Persona

    I like many young people find myself moving in several different social settings, school, work, church, and home.  Each of these separate environments and the people associated with them bring out different personality traits or personas in me. I completed a series of self-portraits, three sets of two photos each. The first photo in each set is a zoomed-out portrait taken on a 35 mm camera, and the second is a close-up taken on a 120mm Holga Camera. The series is to demonstrate that from far away all may seem well with an individual in a particular setting but upon closer inspection, feelings, lines, and expectations often become blurred. In the second image of each set, it becomes clear that the emotions of the subject (myself) are not as straightforward and positive in each setting as I often try to convince both myself and others that they are. 

    To take the photos I used the timer on my digital camera to get an idea of the settings, framing, and positioning I needed to use. Then to take the actual picture on the film cameras I set up the cameras in the previously discovered positions and had a friend take the picture. I also explained to the friend how to ensure the 35mm camera was in focus, turning the focus on the camera until the two 1/2 circles with line dividing them were aligned with each other. I had a friend who is associated with each setting take the corresponding photos. My university friend Tiara took the pictures at the school, Shawn a friend from church took the pictures there, and my roommate Cara took the ones in my room. I then developed the film, digitally scanned and printed them.  

`    Neither the 35mm roll nor 120mm film rolls were finished by the photos in this series. I did not want to waste the rest of either roll of film, so I was determined to try and fill the rest of the rolls with photos I would be happy with. However, I also found I very seriously struggled with the motivation and interest to finish taking the roll of pictures. This semester I have found myself struggling with the inspiration to go out and take photos, primarily due to the ongoing slow process of healing from my mother's death and feeling the pressure to keep up with other school work.