Self Portrait Research

Due to personal interest and experience in modelling, I have chosen to explore the idea of self portrait for this brief. Finding models to work with can be difficult and unreliable and as I have not worked with photographing fashion models before, I feel that with a short brief and lack of experience it wouldn't be sensible to try and find a model who would work well with my ideas. Self portraiture has been something I have wanted to try out for a while now and this would be the perfect opportunity as it would allow me to challenge myself but in a way that I am more comfortable with. I have therefore researched a number of photographers who have worked with self portraits in a manner that would inspire this shoot. 

Samantha Smith:“ I’m a 22 year-old newlywed living in a small town in southern California. I shoot both digital and film. I have started to incorporate film more into my work recently and love sharing my life and moments with film. I want to celebrate the beautiful moments and the love of life with my photos. I have an obsession with the sun and natural light in all its forms, it’s what drives me to create. I’m also the main photographer for Vintage Modern Photography along with my mother and my sister. I’m excited to see where photography takes me! “ 

Smiths images are very feminine and have an extremely personal appeal to them. Her inclusion of her pet cat within her images gives us a sense of time and her connection with the animal, as well as adding to the aesthetic and interest within the images. It is interesting that she doesn't always include her face in the images, as this makes us question her motives. 

Heather Harahan:
"One of the focuses of my work currently, is to use photography to illustrate moments in the female psyche. Inspiration is found in everyday events – sometimes in the mundane and ritual, and always, in human emotion.

Conceptually, I am presenting moments, many times private and poignant, spanning the journey from girl to woman. Sometimes literal moments and other times symbolic. Part of my aim is to try and allow the viewer more freedom to imagine by generally not revealing the subject’s face. Although many images are self portraits photos, the main reason for that is a practical one – the model’s schedule more often than not matches the photographer’s. It does offer opportunity for some of the images to be autobiographical, at least in part, although not all of the images are.
Lately I’ve taken every opportunity to incorporate the Canadian winter in my work, all the while dressing very inappropriately for the weather.I live in a smallish town north of Toronto with my husband, who thankfully is always game for accompanying me on my more risky missions."

Harahans images are incredibly creative as far as self portraits that I have seen. The fact her face is rarely show is very interesting and I feel adds a certain mystery to her work. Her choices of feminine outfits and quite desolate, blank locations make them look very professional and well thought out, whilst still being romantic and 'pretty'. 

Rosie Hardy

Hardy is a Manchester based photographer who has worked for clients such as Elle Magazine and the band 'Maroon 5'. She is an incredibly established young photographer who is known for her creative and dramatic self portraits as demonstrated above. I find the way she works very beautiful, creating striking yet delicate images. She does however often include her face in her images, which I do not wish to do. This aside, she seems to use her bed in many of her images, which I think creates a good location and adds to the delicacy of the images. 

http://rosiehardyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/mistakes-blogging-and-very-wet-self.htmlhttp://www.thedphoto.com/inspiration-fix/amazing-self-portrait-photography-by-heather-hanrahan/
http://www.thedphoto.com/inspiration-fix/amazing-self-portrait-photography-by-samantha-smith/

http://www.rosiehardy.com/1145-self-portraits

http://www.thedphoto.com/photography-techniques/self-portrait-photography-inspiration-video-tutorial/

Location and composition:

   

I have looked into bedroom photography, following research into bridal boudoir and inspiration from Rosie Hardy's use of a bed in her self portraits. I think it is the perfect place of a self portrait, as it as the most personal place you can capture yourself in. This gives the image a sense of personality, opening the photographer/model up to the viewer. However, in contradiction to this I wish to hide my face from the camera. This is to create a sense of mystery and as I do not wish for the images to be about me myself as a model or photographer, rather about the clothing and the concept that I chose to represent. 


http://reveriemag.com/2011/12/01/a-dreamy-boudoir-shoot-from-ashton-jean-pierre/

http://reveriemag.com/?s=boudoir&submit.x=-1117&submit.y=-474