artistic — Blog — Chris-R-Photography

What if we tried to show the inner core of a person in a photograph? That was the question I was wondering about some time ago. You can read my first thoughts about this here in the article “Destiny (is a very big word)”. http://www.chris-r-photography.net/2019/11/29/s0tfzb1zssh7b7coavrfxtgdrmvv46

The starting point of my considerations was the assumption that we all have a deeper inner core of our person, of our personality. On top of that we develop over the years layers of behaviour that are determined by education, interaction with people, experience, traumata, neuroses and other influences. Our every day behaviour is a mixture of these layers interacting with the core personality deep within.

From there I was wondering if it might be possible to show the “inner core” of a person in a photograph. During my photographic development over the past few years I used long exposure photography, motion blur, intentional camera movements a lot. When watching these blurred pictures I noticed that it felt as if I could see deeper into a person’s characteristics in pictures that I had taken with this long exposure technique. The question is of course if a long exposure picture really represents a person’s characteristics on a deeper level or if a blurred picture gives the viewer more space to imagine certain characteristics because imagination can fill the gaps that the picture leaves. This question I have not answered to myself entirely, you might have your own very personal answer to it too.

In order to find out if my hypothesis works, I decided to start a photographic project around the core idea. The plan is, to shoot people with long exposure and ask them to do things where they feel that they are within themselves to the most. I would assume that every person has a different way of “feeling herself/himself”. So I am asking my “models” to do exactly what brings them “to themselves” in the most intense way.

I was lucky to meet Marine in Osnabrück during my current trip to Europe. Marine is a dancer with the Osnabrück Theater Dance Company. She agreed to participate in this project and we met for a shooting. The owner of YogaOmline in Osnabrück was so kind to allow us shooting in his rooms.

I asked Marine, not to “perform” for me but to find a way of getting deep into herself in her own personal way. She used moving her body for this. During the shooting we both remained completely silent. I did not ask her to strike any poses but only followed her movements with my camera.

I found this collaboration amazing. I was allowed to look into the personality of my “model” and to take pictures of what was a very intimate personal experience. Marine has allowed me to share the pictures. I am very grateful and thank her very very much.

What is your way of expressing the core of your personality? How can you reach deep within yourself? Is there a way of showing this outside? If any of you is interested in this project and wants to participate I would ask you to get in touch with me. Leave me a message on this website or write me a Flickr mail (https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisrsouthland). I will continue this project over the coming months. Currently (September 2020) I am still in Osnabrück, Germany.

You have a walk through an art exhibition. Let's say the big documenta14 exhibition in Athens. And graciously they allow you to take pictures. "No flash lights!" Of course.

And you take some pictures of work that you find interesting. You take pictures the way you think it represents this art the best way. You chose the POV (point of view), the angle, the exposure to complement the oeuvre.

The Chess Society by Bili Bidjocka  documenta14, Athens School of Fine Arts — The Chess Society by Bili Bidjocka documenta14, Athens School of Fine Arts

And whilst you are taking these pictures the piece of art is doing something with you. It makes you aware of its presence. It occupies your mind. You start thinking about the meaning of this piece of art. You start asking how the picture that you are taking interacts with this piece of art. You start interpreting this piece of art by taking a picture. You are getting involved into the process of creating a little piece of art yourself. You create art about art. With the help of photography. With the help of your mind and your camera. So it becomes a little piece of your own. Your own creation.

Does it? Is this picture your own? Do you become the creator of art? By just taking a picture of a piece of art? Can you call yourself an artist because you interpret somebody else's art? I am not sure.

I personally feel that I am changing the perception of this particular piece of art by taking a picture my way. I get into a dialogue with this piece of art. I try to find answers to its message. So from that perspective I regard myself as the creator of a new piece of art.

But am I really? I don't know. I will leave this to you to decide. And maybe you comment on it and tell me your opinion.