For my upcoming final project I want my photographs to base it between editorial and contemporary photography that would be printing and posted on Instagram for example. I want my images to represent femininity with a subject and flowers, plants and fruit metaphorically. I base my inspirations heavily with one of my favorite films by Alfred Hitchcock titled Vertigo, as the stem along with inspiration by photographers Philp-Lorca DiCorcia, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Nadine Iijewere and a painting by Edward Hopper. I asked Neira if she would be my model for the 2 days of shooting and she agreed to do so, and I will be having her as my subject along with some flowers, fruit for one shot. In the film Vertigo, even though it’s a film about crime flowers are heavily used throughout the film, and with the dramatic tone of mood I want to try to incorporate a moody yet playful and colorful mood with my photos for the project.

Before Beyonce’s iconic pregnancy photograph of her bump came out, 2 decades beforehand Annie Leibowitz took Demi Moore’s pregnancy photo year 1991. It was a huge issue worldwide then. Reactions were spilt into two at the time, seen as scandalous, indecent, pornographic by some while the other half praised that they featured a pregnant women representing motherhood in a way not seen before in a magazine cover and the media as a whole. Demi Moore’s pregnancy photo sparked a movement to photographers that would copy the same concept of pregnancy in nudity, and most importantly the photograph opened a door to what was not represented before on the media; capturing a woman’s pregnancy in the form of expressing the beauty of it and shedding light to women’s sexuality. As for Beyonce’s pregnancy photograph, that was sensational since it was posted on her Instagram account, she uses fine art as references and inspirations for her photos. This one of her pregnancy she used Paula’s Modersohn-Becker’s painting “Self portrait on her sixth wedding anniversary” as a reference, in the painting Paula is holding her pregnant belly as did Beyonce and both have a direct gaze to the viewers. When comparing Demi Moore’s and Beyonce’s pregnancy photo shoots, the photographers used two different approaches in lighting to photograph their subjects. Annie Leibowitz used broad light on Demi, the lighting technique emphasized the right side of her face and ears, her left hand that covered her breast and her belly. The photographs composition was taken horizontally and Demi is off centered however the way she composed her pose by having one leg more front balances the photo as her body faces sideways from the light. As for Awol Erizku’s photograph of Beyonce he seemed to have used front light, there isn’t much emphasize of shadow and light on his subject so it’s a bit flat but what makes the photo stand out is the props used for the photoshoot. At first I wasn’t sure if the flower props symbolize something but looking at the photograph to me before learning a bit about the concept behind the photoshoot, I felt as though it represents how she feels about womanhood and motherhood, its vivid and beautiful and they showed their vision to world to see.

Dawoud Bey’s photographs of the high school students capture their expressions especially with their eyes; making it seem as though they are looking directly at you. He also captured not only their expressions especially with their eyes but also depending on the subject a part of them that shapes their characteristics as an individual. For example, the girl with the colorful nails and outfit; even though when looking at photographs that have a lot of information to take in especially of rooms that has objects it can be distracting to what the photographer wants to capture; but Bey’s approach on his subjects and thinking how to make the settings of the school work with the subjects he was able to make it work, the settings his subjects were placed in complimented and balanced as a photograph as a whole. From what I can see from Dawoud Bey’s photographs, is that taking a subject’s photo, communication and making them feel comfortable in front of the camera is important. One may have the equipment, a subject, the right lighting and how they would want to direct one’s photograph but if the subject doesn’t feel as though they are in a state of ease and comfortable in their setting and with the photographer the photograph won’t be executed to its potential. Looking at his works and watching his interview, he made me question how can I communicate with my subjects? How can I make them feel comfortable to be in front of the camera? what makes them stand out as an individual? What part of them would I like to capture? What sort of setting would I like my subject to be in? His approach to portrait photography from what I can see involves observation, communication, patience, directing and notably a persons gestures.