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Skin Holes

Portraiture and the construction of Identity

Gloria Swanson
by Edward Steichen, 1924

How does the subjects' body language, facial expression, gaze etc. influence the way we "read" their personality?
This image makes it difficult to decipher much about the subjects' personality. The best sense we get of it is from her gaze; it being powerful and direct leads us to assume a strong personality.
Compare the photographic strategies for portraiture in the two eras of Vanity Fair.
The technique of using lace in front of the subject works well and is well lit to avoid shadows falling on her face. Shadows do however accentuate the edges of her face, and around her nose, lips etc.
How does the photographer contribute to the construction of identity?
The extremely close cropped frame and the veil over the subjects face both create an air of mystery around the subject, drawing the viewer in. Very little is conveyed about the subject, causing us to be more curious.


Julia Roberts
by Herb Ritts, 1993

How does the subjects' body language, facial expression, gaze etc. influence the way we "read" their personality?
The subjects' body language in this image extremely relaxed and seemingly natural. Her facial expression is happy and carefree and her gaze upwards and into the camera make you feel as though your part of that light environment.
Compare the photographic strategies for portraiture in the two eras of Vanity Fair.
Th lighting techniques used in this photo are much more modern, with even lighting completely covering the subject with no visible shadows.
How does the photographer contribute to the construction of identity?
The photographer has made the subject seem very at ease and happy, giving us an insight to what the subject is like. The high viewpoint makes the subject seem almost childlike and innocent in her joy.

Is portraiture of "celebrities" truthful in any way, or is it just portraying the "mask" they inhabit?
I believe that portraits of anybody, not only celebrities, may be either truthful to the individuals character or a mask to hide their true personality. This is dependent upon both the way the photographer wants to portray the subject, and the way the subject wants to be seen.

Daguerrotype

The duguerrotype was invented by Frenchman Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre in 1839. The image is made by exposing a sheet of copper coated in silver halides to light. After the exposure (anywhere between 3 and 30 minutes) the plate would then be developed using heated mercury fumes. To fix the image, the plate was then immersed in a solution of salt or sodium thiosulfate. Gold chloride was then used to tone it. This process created a positive photographic image (no negatives). This made them impossible to exactly reproduce. The process also made the plate quite fragile so Daguerrotypes were often kept in glass cases.

Images and Information from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguerreotype
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/daghtml/dagdag.html
http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/history/daguerro.htm

Album Cover

Bullet for my Valentine
Forever And Always :

The time is here again
Prepare to be apart
And it drives you crazy
Each time I go away
The distance gets longer
But it makes us stronger

Should it all come crashing
Down around me
Would you be there
Should I stumble and fall
Pick up the pieces


Forget about the shit that we've been through
I wanna stay here forever and always

Standing here in front of all of you
I wanna stay here forever and always

These days are dead again
It's empty from the start
And it drives me crazy
The hours drift away
It hurts to remember
This will soon be over

Should it all come crashing
Down around me
Would you be there
Should I stumble and fall
Pick up the pieces


Forget about the shit that we've been through
I wanna stay here forever and always

Standing here in front of all of you
I wanna stay here forever and always

Forever and always

Forever and always

FRONT COVER:


BACK COVER:

Jabberwocky

Garden of Australian Dreams

Image From http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2783573634_530ebee295.jpg

The thing i liked the most about the GOAD was the fact that on the map they have the word "home" in 100 languages. This stuck with me because, while there are so many refernces and symbols etc of Australian life and culture, many of them are references that most visiting tourists wouldn't understand. Having "home" in many languages makes a point of interest for many tourists who visit the national museum, and it also adresses Australia's multiculturalism.