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Assignment 5: Self Directed Project. (Work in Progress)

The Politics of Self & Other My idea for a theme is a critical look at how we regard ourselves and others from a political angle. I want to explore ideas of ‘self and other based upon a form of political ideology and to be more specific consider how portraits are viewed from the anglesContinue reading “Assignment 5: Self Directed Project. (Work in Progress)”

Photography and Belief by David Lee Strauss

Photography and Belief (1991) by David Lee Strauss In David Levi Strauss’ essay, Photography and Belief, Strauss looks at how photography is facing new challenges as a result of new digital imaging technology and how this technology is throwing into question the future integrity of photography. Photography as mechanical reproduction almost immediately altered the auraContinue reading “Photography and Belief by David Lee Strauss”

Reading Photographs – In Our Own Image, by Fred Ritchin

Peter Kennard and Cat Phillips created the image, titled: Photo Op, in 2005. From Fred Ritchin’s book, In Our Own Image, his essay, Reading Photographs, (Ritchin, 2010) discusses the authenticity of a photograph. He asks, …after all that is happening in computer imaging can one safeguard the integrity of the photograph in its populist roleContinue reading “Reading Photographs – In Our Own Image, by Fred Ritchin”

My Other Half – a critical self-review.

My Other Half – A critical self-review by Shaun Mullins. The objective of this project was to create 6-10 environmental portraits and I chose to produce photographs of my wife in different locations in our home, dressed for and performing the typical activities that I often see her doing.  I wanted to convey the ideaContinue reading “My Other Half – a critical self-review.”

Summary for Part 3, “Look at Me!” – The Representation of Self.

In section 3, “Look at Me!”, I studied the subject of ‘self’ and how it has and is used and interpreted in the portrait. I learned that the idea of the ‘selfie’ goes back beyond photography. Originally the early selfies where exclusively for the rich and powerful to express wealth and more importantly, power, examplesContinue reading “Summary for Part 3, “Look at Me!” – The Representation of Self.”

Questioning Identity: Gender, Class, Nation.

Kath Woodward, (ed.) (2000) Questioning Identity: Gender, Class, Nation, London: Routledge. ISBN: 0-415-22288-5. This publication is part a series of books for the study of social science through the Open University, published in 2000 it is probably a little dated now as it pulls from examples no later than the 1990s. However, as a bookContinue reading “Questioning Identity: Gender, Class, Nation.”

Assignment 1 – Environmental Portraits, ‘My Other-half’

Assignment 1 – My Other-half “Identity comes from both the observer and the observed.” – Shaun Mullins. In this project, I wanted to create environmental portraits that in some way express the different sub-identities that make up the overall character of a person.  I believe that our identity / character is not defined by oneContinue reading “Assignment 1 – Environmental Portraits, ‘My Other-half’”

Susan Sontag’s criticism of Diane Arbus

From On Photography, (1977) Susan Sontag, London: Penguin, pages 32-48. Untitled – 1, 1970-1971. Diane Arbus Notes & passages of interest. Sontag begins her essay comparing an exhibition of 112 photographs by Diane Arbus that was exhibited in 1972 in at The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York city that drew large crowdsContinue reading “Susan Sontag’s criticism of Diane Arbus”