“What I discovered as a Portrait Photographer”

For this project, I wanted to focus on the aspects of the self that are obvious such as a the face, but also highlight the parts that go unnoticed and often reveal a little more about someone then you would get off a first impression. For me, I took a standard portrait of my face. I took many shots of profiles for this project in order to capture an alternate side of what I see everyday. I then decided to highlight my jewelry. I like subtle jewelry and the pieces I wear everyday have become a part of my personality and how I express myself. I own two necklaces, one that has the letter A for my name and another that has the symbol of my astrological sign, Gemini. Both were collected in a very mundane way, but have transitioned into an important part of how I see myself throughout the day and how others see me. I have a love for learning about astrology and find it an interesting when people can recognize my necklace and lead into a conversation that excites me.

I then decided to take photos of my friend, Alijan. Similarly, I captured the side profile. One of the things I noticed about him were his tattoos. For each one he has, a different story lies beneath. The first one captures, the geometric seahorse, is one of his least favorite tattoos. He shared the story with me how after he got it, he felt uncomfortable with how different his arm looked every time he saw it. It was an adjustment period for him, for the arm he was used to seeing bare everyday was now lined with ink. This permanence was something that took a few months to settle with, and now he has come to terms with the art on his body. His second one, one he got matching with a friend, is an impulsive but favorite tattoo. I think it’s interesting how what we use to decorate our bodies, whether it is jewelry or in his case, tattoos, is all surface level but reveals more about the self beyond what meets the eye.

The last set of portraits I took came from a man my friend knew, but I didn’t, named Robert. Meeting him for the first time was short and pleasant and I asked if I could take some photos of him for my project. He easily agreed, and I took that time to scan his outward appearance for anything that would strike me as a photographer. Because I had previously taken photos of his friends tattoos, I asked if he had any himself. When he said no, I understood and tried to move to something else. After taking his side portraits to keep it consistent, I realized I needed to learn a little bit more about him to find something to inspire me besides what his outward appearance was to me. I asked our mutual friend what was something he liked about Robert, and Alijan mentioned that he is a very generous person who somehow is always down to help someone else out. That led me to ask Robert if I could photograph his hands as well. I wanted to capture something sort of theatrical or similar to Imogen Cunningham with the portrait of hands. Though it differed from the previous accessories of jewelry or tattoos, it was what made Robert Robert. Because he is always willing to lend a helping hand, for me and everyone else around him, his hands became of a symbol of his character and personality.