Portraits

In all four pictures it is easy to see who the picture is. They two of me are easily definable as photos of me and the same goes for Megan’s photos. In that sense of the word all four of these photos are a portrait.

I don’t know that any of these photos truly encompass Megan’s or my true character. In the real photo I wanted to portray a feeling of being trapped and being isolated at Wheaton. I think that this photo captures this emotion. However, that my real is this depressed person. I don’t think that it is a good window into my soul. In contrast with this photo my ideal photo was supposed to represent freedom. It was difficult to capture this feeling of freedom without over dramatizing it through smiling.  So I don’t think that the ideal portrait of me captures who I am at all. For Megan’s photos she wanted to contrast the chaos of her life right now with the structured one that she hopes to one day have. Although the pictures clearly portray these contrasts they are not actually representative of who Megan is and what her character is. None of these four portraits portray us as vulnerable, open, intimate, or revealing of who we are and the unique characteristics that God has given us.

Megan’s photos are shaped by society; the pressures of college and needing to have a definite path and plan for the future. Here ideal was some business woman who has it all together and is very successful. However, mine were more shaped by the Christian notion of freedom through Christ, not necessarily through our culture and societies views. Both of us used our hair and clothing to portray our femininity.

All four portraits work in the sense of they have a human subject who is the main focus of the picture. Technically speaking the framing of the pictures also makes it work as a portrait. However, none of the portraits are truly successful because none of them capture who we are or reveal our vulnerability. I am not some depressed, lonely, isolated individual, but that is what my pictures made it look like. I actually love life, laughter, friends, and family. Joy is God’s gift in my life. Neither of the portraits of me captured any of that. So I would agree with you that neither of the portraits are really me.