In last week’s post about my struggles with defining what might be considered my portfolio (Working toward a portfolio) I mused about how to define what could be considered a more cohesive representation of my photography goals and ambitions. Sometimes what it takes is to kick off a process, plant a seed in one’s mind and our conscious and unconscious processes will keep working on it; some of this is definitely happening.
One part is looking through my images (there are way too many) and seeing which ones still speak to me for one reason or another. As I have been doing just that, a theme or two has emerged. One motif is that I enjoy creating images that express some particular emotion or story element, such as this one…
This was shot during a workshop led by the wonderful Brooke Shaden in 2013. I remember how I came up with this image in very vivid detail, as I saw it in my mind’s eye the moment that I looked at this dilapidated bathroom. There were a large number of shots that were taken to get all the elements together, but they were all with an end-goal in mind.
The reason that this image still speaks to me despite all its imperfections is the concept and how I connected with it. There is also emotion in this image, as it communicates a struggle against an invisible hand that is pulling the woman toward the turbulent sky. This is a struggle that we can often relate with, as unseen forces seem to control us, trying to reduce our sense of free will and self-determination.
Over the next weeks, I will continue to explore and examine my images to round out a list of topics, emotions and subjects that drive my portfolio. I hope you will follow along!