In the Likes of Cindy Sherman

Cindy Sherman has a very unique portrait taking style. She uses herself with the help of makeup, wigs, and props to convey certain stereotypes woman are portrayed as.In many of Sherman's portraits, the themes are dark and unsettling, but her subjects are always pulled out from their backgrounds and thrust onto the viewer. In this photo I attempted just that by creating one source of light that in laid on my face only. I also placed black makeup around my eyes but kept everything else rather simple, in doing so I hoped to create a dark feeling unique to this character. Many stereotypes towards women points to their fragility as well as being a sly and dark creature. I wanted to portray a woman whom was both slightly frantic looking yet controlled, weak yet strong, and a clear darker side to her personality.

I took the photo in the style of Balance and the Rule of Thirds from the Principles of Design. This really complimented the picture and gave it much needed character. Through trail and error I accomplished a sort of warmth in the picture as well as a highlight on the character's face giving the picture an errie feeling.