The Beginning

Living in Labels
(a working title - possibly to be changed later)

This project will attempt to create a portrait of an individual as they define themselves as well as how society labels them.

In order to do this prior to any shoot I will take a snapshot of the individual and approach strangers, members of their community, friends, peers, classmates, coworkers and ask them all: How would you label this individual?
I WILL NOT filter the results, and if offered lengthy descriptions I will condense them into the closest short phrase or adjective to convey the same meaning.

After collecting labels I will have the individual I am photographing wear a plain white shirt or tank top with no writing on it, either dark jeans or black pants on the bottom, and whatever their normal shoes are. From their neck to wrist on the exposed skin the labels will be written. If a label has been offered by multiple people I will either repeat its use, or use it in a bold and more prominent position. I shall then shoot a series of photographs of the individual both with and without the face visible. The intention is to see how the presence of labels changes your perception when seen with the face versus without.

Following that I will ask them to partially wash off the labels. (Mild soap and water or chlorinated water from a pool would both achieve this). Then with the partially faded labels I would take a second shoot. This time the individual would wear whatever they felt most comfortable in. Whatever their daily dress is like or whatever they’d like to wear on a daily basis (sometimes differs due to dress codes and what is acceptable in a work /school environment.). The point of this would be to let the individual select clothes they feel fit them as a person. This interaction could confirm how they’re labeled or contrast with it, I will not manipulate either the labeling process or the clothing selection (the exception would be if their daily dress completely covers the label- as that defeats the purpose of this shoot).

Lastly I would want to take a portrait without any visible labels. This portrait would be taken also with whatever clothing the subject chooses, with the limitation of covering the arms and legs. A hoodie, jacket, long sleeve shirt etc... are all acceptable. Anything they would like so long as what was labeled cannot be seen.

This will be the entire first part of the project.

The second part of the project involves the social setting.

Using the same labels from before, in white ink I will label a plain black frame/mat board , and set the frame within a shot, framing the individual. This shot will be of the individual in a setting their labels stereotype them to and their reaction to this identity. If they feel uncomfortable, out of their element, embrace it... whatever, I will try to communicate that. If a label is accurate I wish to portray that, if not, then likewise.

Then using a plain white frame/mat board I will set the frame within a shot, framing the individual in a place they feel comfortable and in their element with. This should express the context they’d like to define themselves within. The notion behind this shot and the one with the black frame is showing the similarities or differences between what they are seen by through their own perspective versus that of society.

The body of work created with the labeled individual in plain clothes, in their preferred attire and without visible labels is intended to show off how the same individual can be perceived differently due to presentation and the association with common buzzwords. Combined with the shoots of the same individual and their labels on frames, I hope to visually explore how accurate or not labeling can be- and it’s effect on an individual.

To begin with I will test this project on myself. It is unfair to ask anyone to be labeled on my behalf if I am not willing to undergo the same process. As shooting a self portrait is an entirely different challenge which I’m not as familiar with, I’m not yet certain if the shoot of myself will be part of the final project or if it will simply be a visual demonstration of the direction I’d like to take. The results of the self portrait will be shared with all those whom I approach to ask if they’d like to be a part of this project. And I hope will also aid me in being sensitive to what this project demands of the subject. Already I have made requests of those following my online projects and I’ve also asked coworkers, classmates, strangers and friends to label me. Thus far I’ve collected 112 adjectives, labels and buzzwords, and I hope to begin shooting the demo shoot this week. We’ll see where this goes!