Final Major Project: Shoot FMP#4 – Ant, Simon, and Matus – 20-02-18
To overcome the sinister feel of the black solid mask used in the first shoots, I used silk scarves to hide faces in a shoot at Falmouth during the symposium. I am very lucky to have tolerant friends on the course. 🙂
Hiding behind our computer screens can make it easier for us to express our feelings and emotions. We do not need to say the things out loud that we find difficult. We can confess to things without having to see the facial expressions and responses of others involved. In these online relationships, we avoid being accountable for our actions and expressions of opinion. We do not stand judged in the eyes of the other person. We do not come face-to-face with them. We retreat behind our screens, ignoring the need to acknowledge the other person’s point of view. We maintain control over the encounter.
But, we may also be hiding behind for more sinister reasons. Some people hide behind their screen to bully others, to make false profiles and identities, or for fraudulent reasons such as stealing identities, grooming young people etc.
The images are relatively successful in their portrayal of the above. The images have been shot in monochrome to remove the distraction of the colour of the scarves. The viewer is encouraged to consider the narrative of the image. The use of flash adds an oddness again, which helps the narrative.
The viewer is caused to wonder why the bearded figure is hiding; who are they hiding from? The interaction between two subjects creates an interesting dynamic in the image – the viewer is directed to consider why there are 2 people hiding. Is there a sinister meaning to the image? The smiles could be them having fun, or them making fun of someone else.