Avedon's work particularly intrigues me as it is very well shot and always appears to be slightly offbeat. Richard Avedon was an American portrait and fashion photographer. The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century". His interest in photography began at an early age and he joined the Young Men’s Hebrew Association camera club when he was 12. Avedon joined the armed forces in 1942 during World War II, serving as Photographer’s Mate in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Avedon has previously said, “My job was to do identity photographs. I must have taken pictures of one hundred thousand faces before it occurred to me I was becoming a photographer." After two years of service, he left the Merchant Marine to work as a professional photographer. Avedon then went on to run a successful commercial studio and is widely credited with erasing the line between “commercial” and "art" photography. His brand-defining work and long associations with Calvin Klein, Revlon, Versace and dozens of other companies resulted in some of the most famous advertising campaigns in American history. His own website says he was "fascinated by photography’s capacity for suggesting the personality and evoking the life of his subjects. He registered poses, attitudes, hairstyles, clothing and accessories as vital, revelatory elements of an image". This is exactly the key aspect I have taken away from his work and wish to incorporate into my own. In my photographs, I will be aiming to transform my models from the mundane and ordinary photographs that are commonly seen. I will be looking to evoke a reaction from my work through, like Avedon, taking photos with unusual poses, camera angles and general looks of models including clothing and accessories. This will fit into the theme of Identity and Disguise as my models will typically be dressed in or disguised by an unconventional item of clothing or accessory. Some of my planned project additions such as portraits at Manchester Comic Con and Liverpool's Halloween Lantern Parade will fit in particularly well with this as both events revolve around people dressing up in unconventional costumes and often posing for pictures. This will then form the basis of my unorthodox portraits. Avedon's portraits are always taken from an unusual angle, whether that be literal or metaphorical, and provide an unusual, new perspective on people (and a lot of celebrities). For example, he has taken photos of many celebrities using unusual angles but has also taken close up portraits of mental institution patients which is very unusual for a commercial photographer to do. I will also aim to, like Avedon, make my portraits unique through exploring poses and models' personality (as previously mentioned) that are irregular. I will do this through a combination of manipulating my photographed subject, exploring unusual angles, poses and also post production techniques in Photoshop which will further add to make my photographs just a bit more quirky and conspicuous.
The second photographer I will draw inspiration from is the celebrity portrait photographer Andy Gotts (work shown below). Andy Gotts MBE MA is a photographer based in London, England, and New York, USA. He is most noted for his black and white portraits of Hollywood actors and singers. Since 1990, Gotts' work has been published internationally and has appeared in many magazines, including Empire, Total Film, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue and Vanity Fair as well as in newspapers and advertising campaigns. The National Portrait Gallery has a selection of his photographs in their permanent collection. In 2012, Gotts was appointed MBE in the Queen's New Years Honours List. Gotts is noted for his magnum opus 'Degrees' which was inspired by the game, the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. In this project, Gotts takes very expressive portraits of many celebrities who suggest photographing a famous friend or family member in order to try and form a link from actor Joss Ackland to Kevin Bacon. It is from this collection that I will draw inspiration from as it is a strong source of his excellent portrait skill and is overall his best work.
In the Degrees project, Gotts perfectly exemplifies what sort of style I wish to take my portraits in. Clearly evidenced from the collection of celebrity images below, each individual pulls a very animated face and contorts it to convey emotions ranging from intense anger to disgust. From Gott's 'Degrees' project, there are a lot more celebrity portraits which evidence a similar style. Each celebrity in their own respective photoshoots evidence a different set of expressions: all pull overly expressive and often silly faces. Gott's images as a result of the contorted faces he photographs are a lot more noticeable than the average portrait and bring dimensions to these Hollywood actors that we may not have seen before or otherwise outside of these photo shoots. It is this aspect and style which I wish to draw from Gotts. I would like to follow his approach of portraiture as strong facial expressions have much more of a long lasting effect as opposed to a stoic portrait. While not all of the models I photograph will have exaggerated expressions parallel to Gotts' work, this is not specifically what I am aiming for in my photographs. While Gott's portraits consistently showcase celebrities with extreme expressions, I aim to simply photograph people with strong expressions. This is because I believe that a strong portrait centres around a model's face and therefore their expressions are key. All portraits I will take may have their models vary from distinctly expressive to minutely but potently expressive. My images may not directly compare to Gotts' images but it is through the influence of his work which I will base my understanding and vision for portraiture with expression. Through Gotts' portfolio, I have had my concept of expressive portraits reinforced by a professional photographer in his exemplar work and will hope to follow in Gott's footsteps in my own project.
Bibliography
https://www.avedonfoundation.org/history/ - History of Richard Avedon
http://www.andygotts.com/biography - History of Andy Gotts
Francis, Kathleen (2007). The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography. Focal Press. p. 341.
Jeffrey, Ian (1997). The Photo Book. Phaidon Press. p.277-281
http://www.andygotts.com/biography - History of Andy Gotts
Francis, Kathleen (2007). The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography. Focal Press. p. 341.
Jeffrey, Ian (1997). The Photo Book. Phaidon Press. p.277-281
My Own Work
The above portraits I have taken as I direct inspiration from Andy Gotts'. Much like Gotts, I have taken photos of me and a friend posing with very contorted and expressive facial expressions. I have also turned them to black and white to further emulate Gotts' distinctive style. Within these photos, I have showcased my ability to convey emotion through photography and also evidenced how Gotts' unique stylisation of his portraits and models has clearly influenced my work.
Disguising with Costume and Masks
Initial Research
This project is an ideal platform for me to take photos relating to the original Identity and Disguise project as it relates directly to the 'disguise' element of it in how people have used their costumes to create a persona and disguise themselves from their everyday appearance. Halloween being a recent event will be particularly helpful for me as the annual event is very popular globally so plenty of opportunities will arise to take costume related images. I have also previously attended Comic Con in Manchester in which a large percentage of attendees are costumed as various pop culture icons such as superheroes, film characters and anime characters. These two events will help me to shape my project as they are both heavily oriented on dressing up and disguising yourself and will both provide strong opportunities for me to build up my portfolio.
I have collected the images above to convey the specific costume types and stylistic themes others have photographed which I wish to photograph myself. Due to Halloween being so close, there is and has been a lot of opportunities to photograph people in colourful costumes who may also reflect their costume's character. This fits extremely well into the theme of Identity and Disguise as Halloween is one of the most popular events for people dressing up and disguising themselves. I have chosen the specific photos above as I have chosen to photograph the Liverpool Lantern Halloween Parade so these portray what sort of costumed people I wish to photograph and how I wish to photograph them. The majority of the photos I have collected have been taken at night. This is because the halloween parade I will photograph will also be at night so these images most accurately represent what my final outcome will look like. There is a combination of close up photos and ones at mid range as this is what I will aim to take. Taking close up photos in the parade may be difficult however due to low lighting and the speed of those walking. The vibrance of colour in the images is a key factor which I aim to replicate. What makes the images work so well is the contrast of the dark night and the vibrant costumes. Taking photos in a similar environment will hopefully give me the same effect in my work.
Initial Ideas
Artist Research
The photos above are from other photographers and how they have personally explored the theme of Identity and Disguise. These are images that potentially could be starting points for me in my own take on the project as each one has inspired me in some way due their unique art styles and variation in colour, concept and atmosphere. The images with the strongest influence on me as to where I could take this project are the ones specifically use vibrant colours and also creative uses of light. This is because I feel these images are more eye-catching as opposed to monochromatic images because they are easily distinguishable. The use of light and shadows is also a draw for me as the photographer can manipulate the two to convey a wide variety of different perspectives and emotions.
Benjamin Von Wong
Wong's Work
In an excerpt from his own website, Benjamin Von Wong says he is "notorious for documenting his intrepid adventures and epic photography. His hyper-realistic art style captures the hearts and minds of viewers in a fusion of special effects and innovative concepts specifically designed to go viral and drive conversation." In his portfolio, he mainly focuses upon extravagantly costumed models who are usually in dramatic poses and unique backgrounds. All of his photos look surreal and as if they've been taken somewhere fictional. Whilst I will not have the access to Wong's budget and resources which he uses to make such imaginative images, I will be able to take inspiration from his style. As he does, I will aim to make those who I photograph the main, dramatic focus of my photos and utilise their costumes to create images with a sense of atmosphere and slight disbelief.
This image is particularly inspiring to me due to how the extravagant costume is the focus. Wong utilises the cool background of the ocean scene to create a natural and spiritual atmosphere which almost makes the model to appear from a fairy tale due to its surreal nature. As the costume is so large and takes up most of the photo even at mid range, it gives the model a powerful status within the image and makes her seem powerful. What also aids this image is the good lighting as due to it, the model's face is still very visible despite the large costume and similarly coloured face paint. While I will not be able to take portrait photos in a location such as this one, I will be visiting an event which will feature people wearing large costumes such as these. From this photo, I have took notice of Wong's attention to detail with the positioning and posing of the model and also her position in perspective of the backdrop. I will therefore try and incorporate these skills into my own work and aim to replicate a similar artistic style to Wong's.
Margarita Kareva
Kareva's Work
Margarita Kareva is a Russian photographer who specialises in a variety of photography subjects such as travel, wedding and fashion. Her work, however, always features luminescent lighting, grandiose costumes and mainly female models. The colour schemes of her images always work well as both the model's clothing and their surroundings' colours compliment each other well. The images always look convincing in making the model's unusual clothing fit their environments which makes the models seem less like they are in costume but rather that Kareva has photographed completely different eras and worlds. In my own work, I will aim to copy how convincing Kareva makes her models in her costumes through dramatic close ups and complimentary backgrounds.
I have picked out this image in particular from Kareva's collection as it is the most applicable to my own project. I will be taking images of people in Halloween themed costumes as Kareva has done. I will also be aiming to take good quality images through making the people in them a strong focus as Kareva has. She has done this particularly well through making her background more prominent. Through the similarity in style through costume and background, Kareva has made a very convincing image which appears as if it is from a film scene. This is a good example of how Kareva has utilised characterisation as she has done with other models with similar costume/background pairings. As Kareva has did a photoshoot in a Halloween style theme, she has given me inspiration with how I can create a creative Halloween themed collection of images. Similar to Wong, Kareva has used good lighting and a dramatic background to make the most of her model's costume. Being aware of this, I will try to emulate the skills Kareva has presented to produce striking images.
Ideas from Research
After researching other photographers' work based on costumes and masks, I will be drawing inspiration from them and will photograph the two events I have in mind (Halloween Lantern Parade and Manchester Comic Con). My initial collection of other photographer's work and my two researched photographers will be a strong influence in the way I'll take my images. From the initial collection, I have gained a direct and specific image in mind of how I will photograph the Halloween Lantern Parade specifically. I will aim to replicate the vibrance of people's costumes and to utilise the dark night and colourful face contrast. From Von Wong, I will try to make the person I am photographing the dramatic focus of my image and to incorporate a sense of atmosphere in my images. From Kareva's work, I will aim to portray believable costumed characters through close ups and appropriate backgrounds.
I will achieve these inspired portraits during the photography of the Halloween Lantern Parade and Manchester Comic Con attendees. Their costumes and their enthusiasm in identifying with the characters they are costumed as will enable me to take photographs that will appear expressive, dramatic and vivid.
I will achieve these inspired portraits during the photography of the Halloween Lantern Parade and Manchester Comic Con attendees. Their costumes and their enthusiasm in identifying with the characters they are costumed as will enable me to take photographs that will appear expressive, dramatic and vivid.
My Own Work
Disguise at the Halloween Parade
These photos are from the 2017 Halloween parade held in Liverpool city centre. These photos were taken at the end of the parade when the costumed people were walking through Albert Dock. The photos fit very well into the theme of Identity and Disguise as the parade's main purpose was for people to disguise and express themselves through costume. A lot of the images consist of either people in costume or illuminated figures. As a result, the contrasting darkness really makes the models stand out and makes the photo focus in on their figure and expressions.
Disguise at Comic Con
These images are from the Manchester Comic Con 2017. In the images, the costumes and poses are the main focus of the image which create very expressive and colourful images. The expressions and costume designs are unique in every image and make up a very vibrant collection of animated photos.
To take these images, I have used a Nikon D3300 with a close range lens. I did this to ensure that I fully captured the attendee's faces and their expressions using close up and medium shots. This will then go on to create more interesting and visually appealing images when developed in Photoshop. For example, I may use layer masks to add a texture or particular colour overlay to either add another layer of depth to an image or to give it a distinct colour scheme. To develop these images, I have not transformed them excessively but have instead used more subtle techniques in Photoshop. These include changes to levels, vibrance, contrast, brightness and saturation. I believe occasionally this style of editing showcases the photographs in their best form, their original, as the original intent of the photographer and all of the elements which they use to create the photo (such as angles and depth of field) are fully displayed.
These photos are examples of how I have incorporated the theme of portraiture in the Identity and Disguise project and also how I intend to have my personal take on it. As stated before, I wish to explore poses of those who I photograph and also their expressive personalities. I have aimed to do this in the set above as being in costume has brought out the expression in a lot of the people I have photographed. Due to them getting into the characters of those whom they have dressed up as, as evidenced by their enthusiasm in their poses and facial expressions, the photos above show the complementary nature of costume and expression at their best. My inspiration from my two chosen photographers, Richard Avedon and Andy Gotts, can be seen in these images. Richard Avedon always ensures that his chosen model is posing in a simplistic but always dramatic and intense position which is what makes his images captivating. In my work, I have achieved a similar effect as the people I have photographed have simplistic facial expressions but create dramatic photos when combined with their physical poses. Andy Gotts creates portraits, mostly head shots, in which the models are very expressive and recognisable. Arguably, the people photographed in my images are from well recognised works of pop culture so the impact of seeing people dressed up as well known characters has the same effect as seeing well known celebrities photographically. Like Gotts' images, my selected images are mostly headshots and therefore, while not on the same overly expressive level, still clearly show the expressions of the models which accompanies the expressive nature of their costume and character well. This small collection above is an example of the sort of theme I am aiming for in my work and will hopefully be able to continue it throughout the rest of the project.
These photos are examples of how I have incorporated the theme of portraiture in the Identity and Disguise project and also how I intend to have my personal take on it. As stated before, I wish to explore poses of those who I photograph and also their expressive personalities. I have aimed to do this in the set above as being in costume has brought out the expression in a lot of the people I have photographed. Due to them getting into the characters of those whom they have dressed up as, as evidenced by their enthusiasm in their poses and facial expressions, the photos above show the complementary nature of costume and expression at their best. My inspiration from my two chosen photographers, Richard Avedon and Andy Gotts, can be seen in these images. Richard Avedon always ensures that his chosen model is posing in a simplistic but always dramatic and intense position which is what makes his images captivating. In my work, I have achieved a similar effect as the people I have photographed have simplistic facial expressions but create dramatic photos when combined with their physical poses. Andy Gotts creates portraits, mostly head shots, in which the models are very expressive and recognisable. Arguably, the people photographed in my images are from well recognised works of pop culture so the impact of seeing people dressed up as well known characters has the same effect as seeing well known celebrities photographically. Like Gotts' images, my selected images are mostly headshots and therefore, while not on the same overly expressive level, still clearly show the expressions of the models which accompanies the expressive nature of their costume and character well. This small collection above is an example of the sort of theme I am aiming for in my work and will hopefully be able to continue it throughout the rest of the project.
Disguising with Masks - School
In these images, I borrowed a couple of masks, one being a Venetian one and another being a Guy Fawkes mask to take portraits with. They are a simple but integral part of disguise and transform a person's typical appearance, disguising their original one and making it expressive in a different form. Taking these photos from within school, I was able to utilise a black backdrop. This enabled the model to stand out and focus in on the disguised face and more intently focus on the concealed identity which I wanted to explore.
Disguising with Masks - Formby
In these photos, I travelled to Formby Beach to create an interesting, scenic background for my images. The masks again concealed the identity of the model and disguised them, creating intrigue and a sense of mystery. I feel that the combination of the forest background and the disguised face creates a very natural and simple scene and allows for the model to be a prominent focus in a distinct background.
Black and White
In these images, I have aimed to achieve a high contrast style through using monochromatic edits. I felt that this editing style was a unison way I could stylise images from all of my collections and achieve a similar effect. The intensity of the photos is highly increased through this Photoshop technique and presents much more of a dramatic and intense tone in contrast to their full colour originals.
Nashville Filter
In these photos, I applied an Instagram-esque filter called Nashville. I feel this filter enhances the yellow features of the sunlight and gives the images a vibrant yet cool blue aesthetic. I feel the colours create a very serene and surreal appearance to them which combines the disguise of the usual appearance of a face but also the disguise of the world's natural colours. In this way, the identity of the appearance of the world's natural colours has been transformed and then disguised.
Identity & Disguise
Inspiration of Rankin - Destroy Your Portrait
My Initial Thoughts
My first thought was that I would take series of portraits and then destroy them in an artistic way. We did this in GCSE when we ripped up our work and stuck it back together again. I also remember seeing some work which had been burned with matches. They were edited in Photoshop and then presented as a set.
Initial Research
The first thing I did was a google search on "destroy photography". This produced the following set of images.
The results showed me what I had expected. A series of portraits which had been destroyed in some way. Destroy seems a very strong term when most of them have simply been drawn, taped or ripped. The one thing that was clear from this search was that the British photographer, John Rankin Waddell had been involved in a destroy project.
Initial Project Ideas
Photographer Research: James Rankin Waddell
In this project, I will be looking at the work of the famous British photographer John Rankin Waddell, more commonly known as Rankin. Rankin has made publications in photography for over 20 years. He specialises in portrait photography in particular and has taken portraits of countless famous celebrities. The models in his photos always tend to be very expressive and this project is a strong example of it. I feel that this project will be a good opportunity to demonstrate expression in portraiture as portraiture already has the potential to be expressive but can be enhanced in this project due to the personal stamps people have left on their own faces. I am eager to take inspiration from Rankin's work and fashion my own style of 'destroyed' portraits, whether it be my own or onto another person's portrait.
Rankin's Destroy Project
Above is a collection of the various images Rankin has produced for his 'Destroy' project. In his project, Rankin showcases a variety of styles which the models themselves have created utilising pen doodles, paint and even the use of make up. This enables the models to properly express their own unique take on themselves. I have been inspired by this project as it enables complete freedom and creativity to transform a regular portrait photo into whatever personal style of image I wish to. Through the gallery above, more of Rankin's work I have seen online and other artists who have had a similar take on this project, I feel that I have sufficient inspiration. I intend to create similar artworks by taking self-portraits, manipulating them through Photoshop and then physically manipulating them by printing them off and drawing over them. My work will fit into the theme of 'Identity and Disguise' as the whole project fits into the idea of exploring identity. Rankin's project lets his models explore and interpret their identity in whatever way they want to which is why I feel it's so relevant to my project as I will be able to explore my own.
Destroy Word Map
Rankin Image Deconstruction
As you can see at the top of the page in the gallery. Rankin got a number of celebrities to destroy their portraits. They all did this in a number of different but artistic methods. It could be said that this art represented their identity - who they really are or a disguise to hide their true selves.
My Favourite Image
From all the 'Destroy' pieces Rankin has produced, this one in particular is my favourite. This is due to the fact that it is very personal and surprisingly self critical. Most other pieces from the collection say very little other than through some personal doodles. However, this photo adds onto the look and image of this model as his features are exaggerated and has even criticised himself in the subtext beneath his photo. This potentially may be parodying what others have said about him or he could be carving an alternate persona for himself. Either way, the model's own destruction of his portrait is very intimate, hard-hitting and cynical.
This photo will be a direct inspiration to me along with Rankin's other Destroy images. This is because it is the most directly expressive of the Destroy collection as it's blunt statement accompanied with the excessively drawn hair differentiates it from the other images. I feel that its cynical attitude is something I would like to explore in my own work and to see how I could make it my own personally.
This photo will be a direct inspiration to me along with Rankin's other Destroy images. This is because it is the most directly expressive of the Destroy collection as it's blunt statement accompanied with the excessively drawn hair differentiates it from the other images. I feel that its cynical attitude is something I would like to explore in my own work and to see how I could make it my own personally.
What I'm Going to do Next
In this project, I am going to create my own images based off of Rankin's own Destroy images. The images I have collected above will be a direct inspiration for my project as it is what I am going to base all of my work on and eventually craft my own style of 'destruction'. I am going to utilise the hand-drawn method of image that some of the Rankin Destroy images have utilised. I will be taking this approach as I feel this is the most personalised and therefore relevant to the Identity theme. This is because I will be able to explore and demonstrate a personal, hand drawn style of my own as opposed to creating an image using Photoshop. As I will be doing these images on A4 paper, I may also use larger paper to create larger artworks with other portraits to expand a style of drawn on faces and textures.
Experimentation, Ideas & Oberservations
Response 1
What I did?
In these images, I took inspiration from the main style of Rankin's Destroy project in customising an image, usually by drawing something on it. I chose to use felt tip as I felt it would be the most visible and the most distinguishable way of destroying my work but also one of the easiest in making my work personal to how I wanted it to look.
Experimentation in Photoshop
Initial Experiments
Response 2
What I did
In these images, I took three portraits and made them to include distinct features about the models and criticise them, much like Example's Destroy image in which he criticises himself. I drew simple doodles relating to the models (such as exaggerated body features and items relating to them) and then, like Example's, included a quote beneath each picture which criticises them.
Initial Images
Experimentation in Photoshop
To develop these images, I added several layers to them in Photoshop to add to their colour and to give them more depth. I started off with the original picture and then added a floral texture to match the purple felt tip. I then added a slightly blue vignette to focus more on the face and then added a purple overlay layer to further exaggerate the purple features. I then added a golden frame to give the appearance of a framed portrait and then finally added a saturation layer to bring the colour out of all aspects of the image.
Final Result
What was good?
I believe that these images were a success because I feel they have enabled me to put my own personal and unique touch on to what would otherwise be ordinary self portraits. Printing pictures out and hand drawing on them gave a personal touch that I don't often find due to the fact I usually work on computers and Photoshop. Further editing them in Photoshop to increase their effect by altering their colour maximised their initial effects with a good combination of manual and digital 'destruction'. I feel that the images in their final stages look lively and eye-catching and being given the freedom to choose how I alter my own portrait allows me to express my identity in a very direct and engaging way. My work links to Rankin's own 'Destroy' project as he enabled his models to alter their portraits with utensils such as felt tips, pens and make up. I achieved a very similar effect to Rankin's project as I too majorly altered my original basic self portrait and have turned it into my own piece. The particular image I analysed of Rankin's in which the model Example criticises himself and exaggerated his features has been a direct inspiration for me as I have followed that art style and made the three images above using it. I took the theme of criticism and continued with the quote beneath each portrait while adding facial features and small doodles to each picture. I tried not to overcrowd each image with too many drawings and edits as I aimed for a more minimalist aesthetic to keep each image's overall theme to the point.
What could have been better?
I feel that though I personally and aesthetically like these images, I feel they lack a coherence and do not really fit into a uniform set as they differ stylistically and colour wise. I would argue though that this would be to reflect the model's different personalities and the moods of each.
Final Response
For my final set of images, I have advanced onward from my previous set of Photoshop edits with these original images. I decided that I ultimately needed a uniting set in which all the images show a common theme. I ultimately went with a notebook texture for the images as I feel that by editing my drawings in Photoshop to give them a pencil sketched appearance, placing them within a notebook could further enhance the doodle aesthetic and give the impression of an artwork. I also intended the 'certified original' stamp in the corner to also give the 'artwork' impression. As seen above, I have added the Example Destroy portrait to show how I have used the image as a template for my own work. Like Example, I have drawn my own image, added negative comments underneath and accentuated features of the models. I have completed both vibrant edits of these and have now also produced images in the style of a drawing which is what the original inspirational picture is. Like at the start of my project, I have as I said I would produce images which combine the idea of portraits but also have an extra layer of expression and identity through editing and drawing upon the image. This has then produced intriguing effects that have enabled me to express identity in a unique and eye-catching way. I feel that this project was a success as although some of the Photoshop edits were originally weak, persisting and creating new images eventually led to a good presentation of the exploration and interpretation of Rankin's Destroy project.
Natural Identity - Portraits
Black and White
Colour
Photoshop
Above, I have presented a selection of portraits I have taken and then edited in Photoshop to enhance them. To begin, I made simple changes to my photographs as some of them were best showcased in their original forms excluding complex editing. For the black and white images, I changed the brightness of the pictures with the 'levels' slider and then applied a black and white filter. I feel that black and white adds drama and a serious tone to images so I applied it to the more static and stern images of my collection to intensify them. Juxtaposingly, I feel that happier images with more life in them are enhanced through colour so for my 'colour' images, I made small adjustments such as changing saturation and brightness levels to bring out the vibrance and liveliness in them. My Photoshopped images have a wide range of influences such as from my previous work in my A1 projects, other photographers exploring 'identity' on the internet and my peers. To create the images above, I mainly utilised layers, masking and solid colour layers. In some images, I really focused on the identity aspect of the project through exploring the personality traits and interests of the models in the photos. For example, I included lyrics from a Taylor Swift song in an image of my friend Ben as she is his favourite artist and has a deep interest in the song's lyrics.
Disguising People and Faces with Light
The photos above are a demonstration of the sort of themes and styles of image I will aim to explore in my work. I have a collection of silhouette, shadow, long exposure and light painting images as I will hopefully be able to explore all of these themes within disguising with light in some way. I will aim to mainly explore light painting as I am familiar with it due to taking images previously seen in this style (see directly below). It is also my favourite out of all of the light disguising methods as the ethereal nature of the images it produces and their vibrant colours.
This collection above is work that I have done prior to this project in which I experimented with long exposure photography. It fit quite well into this project however and decided to include it as a further extension of painting with light.
In the above images, I took advantage of the bright sunlight on that day and took portraits in front of a window. The window and bright sunlight created some very strong shadows and a perfect environment for taking photos utilising dramatic shadows. Due to this bright sunlight, I was also able to incorporate the silhouette theme which looks very dramatic against a vibrant blue sky. The windows also enabled me to use reflections to further use light to disguise a person. I took photos of the model posing in various ways to experiment with how shadows can be cast against a person to distort the face for striking effect. I feel that the best images are the silhouette ones because of the strong contrast between the black figure and blue sky make them the most eye-catching.
In these images, I used a phone accompanied with a camera on long exposure and a tripod to paint with light. To create the coloured trails, I simply opened pictures of solid colours on my phone and moved it in front of the camera. To create the pictures with white and wispy light trails, I used the torch on the back of my phone. I feel that my light trails collection had varying success. While I feel that a few of the images using solid colour look slightly unprofessional, I feel that the photos using the torch look very surreal and almost look spectral in a way.
In this set of photos, I have aimed to use light to create dramatic shadows. I initially experimented using larger lights but I felt that using a torch on a mobile phone was best for casting shadows due to its maneuverability and size. I initially aimed to cast shadows onto the face to disguise it but found that I could also achieve some interesting effects by casting large shadows. I feel that the enlarged shadows reflect identity in a way as people can easily recognise others through their distinctive features which the large shadows enlarge and exaggerate. For this reason, I feel that my images are both suitably stylistic and fit cohesively into the Identity Through Light, Darkness and Colour theme.
Exploring Identity Through Light
In the final stage of my project, I am going to further explore painting with light and long exposure photography as I feel that it has been one of the more effective and visually striking methods of conveying the theme of Identity and Disguise. I will further develop some of the ideas I have previously explored such as portraits involving coloured light but will also implement some new ones such as light trails coming from vehicles. In the mind map below, I have detailed some ideas I had for what the subject of my photos may be, how it links to the overall main project and where I can take them. The strongest personal aspect and link to Identity and Disguise is the ability in painting words to express my own identity and disguise both myself and the typical scenery behind me.
Formby Beach
The above photos were taken on Formby Beach. The shooting location is particularly personal to me as I have regularly visited it throughout my life. The messages and symbols I have painted have been very expressive as I have painted symbols that are of relevance to me such as the peace sign and also words such as JWS seen above (my initials). Taking the photos at sunset was particularly effective as it enabled the light paintings to be prominent but not overtaking. The paintings also compliment the cool blue colours of the sky. The Photoshop edits I have done to these photos have mainly been to enhance the overall aesthetic of the light paintings but also to express further the original intent of the paintings. For example, I added a vibrant and kaleidoscopic layer mask to add to the overall 'hippie' aesthetic commonly associated with the peace symbol.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I feel that this project was a success both artistically and academically. At the start of my project, I had the intention of exploring Costume, Identity and Disguise but changed the title to Identity and Disguise after finding that my work linked to these two words more strongly. I have therefore in my personal study explored the identity of people in modern day life and how they express it with combination of disguise and how people can transform their identity into something completely unique from their typical selves. These two headwords combined to provide me with a project theme I could and have explored enthusiastically and creatively. The forefront of my project has mainly been portraits as they link intrinsically to people's identity and disguise as physical appearance is a primary associated aspect of these. I have also experimented in drawings and light painting which I feel enabled me to diverge from portraiture and still explore the expression of identity and disguise. While exploring this project visually, I have also ensured that I have had strong and relevant annotation with equal consideration. This has been to ensure that I have properly considered the relevance of my work in the project and have analysed it critically to evaluate it's quality and effect. I feel that the strongest parts of the project have been the light painting portraits as I feel they are the most colourful and iconic of my sets and the most expressive. I feel that the weakest part of my project has been my self portrait work as it was not strongly guided by a specific theme and the Photoshop edits aren't consistent. Overall, I feel the project was a success in the photography work I have produced over the years as it has been the project that has enabled me to be the most expressive. Exploring Identity and Disguise has lead me to be able to photograph vibrant scenarios and in turn create lively images. The project has enabled me to create vivid portraits where I haven't been able to in previous projects and has given the creative freedom that enables an in depth and enthusiastic approach to a project.