Self-Identities, Authorship and Expression in Photography

Is a photograph an honest representation of human personality? Many people will answer this question ‘yes'. Yet it is this social misconception that leads to subjective misinterpretations about the people and messages portrayed in photographs.
When a person takes a picture, the human mind selects the subject and chooses how to represent it: in the corner or in the centre of the frame, from below or from above, in darkness or in light. Individuals and groups are photographed and represented in ways that does not show their personality, personal opinions and ideas. Photographs can over emphasis the perspective of the photographer and the subject loses control over their own representation in the picture.
Fotosynthesis will question these ideas in a workshop that will consider how photography, embodied experiences and light interact to explore self-identity, ethics and ownership of self-representation. Quality of light comes in many colours, tones and intensities that effect the composition and mood of a self- portrait. What can we learn about a person from their self-portrait? How does portraiture bring people together to share life experiences and enhance visual literacy? As one of their participants expressed “The self-portrait exercise was too deep, the questions asked really pushed me to reflect on who I am and I struggled to find the answer and to portray myself in one single image.”
To learn more about Fotosynthesis visit www.fotosynthesiscommunity.org.uk
When a person takes a picture, the human mind selects the subject and chooses how to represent it: in the corner or in the centre of the frame, from below or from above, in darkness or in light. Individuals and groups are photographed and represented in ways that does not show their personality, personal opinions and ideas. Photographs can over emphasis the perspective of the photographer and the subject loses control over their own representation in the picture.
Fotosynthesis will question these ideas in a workshop that will consider how photography, embodied experiences and light interact to explore self-identity, ethics and ownership of self-representation. Quality of light comes in many colours, tones and intensities that effect the composition and mood of a self- portrait. What can we learn about a person from their self-portrait? How does portraiture bring people together to share life experiences and enhance visual literacy? As one of their participants expressed “The self-portrait exercise was too deep, the questions asked really pushed me to reflect on who I am and I struggled to find the answer and to portray myself in one single image.”
To learn more about Fotosynthesis visit www.fotosynthesiscommunity.org.uk