Response 3

This shoot I decided to change up my ideas and create something different. Inspired by the work of Francesca Woodman, I decided to use myself again as a subject but create a turning point in what I was shooting. From the beginning, my ideas have circulated around the ideas of the relationship we have with social media and how we communicate ourselves to an audience. For this shoot, I decided to look a bit closer to the self, how that may be impacted by social media in the way we view ourselves. The idea that on social media, a person may only share the best aspects of themselves.

I began recapping from Woodman’s work and recalled the use of mirrors and the female body to be used excessively. Woodman often used herself as a subject when taking her images.

I wanted to incorporate my most recent research into this shoot and recall insecurities. I wanted this to be a big part of my images and recorded my insecurities down:

I shot from my bedroom, using a mirror and my phone camera and the natural light. I wore underwear, as I felt it would be the best way to share an expression of my body in an intimate setting, being truly able to focus on the things I am insecure from. Clothes are a tool I have used for years to cover-up and hide my body, I decided against that for this shoot. The setting felt delicate and safe, a safe space for me to explore my insecurities and to truly connect with my mind and my body in this practice to discuss my deep-rooted issues against myself.

I shot close up images of my stretch marks and also images which shared stomach rolls and posture differences. At first, I didn’t want my face to be a part of the shoot, but later I decided to include my face as it also is something I have insecurities about. I made the most of the natural light and shadows created, combining the works of Francesca Woodman and Jack Davidson together in their atmospheric imagery. The images were meaningful to me and I wanted that to shine through as I am still very uncomfortable about this shoot and the outcomes.

The shoot was not made with the intention of exploring sexuality, however it does share essence of that throughout. Perhaps through symbolism in the colours or the poses. Whatever the subjective response is, the images are still representative to me of sharing an insecurity of mine which has been deep-rooted through social media pushing a beauty standard onto me and millions of others for years.

When editing, I did both monochrome images and also colour. The colour images I focused mainly on created a dim setting, enhancing the shadows and textures in the images. In enhancing colour, contrast and dimming the brightness, it enhances the textures of the skin, the prominence of stretch marks and colour tones in the skin. The black and white imagery is equally as interesting, as traditionally, the imagery creates a moody and atmospheric scene where the work becomes emotive in nature.

I find the images to be what I wanted as they were able to share an insight into things I have avoided photographing, where I have been too uncomfortable. They are also things I wouldn’t traditionally post on my social media accounts, however I am going to challenge myself to do so as the connection between these images and social media should be made as they are a direct response to each other in some ways.

Colour edits:

Black and White Edits:

The most successful images to me were the ones with a high intensity feeling in them. Those with high contrast to define the insecurities and the ones with the atmospheric feeling of emotion highlighted when shown. I favoured the shadows and natural light when shooting and the clarity of the things I aimed to share. Which, to me although uncomfortable, I like the most. I know if I were looking at someone else’s images in this way I would be praising their beauty and defiance of societal beauty standards.