Self Portrait

[jellotranz]

ok so obviously its not my self portrait. This was shot yeasterday for my wife's Art Class. The assignement was to create a self portrait using one of the styles studied in class. For this picture she choose to do surrealism. 28 Pictures were used to create the final image. Still have a bit of cleanup here and there...

[kat]

That is pretty cool!

[Marko]

It no longer looks like a photograph but it is a very striking image with lots of interesting sections to look at.

[jellotranz]

You should see it large!! The initial background is done via stitching 3 shots together for a total pixel size of 10512X7008. At first I didn't think much of the post as it didn't look much like a photograph anymore, but when you see the image 45"X30" its very cool. You can't stop looking at it to see what else you missed the first time.. I'm still looking for Waldo... lol

[Gem]

VERY cool! That sticker on the sink (?) *did* make me smile =)

[jellotranz]

VERY cool! That sticker on the sink (?) *did* make me smile =)

lol, that was actually taken from a anti-abortion protest we shot a month or so.

[F8&Bthere]

I don't have any critique really but hope it's still okay if I say that I find this image very interesting. So much going on. I love this style, and wish I had the subjects and PS savvy to pull off images like this- maybe some day. If I had to find something I would change, it might be to try removing all the animals except the ducks in a row on the left side and the white bunny or whatever that is is on balloon lady's lap. It screams social commentary so the nature parts seem sorta out of place (to me anyway, but I'm sure you had a purpose for them). So maybe I'm saying it almost has too much going on? Still really cool. Awesome work.

[tirediron]

I'm not smart enough for images like this, but it's well done. How about posting a Cole's Notes on what all you did to produce this image?

[Gem]

lol, that was actually taken from a anti-abortion protest we shot a month or so.

Heh heh, I'll admit it took me a moment to get it

[jellotranz]

I'm not smart enough for images like this, but it's well done. How about posting a Cole's Notes on what all you did to produce this image?

Sure, I’d be happy to go over how we shot this image, but first let me give a little background here..

First, it’s hard to view it here as the original is 30”X45” so anything smaller looses too much detail for you to actually see all of it. Also every part of the image has a specific meaning which may make it a bit clearer.

The title of the piece is “Smile your mom choose life – A Self Portrait”

The overall theme has several parts. First and foremost the woman in the photo is tied to the sink, the chair, the grill and the prep table. This symbolizes how women in today’s society are still tied into certain specific roles, the fact that she is in lingerie shows that even within these boundaries she is still expected to be a sex symbol.


At The Sink:
Here the woman is doing her duty while her friends (The bird and the Iguana) sit idly by and watch her work. The bird represents not only friends but life in general. (The bird in this photo was actually on her head in another photo.. The bird ended up pooping down her back, which is what friends and life eventually does to her)

At the Grill:
Here the woman is getting ready to cook, however her friends (The bird) while trying to help are actually slowing her down referencing her childhood poverty and attempts at success in her adult life. She looks at the bird as if to say “Why don’t you understand that you are not helping me”

At the Prep Table:
The severed head represents her life as a female and her ability to speak out and make a change in the world. The fact that the severed head has no eyes nor mouth indicates that without her ability to achieve such change through her voice and her art leaves her with no other option but death.

On the Chair:
This is the only time in the picture that the woman is smiling, although it is clear that the smile is forced. The woman is holding a baby dressed in swaddling by the neck as if to strangle it even though she is supposed to be happy. The balloons signify the “Happiness” she is supposed to have after being forced into having the baby. This also coincides with the sign on the sink saying “Smile your mom choose life” as just because you were born does not mean you will be happy.

On the Floor:
The woman now unbound from the ropes that tied her to her role are now severed however she is so exhausted that there is nothing left. While she attempts to clean up the mess on the floor, the crocodile which represents life is trying to take even those scraps away from her when she is not looking. While she is not bound any longer she is dressed in curlers and plastic wrap in an attempt to still look good and fill her role within society, but at what expense? (FYI the pastic wrap was a diet phase soem 15 or 20 years ago, people actually wrapped themselves up in an attempt to loose weight)

Other Misc parts:
The green Flamingo represents other women in society, who constantly look over her shoulder to ensure that she is doing what she is supposed to. The flamingo’s color (green) represents envy and malice of the other women towards her and her life.

The lantern under the prep station half covered in shadow represents the fact that half of her life is already extinguished.

The Bald eagle who sits above the prep table looks down on her as a symbol of the American Government and its commitment to seeing that she stays in her place.

The row of Pelicans with their backs turned to her are a symbol of the fact that she feels that her issues are larger much larger than ducks (Hence the term getting all your ducks in a row) and that it’s hard to get large creature to all sit in a row.

The green Antelopes in the background.. No meaning.. They are just fun.

The final statement is basically a FU to the art community. First to the photographic community who says “Simplify Simplify Simplify” as this image is far from simple, and the final statement is one that attempts to convey her feelings that not every piece of art has meaning and nor should it because meaning does not necessarily convey value and too much meaning just makes for a busy piece.

Oh... And the wierd colors.. This is what happens when you let a color blind person play with photoshop.

After dinner I will write up how we shot this photo and some of the post that went into it.