The concept for my next shoot is going to on modern masculinity particulary for men of colour and redefining sterotypes, taking a similar portrait style approach from Yann Faucher. I want the images to capture modern masculinity in a positive way and remove the idea of toxic masculinity. I want my imagines to celebrate male bodies, emotions, vulnerability in the comfort of my subjects home. The inspiration to focus of men of colour came from reading JJ Bola’s Masculinity Redefined book. The location for this shoot is going to be in my subjects bedroom. I want to shoot in a bedroom as i feel it will create genuine, personal images and reveal snippets of my subjects personality and character. I also think subjects will be as ease and comfortable shooting in their home, posing topless and be themselves. The mood I want my images to have is soft, warm and pure. I want to shoot on a day where i can capture my subject in bright, natural light to emphasize their phyqiue and feaures. The meaning behind the shoot is to change the concept of masculinity for men of colour and remove stereotypes.

The concept for my first shoot is going to be based on rave culture, taking inspiration fron Nan Goldin and Wolfgang Tillman. I want the images to capture modern youth and the drum and bass music culture in Brighton. My aim is  to shoot natural photographs of people dancing and partying in a club. The location of the shoot is going to be at Volks Nightclub in Brighton. I chose this location as it is one of most popular drum and bass clubs, a lot of people are young university students who go to the club to escape and connect with likeminded individuals. The location  will include bright colours from the strobe lights which will link to the high energy mood I want images to convey. I also think the dingy club with dark lighting will fit the mood I am trying to create and resemble a similar style to Wolfgang Tillmans. The club has a very old, worn down apperaence. I want the shoot to be raw and natural and I want to photograph random people in the moment so the images are genuine and truly depict modern club goers. However I will plan to photograph some friends which dj and dance at club often. The meaning behind the shoot is going to capture modern youth and the importance of music as a form of activism and freedom. It will link to activsm and to me dancing is a way of resistance and it will have polItical links by portraying britain in the uncertain time it is currently in.

  

Joseph Ohlert has a similar style of photography as Yann Faucher and often takes portraits of young men and his shoots are aimed to deconstruct what it means to be masculine. I like his work as he photographs a range of models who are different races,ages and body types which i feel depicts what masculinity looks like today more realistcally. What stands out the most in his work are the models bodies, poses and expressions. His images are intersting as they are often shot in bedrooms and homes which you can see in the background, I feel this creates a connection between the photographer and subject and captures in them in comfortable state which also shows parts of their character. 

  

Yann Fauchers modern masculinity series captures emotive photos of young men. I was drawn to the series as I like his choice of models and how the shoot captures them in raw, vulnerable ways. When you first see the images I feel the body of his subjects is the first thing you look at and then their faces. I think you notice their body from the way they are posing, often lying down which excentuates it and as they are shot topless or in underwear. As you keep looking at the images I feel you begin to connect their body language and facial expressions to how they may be feeling. The images show the men in detail but remain mysterious. There is often little space around the subject and the colours are very neautral and soft. I think the feelings behind the work are to capture moden masuclinity in softer, romanticized way. I think the images show men and their bodies in raw, natural ways and do not represent any modern stereotypes. 

  

With hopes to do a shoot based on modern masculinity I wanted to expand my knowledge on what it means to be masculine, sterotypes and feelings men themselves have towards the subject. I thought this would give me some inspiration on how to capture genuine photograph  and choose the right model to capture. I read the book ‘Mask Off Masculinity Redefined’ by JJ Bola, the book covered topics such as mental health, sex and gender equality and linked to my worked as it was aimed a young men in particular. What I liked about the book was how it broadened my knowledge on insecurities and self esteem issues men face and how this links to mental health struggles and emotional problems men face throughout their lives, a topic I was already passionate and aware of but wanted to find out more about. To me the author was tyring to change the meaning of masculinity and break down why we have a unrealisitc concept of what i means to be manly. The book to me could inspire a shoot based on masculinity with slight links to activism as it touches on topics such as LGBTQ and men of colour. I believe men not confirming to these sterotypes, being in touch with emotional, mental health, their culture, race, sexuality are all ways men fight against toxic masculinity, sterotypes and redfine what it means.

  

Derek Ridgers is a photographer who also captured nightlight in 1980’s of youth but his work focused more on documenting subcultures. I looked at photographs from his book ‘The Others’, what stood out to me about the images were how raw, intimate and self expressive they were. The images often captured youth dancing, kissing, smoking and being rebellious. As you keep studying the images you begin to focus on what the youth are wearing, their actions, facial expressions and the background. To me the subjects individuality is really documented and the images have an incredibly atmospheric feel to them. I think the images show youth in a vulnerable, real way as some of the subjects seem unbothered and unaware their photo is being taken which creates extremely pure images. The images being in black and white further emphasize the subjects and the  80’s era.  I think the meaning behind the images is self expression, adolesence and rebellion. 

I also researched about the ‘Party Out Of Bounds’ exhibition which included archive material such as photography, videos and paintings of nightlife during the 80’s. It helped me understand more on how nightlife was a way of activism as during the 1980’s their was aids pandemic in which people formed in large gatherings to dance and fight for sexual and gender rights. I feel the exhibition shows clubs in a different light and highlights the importance of them. They are not just places people go to party but they are safe places for people in the community to feel at home in a powerful, political space with like minded indiviudals. 

 

I also researched into rave culture and how it linked to social political and youth activism. History shows how documenting dancing and partying can also capture society and current political states. It also links to activsm as people had to protest for their rights to party and dance and I also believe raves were places where youth went to escape, connect and feel free during britain in the 80’s. I watched the ‘Everybody In The Place’ documentary by Jeremy Deller which showed many archived pieces from pictures, music and video footage of the rave culture era. The film allowed me to witness the protest, gatherings, warehouse parties and understand why they had to portest against this. I also found it interesting how different races would hold their own parties as they were not accepted in certain places. To me the film truly captures britain and how rave culture changed it. It also highlights the important of music and how its brings people together and was a escape for people who were maybe unemployed or struglling in life. The doucmentary inspired me to plan a shoot in a drum and bass club in Brighton. In the images I hope to capture a modern style of rave culture and how music allows young people to be free. I want to photograph people completely absobed and lost in music and photos that depict the youth of today. Youth today have recently been in a uncertain political time in britain which create a lot of feelings of anxiety for the future. Many of the people in the images will be university students who use clubbing to escape from stress, feel free, liberated and alive.