Kasia and Ed reshoot. 

EDIT: Digi, the scan file is in my other catelog that I don’t have access to right now. Will get it up soon.  

6:13 pm  •  17 May 2012  •  View comments

‘Fashioning Gender and the Redressed Essence’ looks at the dynamics created between couples when they are photographed in a public space while dressed as, and mimicking, the pose of their partner.

A performance of sorts, this series of images investigates the levels of discomfort displayed from the subjects while engaging in an unconventional act of swapping clothes and trading places; all the while the essence or perception of public space is constantly being questioned.

4:06 pm  •  25 April 2012  •  View comments

Digital, waiting to shoot one more couple before developing film. 

4:05 pm  •  25 April 2012  •  2 notes  •  View comments

4:03 pm  •  25 April 2012  •  2 notes  •  View comments

Updated with Hassie scans. 

3:58 pm  •  25 April 2012  •  3 notes  •  View comments

Objectives: 

Build a catalog.

Work with many different people across different age groups.

Develop better organization skills through scheduling.

To learn more about pose.

Learn about the dynamics in relationships and how people hold themselves.

Explore how people may have preconceived notions of how their partners act, behave and hold themselves. To see them display this, when told to ‘play the part of their partner’. OR, see the opposite happen; their comfort level prevents them from performing in this public space and they display an awkward, uncomfortable stance when dressed as their partner.

Look into the idea of what is a public space and the differences that occur when people are in private and public spaces.

Develop my process more and moreso a process that works in relation to this project; shooting quickly as to not allow for the subjects to become familiar with the set up.

Print larger for my final prints. 

Title of project:

‘Playing the Part’ (working title). 

Statement of Intent: 

This project is looking at the dynamics between people in relationships in relation to body language and comfortability; when being photographed in a public space, playing the part of their partner.  

Keywords: 

Portraiture, people, couples, relationships, heterosexual, homosexual, gender, age, body language, dynamics, outdoors, public, private, frontal, pose, mimic, copy. 

Locations:

I’m shooting in public places throughout this series. People behave differently when it comes to public and private spaces; asking the subjects to play out what their partner’s body language is and with them wearing their clothes, this will cause them to act different when in public as opposed to a private place. An example of this is how when I’ve asked many couples to date to take part in this, their terms and conditions are that it’s done indoors, in their homes or in the studio. The idea of public space is their for the people, but like all public spaces, a certain way of behaving and acting is expected from people; such as not drinking or participating in violent behaviour, etc. Although this may not be as extreme as that, it still carries some aspects as it’s not a social norm. 

Projected outcomes: 

To date I have nine images shot and one of them is a reshoot. I have another seven or eight lined up so far. I would hope to get twenty in total. This project is intended for the wall. I will be printing them large scale. I still need to decide on how big, right now I’m looking at around A2 or so. 

Visual influences:

Richard Renaldi’s ‘Touching Strangers’; The photographer deals with relationships between people that have never met before as he poses them together with the common thread of them touching in it. The dynamics are extremly interesting as when viewing them the sheer awkward nature of the people is more than obvious at times. In contrast to this, images of strangers together can be found where they look more than comfortable and one would not question it. His website seems to be under construction, images can be seen on Google Images. https://www.google.com/search?q=richard+renaldi+photography&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&authuser=0&ei=WNVfT9yHHKW70QXKq9ilBw&biw=1349&bih=702&sei=FtZfT-7aAuOd0AXV4tibBw#um=1&hl=en&safe=off&authuser=0&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=richard+renaldi+touching+strangers&oq=richard+renaldi+touchi&aq=0&aqi=g1&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=2724l3332l0l8739l6l6l0l5l5l0l148l148l0.1l1l0&gs_l=img.3.0.0.2724l3332l0l8739l6l6l0l5l5l0l148l148l0j1l1l0&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=c7245295deef534&biw=1349&bih=702

Martin Parr’s ‘Bored Couples’: I think the thing I find most interesting about this series is the fact that I always question if they are actually bored or Parr just found key moments therefor using the title of the project to control how we view the images. Either way, this series of images display people engaging with each other… or quite the opposite. https://www.google.com/search?q=martin+parr+bored+couples&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&authuser=0&ei=sddfT-2rOOGx0AWqrvGuBw&biw=1349&bih=702&sei=s9dfT6rHMceo0AWevJX7Bg

Barbara Probst’s Exposure Series: These photographs show a single action in her photos from different points of view at a simultaneously. She shows a multitude of ways that one single moment can be shown. Although this is different from what I’m doing I feel it’s important to look and view them. https://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&authuser=0&q=barbara+probst+exposure&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1349&bih=702&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=DNhfT5CEOaqs0QXPgfGGBw#um=1&hl=en&safe=off&authuser=0&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=barbara+probst+exposure+series&oq=barbara+probst+exposure+series&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=3&gs_upl=105255l106399l0l106510l7l7l0l6l0l0l92l92l1l1l0&gs_l=img.3…105255l106399l0l106510l7l7l0l6l0l0l92l92l1l1l0&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=c7245295deef534&biw=1349&bih=702

Test shots can be found below this post. They are digital copies for the moment. I have to scan my 120 over the coming week. 

7:39 pm  •  13 March 2012  •  View comments

6:27 pm  •  13 March 2012  •  4 notes  •  View comments

All these images are test shots from the shoot on digital. Hassie shots on the way. Should be loads better. 

6:27 pm  •  13 March 2012  •  3 notes  •  View comments

6:26 pm  •  13 March 2012  •  6 notes  •  View comments

6:25 pm  •  13 March 2012  •  7 notes  •  View comments

6:23 pm  •  13 March 2012  •  1 note  •  View comments

Reversing the role of care giver too. 

3:39 pm  •  29 February 2012  •  3 notes  •  View comments

6:48 pm  •  21 February 2012  •  2 notes  •  View comments

6:47 pm  •  21 February 2012  •  13 notes  •  View comments

I’m taking frontal portraits in various different places populated by people. My subjects are in a relationship and they have swapped clothes. By doing this, I’m toying with the idea of ‘playing the part’ of their partner. I take two portraits. Firstly, dressed as they are and then in the second frame, they change clothes with each other. They mimic the first picture and the stance and pose of their other half. Ultimately, I’m changing the dynamics of the relationship by doing this. I’m empowering the woman and I’m, in a way, emasculating the male. There’s a performance element to the over all project too.  

If you’re reading this and want to be involved; hit me up.  

6:27 pm  •  21 February 2012  •  6 notes  •  View comments