Who Am I?
About This Project
Through the photographic project ‘Who am I?’ I have been exploring how people perceive themselves, as well as how they view themselves in the context of their ‘tribe’, such as their career choice. It is through this collection of portraits that I seek to express the subject’s individuality and also consider how their ‘tribe’ affiliations define them.
The impact of Coronavirus is something that is now part of our established social awareness. Coronavirus has become a part of our existence and it is how working individuals have adapted to that, which interested me. Although, like Giuliani, I photographed some members of the NHS, I also photographed those who have had to adapt how they work due to the current circumstances. After contacting various subjects I arranged to visit the participants of this project at their place of work. I used a Canon 5D and a 50mm Sigma lens to photograph them, whilst abiding by government restrictions. The aim of the portraits is not only to document this moment in modern history, but to explore the changes in self-identification.
When considering human anthropology, many theorists have discussed methods of non-verbal communication (NVC) such as body language. For example, the microposture, of Liz Hill’s hand holding the flowers is relaxed, thus solidifying that she is self-assured in her environment.
The eyes are a key feature of the ‘speaking face’, and without them, emotions are harder to relay. In this way, although the mask obscures many of the subject’s defining features, the eyes continue to be easy to read.
In a place seen to bring one closer to God, the Reverend is illuminated by light. The contextual relationship between the subject and the surroundings provides plenty of guidance for the onlooker to ascertain the subject's identity.
Despite the subjects wearing PPE, the value of the portrait has not changed; it is still a tool of identification and documentation. However, the way in which identity is revealed is influenced by the current environment. The face may be partly obscured by masks, but an onlooker is still able to find signals of identity.
The portraits in the ‘Who am I?’ project signal elements of identity. I would argue that an image is just a glimpse into a world, but through social cues and understanding, for example society's shared knowledge of Coronavirus, the images infer meaning.
