February 21, 2016

(8/52) Renegade | Fine Art Photo

renegade-small
Renegade

This is the third and final image for my first small series. I may end up continuing with this idea but right now I need a break from bird masks and covering myself with black paint. This image did not turn out like anything I had in mind but I am happy with the turn that it took. Originally I was going to be stuck inside a giant bird cage while the crow looked at me from the outside, however, the bird cage that I bought to use just made everything look more confusing. It’s week 8 and I’m slowly starting to let go of all those imperfections that I tend to cling so tightly to… progress is being made!

For now this is the final chapter in the ‘story’ I’ve been telling with my last two bird photos. They show a girl slowly letting the darkness inside of her grow larger until she loses herself completely. What started out as something so small soon devoured her. The crow, and the corruption it represents, went from being the girl’s friend to being something she was enslaved to. Now a renegade, the girl realizes that her changed allegiances have her serving the wrong side.

 

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

1 Peter 5:8-9

February 14, 2016

(7/52) My Friend the Crow | Fine Art Photo

my-friends-the-crow-small
My Friend, the Crow

When a dove begins to fly with crows its feathers remain white but its heart grows black.

This is my second image in a series that centers around self identity. Last week’s picture was about recognizing the darkness inside of us all;  the girl in the photo was seeing a kernel of corruption in herself for the first time and was taken aback by it. This week’s photo is the next step in that process, the girl has begun to embrace the malicious unpleasantries about herself that she once abhorred. Rather than battle the changes that she is undergoing, the girl decides to welcome them as one would an old friend. Slowly the darkness spreads and the girl begins to lose herself.

February 7, 2016

(6/52) Beastly | Fine Art Photo

beastly-small
Beastly

Give a man a mask and he will show his true face.

Mark Twain

The inspiration behind this image is the idea that we all put on various masks and our darkest sides tend to surface when we have something to hide behind. I am always surprised at how nasty I can become at times, as if there were a dark and twisted beast inside just waiting for the right moment to lash out.

I have to say, this image has been one of my favorites to create. Everything about this photo goes against my normal workflow with conceptual photography. I poured a great deal of time and energy into the pre-planning stages while the post-editing stage took the least amount of time. I made the bird mask from scratch using a template I found here. The location I used was right off of a main highway and while I typically like to shoot at more conspicuous locations the concrete slabs had the feel I was searching for. The only time I had available to shoot this photo was on a day when it was 20 degrees outside… not ideal for capturing an image while half naked. My mom was such a wonderful help during all this, she patiently glued the feathers onto my back and offered moral support while I took photos shirtless in the cold on the side of the road. My favorite part about this photo is the sunbeam shining on the feather in my hand. That part was completely unplanned and captured all in camera. I was more concerned about getting out of the cold and less concerned about the lighting that I didn’t even see the way the sun was falling on my arm. It wasn’t until later when I looked at the images in my car that I realized how perfectly that worked out. I love when everything just falls into place!

This image is the first image in a series of three that I will be doing. I have never successfully completed a photo series before so I felt now was as good a time to try as any!