This project has been a journey into defining what a portrait truly is while experimenting with the idea of putting the photographers in front of the camera and being seen rather than always being hidden behind the camera when the only times they are recognised is when they are with a piece of work as documented by Tim Mantoani, the initial kickstart to this project.
The photographs produced in this series have been varied while having to understand and work with a Mamiya Medium Format Camera, a new experience in terms of camera and developing methods. Getting used to the camera was the first step in this project to which the pros and cons needed to be figured out, such as the need to be careful with each photograph captured while needing to manually change the shutter speed and aperture when the light changed. With the view finder and focus at the top of the camera, the height at which the camera needed to be placed had to be reasonable and a challenge unless a stepladder, chair or other height changer that I could sit/kneel or stand on was available. This was a limiting factor on some shoots but can be used to the advantage of keeping the perspective similar when producing a series of images or keeping a similarity and open choice of expression.
As the project developed the backgrounds and sitters varied depending on the availability and willingness to be put in front of the camera. The final prints convey different personalities and openness towards being in front of the camera with the more confident in front of the camera having expressions that may not be sincere towards who they really are as a person and a photographer. Tutorials along the journey have enabled the approach towards this project to differ and be approached in new ways to capture the essence of the photographer/person held within the frame.
The final print that has been produced is one which can be defined as having taken a journey to produce while being ‘technically perfect’ (by my opinion) whilst being raw in the expression and feeling evoked. The feeling is one which is undefinable and intriguing causing a stop and explore of the image and character expressed to which explores the emphasis upon the identity of the sitter.
With more time and availability of amateur (peer) photographers, I feel that this image could be the start of many, with knowledge of how this image has been captured which can be translated into other shoots. The way in which some shoots had been approached did not convey the same effect as the final outcomes, possibly due to an uncertainty in what I wanted to gain from the shoot even though the final image was idealised earlier in the process, the method in which to produce this was not as efficient. On reflection, I feel that a successful journey has occurred to produce a final print that I am happy with and would happily name as my own.
Representation 