REVEALING YOUR IDENTITY...
EVALUATING MY WORK
Here is a number of my final experimented responses that I have created using Photoshop. Information and photos of how I have conducted the photoshoot leading up to these final responses, can be found here. It took a while for me to prepare for this photoshoot as I wanted it to contribute to my final pieces so I wanted it to stand out and be created on the highest of my abilities and quality. I tried to incorporate many ideas and influences from other photographers and my own work into one photoshoot. As Lalla Essaydi being one of the most influential photographers in my theme, Culture and Identity, I incorporated her inspiration the most. The way in which I planned this photoshoot is by analysing all my work on what has been successful, what has been less successful and then what I could do to develop these ideas further. I really liked my first response created from my Lalla Essaydi's work of cloning prints and patterns on cultural clothing. However, I didn't want to use Photoshop to edit patterns or words on to the body so that it can look more realistic and I wanted to bring in the idea of words to express an individuals identity and culture. Therefore, I chose to project meaningful words and patterns that may symbolise a person on to their face and body. I figured that the best location for me to do the photoshoot was in a room that had a white background, space and an environment that my model felt comfortable modelling in. Since I wanted to be projecting Arabic words and Islamic patterns because I have a deeper understanding in both, I wanted my model to have the Arabic culture and the Islamic faith symbolise her true identity for the image to be purposeful and not just any random model, modelling for something she doesn't believe or understand. Therefore, using a model that was a Arab was crucial because they would help in making the image look so real and they would fit in very well. Hence why I wanted my model to feel comfortable in the environment that she was in, so that her character or personality would also be able to be easily reflected through the images by her facial expressions, body language, and positions.
Lalla Essaydi uses props within her image so I got some Islamic patterns and some personalised Arabic writing from my model of her views as a Muslim Arab and what shapes her identity. Through using significant text, I hope to get my message very clear to my audience. I used the sublimation printer to get the text on to white fabric for my model to either wear or wrap herself around it. I experimented by printing a couple out and ensuring that the text size, material size was appropriate for my photoshoot, so I printed some in big and some in a smaller size. My aim for the photoshoot is for the Arabic text to completely dominate the space, model, walls, body, literally everything. I also used other props such as a mabkhara (incense burner) that a significant object to women in Arabic countries and as seen in Essaydi's work, she uses that as a prop too.
During the photoshoot, I got my model to wear something white and expose some skin because I wanted the effect of the projector to be projecting the words on to her bare skin as well as her clothes and also her wrapping herself with the big white piece of material. I chose to do this because it shows how she is confidently standing strong with her own identity being revealed and when she is fully covered, the way in which she chooses to represent herself. However, does it necessarily mean that when she is covering herself, her identity has vanished completely? That is a question that has embarked me to investigate these images further and use religious beliefs to support my answers and views. I have concluded that even by covering yourself, whether it is for religious reasons such as the hijab and modesty or insecurity, your identity is still present because you are still revealing an element of you to the world even though it may not be thee complete image of yourself. It is still how you want be seen and reflects your character whether you're an insecure, religious or secretive person. Culture plays a big and significant part in shaping our identity, without us even noticing sometimes, but or faith, age, gender, beliefs can be easily expressed through photography. Through using both genders, different ages and cultural backgrounds I tried to tackle some of the stereotypes that exist within our society and also express some of the peoples cultural issues and beliefs.
Here is a number of my final experimented responses that I have created using Photoshop. Information and photos of how I have conducted the photoshoot leading up to these final responses, can be found here. It took a while for me to prepare for this photoshoot as I wanted it to contribute to my final pieces so I wanted it to stand out and be created on the highest of my abilities and quality. I tried to incorporate many ideas and influences from other photographers and my own work into one photoshoot. As Lalla Essaydi being one of the most influential photographers in my theme, Culture and Identity, I incorporated her inspiration the most. The way in which I planned this photoshoot is by analysing all my work on what has been successful, what has been less successful and then what I could do to develop these ideas further. I really liked my first response created from my Lalla Essaydi's work of cloning prints and patterns on cultural clothing. However, I didn't want to use Photoshop to edit patterns or words on to the body so that it can look more realistic and I wanted to bring in the idea of words to express an individuals identity and culture. Therefore, I chose to project meaningful words and patterns that may symbolise a person on to their face and body. I figured that the best location for me to do the photoshoot was in a room that had a white background, space and an environment that my model felt comfortable modelling in. Since I wanted to be projecting Arabic words and Islamic patterns because I have a deeper understanding in both, I wanted my model to have the Arabic culture and the Islamic faith symbolise her true identity for the image to be purposeful and not just any random model, modelling for something she doesn't believe or understand. Therefore, using a model that was a Arab was crucial because they would help in making the image look so real and they would fit in very well. Hence why I wanted my model to feel comfortable in the environment that she was in, so that her character or personality would also be able to be easily reflected through the images by her facial expressions, body language, and positions.
Lalla Essaydi uses props within her image so I got some Islamic patterns and some personalised Arabic writing from my model of her views as a Muslim Arab and what shapes her identity. Through using significant text, I hope to get my message very clear to my audience. I used the sublimation printer to get the text on to white fabric for my model to either wear or wrap herself around it. I experimented by printing a couple out and ensuring that the text size, material size was appropriate for my photoshoot, so I printed some in big and some in a smaller size. My aim for the photoshoot is for the Arabic text to completely dominate the space, model, walls, body, literally everything. I also used other props such as a mabkhara (incense burner) that a significant object to women in Arabic countries and as seen in Essaydi's work, she uses that as a prop too.
During the photoshoot, I got my model to wear something white and expose some skin because I wanted the effect of the projector to be projecting the words on to her bare skin as well as her clothes and also her wrapping herself with the big white piece of material. I chose to do this because it shows how she is confidently standing strong with her own identity being revealed and when she is fully covered, the way in which she chooses to represent herself. However, does it necessarily mean that when she is covering herself, her identity has vanished completely? That is a question that has embarked me to investigate these images further and use religious beliefs to support my answers and views. I have concluded that even by covering yourself, whether it is for religious reasons such as the hijab and modesty or insecurity, your identity is still present because you are still revealing an element of you to the world even though it may not be thee complete image of yourself. It is still how you want be seen and reflects your character whether you're an insecure, religious or secretive person. Culture plays a big and significant part in shaping our identity, without us even noticing sometimes, but or faith, age, gender, beliefs can be easily expressed through photography. Through using both genders, different ages and cultural backgrounds I tried to tackle some of the stereotypes that exist within our society and also express some of the peoples cultural issues and beliefs.