For this shoot I wanted to focus on capturing one person in the comfort of their own home and create a genuine series which is centred around modern masculinity. I wanted the shoot to challenge masculinity for men of colour in particular and not include any modern stereotypes, especially ones that represent the idea of toxic masculinity.

I took portraits in my models bedroom, mainly close ups of his face, body and candid images in moments which I feel he was being himself. To me the images of his face celebrate his features and beauty. I particularly liked how I captured the model laughing as it created positive images with a lighthearted feel. I also like how I was able to shoot him with sunlight reflecting on his skin as I felt this help highlight his features, skin tone, hair colour. Some of my favourite images are the ones which my model is topless and you can see his body. I felt the close up shots of his body create extremely vulnerable images which show the male body in a way which is not posed or tensed but just raw and natural. I felt it was important to photograph his body as the male body is often an area which many men feel insecure about and there are many modern pressures for men to have musucular phyqiues as it is often related to being masculine.

I feel the shoot was my most successful because I believe the meaning behind it was clearly captured and the images are strong. I think I could have developed the shoot further by taking more emotive photo’s for example my model showing sad emotions as men crying is rare and men often feel showing emotions as a sign of weakness.

The idea of this shoot was to photograph a number of different young models to represent diversity, individuality and challenge modern beauty ideals. I took non-emotive portraits in which I asked the models to pose in different angles to resemble model polaroids. I wanted the images to look like model polaroids to really focus on the features, physique and appearance of the individuals and to make the series link to challenging beauty standards as often models are known for being ‘beautiful’ or unattainable.

Overall I think the shoot’s were successful as I was left with great quality images with the style of photography and look I wanted to achieve. I decided to not edit the models faces in the images so they were raw, natural and celebrated their different features and blemishes. The shoot could have been improved if I chose to focus on one model in particular or added text to the images as viewers may not understand what the series is about.

As I do not have access to any other models at the moment to photograph I decided to do a self portrait series of collages taken on a self timer setting on my camera, with hopes to document my time and feelings being quarantined. I chose to use myself only to make myself the main focus in the series and also emphasize being alone and highlight feelings of lonliness. I decided to collage and layout images together as the idea repetiton depicts how I am spending everyday the same and emphasizes boredom and repeating the same tasks daily such as reading, eating,sleeping. I chose to edit a majority of the images in black and white as this creates more minimal photographs, with somber moods and links to the melancholy  mood of  being in lockdown.

Having never done a self portrait series before, I felt it was an incredibly vulnerable experience which I think is portrayed throughout the images. It was vulnerable as I could not see myself and how I looked in the camera, the self timer allowed me little time to prepare for my photograph to be taken, therefore the images were extremely genuine, natural and intimate. Compared to how I usually take photographs on my phone it was an interesting experience to not see myself, take natural photographs with no make up and not delete any of the images I found unflattering but just embrace and capture myself in raw moments to create this series. The images were more about capturing how I was coping and feeling and not what I physcially looked like. Also taking images of my body instead of focusing on my face and features was vulnerable but shows how being isolated is allowing me more time to look and criticize my body. I am finding myself looking in mirrors more than ever but this has also allowed me to accpet myself more and challenge the idea of not being comfortable in my own skin. The images of my body captured things I often hide or feel insecure about such as beauty spots and stretch marks. I believe taking close up images of these body parts and quirks creates photographs which show empowerment and celebrates the female body. 

A lot of the images showing my face were taken to document different moods and emotions through my facial expressions. I wanted the images to show how I was feeling on different days and used other forms  of photography such as my webcam to capture this. I also used my camera to take a photograph of myself in every mirror in my household. Not only do the images show repetition, but reveal parts of my personality by showing my home in the background and the images to me show how being a home has a sense belonging and comfort. I also shot some photographs inspired by Roni Horn to capture myself throughout time. Although the images were taken seconds after eachother I think it is interesting how they each have represent different feelings  and moods behind them. 

I ended the series with a collage of old family photographs. I wanted to collage images which I feel depict the world in happier times and show images of my parents who made me and my grandparents in their youth. The self portrait series as a whole to me links to my project as they capture youth in these unpresedecented, scary times we are currently living in. Using myself as a muse shows how I think the majoirty of youth are coping, feeling and spending their days.

My quarantine in photo’s was a small series in which I documented my walks during lockdown and my surroundings. What stands out the most in the series as a whole is how isolated, empty and shut down the places around me are. You notice this more as I captured places with no people or atmosphere, just quiet. eery locations. The feelings and meanings behind the series was to not only show how I am feeling, (lonely and isolated) but to show how the pandemic has effected towns and society as a whole.

I think the shoot went well as it clearly documents my town during the coronavirus pandemic and each image highlights feelings of loneliness and have a sad mood. I feel the shoot could have been improved by taking more photo’s of different places and not just the same location to add a range of images to the small series. I also think I could have developed the shoot further by taking portraits of strangers or using myself or a family member.