Identity Self - Portrait Photography Project

Nikki S. Lee, Projects (1997-2001)

Me’ and ‘them’: the in-between where ‘my identity’ tends to change organically. - Nikki S. Lee

The importance of identityWho am I?

I am…

I am…

I am…

I am…I am…

Multiple Multiple IdentitiesIdentities

I am…

Nikki S. Lee — Parts, the men are missing.

Lee leans on a man, then cuts him out of the picture.

Painters have explored self portrait throughout the history of art. 

Self portrait- Vincent VanGough Self portrait – Frida Kahlo

1. What is a Self-Portrait?

• Establishing and embellishing a definition of one’s self

* Self – Portrait • Doesn’t mean YOU have to be in the photo.

It must just represent you!

But, it could be a “selfie”

2. Definition of Identity: “the reflective self-conception or self-image that we each derive from our family, gender, cultural, ethnic, and individual socialization process” (Ting-Toomey).

Nikki S. Lee — Projects: The Seniors Project

For this transformation, Lee needed a makeup artist.

I. Personal (what makes us unique)

II. Relational (our relationships with others)

III. Cultural, Communal or Social (large-scale communities such as nationality, ethnicity, gender, religious or political affiliation)* You will need to choose 1 of these for this project

Photo-graphy by Catherine Opie

3. Three levels of identity:

I. Personal (what makes us unique)

II. Relational (our relationships with others)

• III. Cultural, Communal or Social (large-scale communities such as nationality, ethnicity, gender, religious or political affiliation)

1. Racial Identity – a socially constructed idea that still persists in the United States

2. National Identity – the nation/country one was born into (or a sense of place)

4. Selected Social Identities

3. Gender Identity (different than sexual identity) – how a particular culture differentiates masculine and feminine social roles

• 4. Ethnic Identity – derived from a sense of shared heritage, history, traditions, values, area of origin, and sometimes language.

Ethnic Identity: The Hapa Project, Kip Fulbeck

• Fulbeck began the project in 2001, traveling the country photographing over 1200 volunteer subjects who self-identified as Hapa 

• HAPA= mixed ethnic heritage with partial roots in Asian and/or Pacific Islander ancestry)

The dark side of identityStereotypes- categorization that mentally organizes your experience with, and guides your behavior toward, a particular group of people.

Prejudices – are deeply held negative feelings associates with a particular group (anger, fear, aversion, anxiety).

Racism – an extension of stereotyping and prejudice. The belief that one race is inherently superior to another; “genetic endowment.”

Ethnocentrism – one’s own culture is superior to any other.

Stereotypes - Gender

Cindy Sherman plays the role of a young woman studying her own reflection. The photo visually portrays a woman assembling her identity, caught in the act of construction…she appears masked through make-up and costume.

Untitled Film Still #14. 1978.

Cindy Sherman. Untitled Film Still #43. 1979.

Cindy Sherman. Untitled Film Still #48. 1979.

Cindy Sherman, Continued…

• 6. Clearly displaying the exaggerated manipulation of her body, she describes her face as a blank canvas to be worked on so as to create and unmask the social stereotypes circulated by the media.

• Often revealing their decay and almost horrifying aspects in features verging on the grotesque.

Remember…emotions can be conveyed.

Dorothea Lange. (American, 1895-1965). Migrant Mother, Nipomo, California. 1936

Photo by Tom Hoops

Let’s look at someone familiar!

• What makes President Barack Obama who he is on the inside and the outside?

Identity- President Obama• bi-racial, Hawaii, Kenya, Indonesia • His love of basketball• His hometown of Chicago• Politician• Lawyer• Father, husband• Harvard graduate• President

1. “Who am I on the inside? 2. Who am I on the outside?”3. What do I value?

Identity?

• Then….how will you represent this through a photograph?

1. Clothing, Props?2. Environment?3. People/models?

Student Examples

• Identity Portrayed through Photography

Incorporate Text?

Think outside the box!

Try something new?!

More Student Examples

Can be about you, but not feature you

Use Photoshop to Manipulate Composition

Merge 2 photos

Arrange multiples

Due Dates1. Monday, Nov. 9th

– Brainstorm 5 ideas for this project.– 5 photos due by Monday I. List ways you will “represent” yourself.II.Think about the location, people, clothing, backgrounds, etc.III.How will your photo be unique?IV. A new perspective?

2. Thursday, Nov. 12th -Work day on photo 3. Friday, Nov. 13th

-Final Photo due