Hello! So I did my photo shoot over Thanksgiving break, and I just want to keep shooting this theme forever!! Haha, I had SO much fun and am loving how this is going so far!
Here are my finalized images for each of my "American Stereotypes/Sins"
Frivolous Spending
Promiscuity
Ignorance
Vices
Gluttony
Vanity
Like I said, I had a blast shooting these.
From this point, I will be playing around with the quote from the movie, Se7en that I referred to in my last post;
"A woman... so ugly on the inside she couldn't bear to go on living if she couldn't be beautiful on the outside. A drug dealer, a drug dealing pederast, actually! And let's not forget the disease-spreading whore! Only in a world this shitty could you even try to say these were innocent people and keep a straight face. But that's the point. We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed... forever."
I was also thinking about using an overlay of the American flag over these images, just to keep playing with my concept.
Interesting story:
I was talking to my friend Marjuan, who is an immigrant from the Middle East, and I was discussing my project with him. I didn't realize at the time how great it was to discuss this with someone who had originally lived in another country that saw and heard these stereotypes about Americans all the time. He shared with me that those were ALL things that were joked about Americans. He told me that when people in the Middle East imitate what Americans look like, they pull on their ear lobes and puff our their cheeks, AKA playing on the idea that we're all fat and over indulge. I have to say, after speaking to him, it made me even more motivated and love this project even more! Hopefully by viewing these images, people who are desensitized to all of the above can take a step back and look at themselves, any perhaps change some of their habits? Who knows, but I love thinking it could happen. :)
Thanks! I hope you enjoy!
I like your idea of hiding the eyes from the viewer, it's very dehumanizing, which fits with your project well.
ReplyDeleteI like your pictures EB.. There are really nice.. but I think your pictures will be more nice if the background indicate the 7 sins too..(Sorry I don't really know to say it in words. Hope you understand what I mean).
ReplyDeleteLike for example, restaurant or table with a lot of food that already eaten or left over food for the gluttony's background.
Cars, money for the first picture.
Of course You still could input the American flag in the background too..
I can see the love for this project! Kudos to you on arranging all your models, setting up your shots, getting the pictures... etc. It is obvious you are completely engaged!
ReplyDeleteI vote no on the American Flag only because it is a vice that is used way too much... I think it would come across as if you are beating us over the head... Buuuuuuut, maybe the flag can be used to "frame" or display the images? I'm very curious about how you will display your final pieces... Since you have the time, blue sky some ideas... :-)