Studio Journal- Collage and Portraiture.

In trying to figure out where to take the idea of nontraditional portraiture I decided to try using collage.  I have always liked collage because of the way it brings together so many different elements.  A person's character and personality is likewise made up of so many different elements- so it seemed a perfect fit.  I began with myself and started shooting my environment, my belongings, patterns, and other things that I care about.  I digitally combined all of these photos together to create a collage of "Mary".  While I liked the collage on it's own I thought it might be worth while to pair it with a more traditional portrait, creating a diptych.  Once I completed my own portrait I decided to include others.  So I have been collecting images of family and friends in the same way and creating these collage portraits.  Once I have enough images, they will be bound into a book.  I really like that it gives two reads of a person- the view anyone could see just by looking at the person but also pairing it with tiny details you might not see but that really make the person who they are.  It is a bigger, more complete picture and expression of personality.

 (in progress)