‘The Commons/My Skin’ Proposal

REVISED PROPOSAL

Tattoos are used by its bearer to identify themselves, therefore making them unique, different and uncommon, however as tattoo art has become more popular and socially acceptable in society. Ironic considering something that is used to become uncommon has now become a common culture.

My photography project is based on tattoo art. The technique that is used to present the photographs are in a double exposure effect with a profile of the model, and then their tattoo overlayed onto their face.

I used a DSLR camera, and used Photoshop to create the double exposure effect by use of overlaying the images on top of each other.

I used models whom I know personally to gain a more personal feel about the images, as opposed to using strangers. The benefit of this is being able to talk openly with the model about their tattoo art and what it means to them.

The rationale behind this is that tattoos are usually used by people in order to identify themselves, they have a meaningful reason or are simply aesthetically pleasing to its bearer, but it is connected to the individual. The reason for the double exposure is to capture the models feelings about their tattoo, and to show the audience that they’re connected with their tattoo.

To avoid making the project cliche tattoo photography, I focused more on the individual themselves, and why they have the tattoo as opposed to just ‘photographing cool tattoos because they’re pretty’.

I am interested in the photographic works of Jon Duenas and Andre De Freitas, as I like how their photos leave a lot open for interpretation about the model and their background image.

ORIGINAL PROPOSAL

Tattoos are used by its bearer to identify themselves, therefore making them unique, different and uncommon, however as tattoo art has become more popular and socially acceptable in society. Ironic considering something that is used to become uncommon has now become a common culture.

My photography project will be based on tattoo art. The technique I will use to present the photographs in a double exposure effect (perhaps using photoshop or my camera’s effect), with a profile of the model, and then their tattoo overlayed onto their face.

I plan to use a DSLR camera, making use of the double exposure effect made available by the camera, and potentially may use a film camera to double expose the actual film as oppose to just having it as an effect.

I will contact multiple tattoo parlours enquiring about the possibility of me coming in to taking photos of any sessions that they have going on, and once I am in I will then ask the clients if they’re happy having their photos taken, and if I could take a profile picture of them. Additionally I shall take photos outside the tattoo parlour scene, and contact people who have tattoos and do a similar photo format with them.

The rationale behind this is that tattoos are usually used by people in order to identify themselves, they have a meaningful reason or are simply aesthetically pleasing to its bearer, but it is connected to the individual. The reason for the double exposure is to capture the models feelings about their tattoo, and to show the audience that they’re connected with their tattoo.

To avoid making my project become a cliche tattoo photography project I aim to focus more on the individual themselves, and why they have the tattoo as opposed to just ‘photographing cool tattoos because they’re pretty’.

I am interested in the photographic works of Jon Duenas and Andre De Freitas, as I like how their photos leave a lot open for interpretation about the model and their background image.

If my project doesn’t go ahead as planned I have two plan b options. The first is ‘cracks’ and the second is ‘forced perspective’. Cracks is based on making the ordinary appear extraordinary and photographing cracks in ceiling and walls and making them appear beautiful. Force perspective is focusing on the views that we as humans are forced into, such the ceilings when in dentist chairs or in bed, or the mirror when at a hairdressers.