Self Portrait Series
This is a self-portraits collection for a photography project that explore woman’s gender roles in the society and discuss the impact of stereotypes.
This campaign is to inspire women to follow their hearts and embrace their rebellious originality despite their day in and day out routines and titles they were given from their jobs and surrounding environments. Women in the current society have insecurity and loneliness about their appearances, marital status, ages.
Confusions and contradiction come from what they are capable of doing and what should they do. The purpose of this photography project is let all of us feel okay to be stressed, different and disobedient as long as we are comfortable about the inner self.
Her wish shouldn’t be just a wish, it should be something we are brave enough to do for the sake of release our emotions and put down the constrained frame around us.
Ariel
HER WISH:
Her best friends are her rabbit named Tutu, a plant named Lulu and books;
She believes that all the trees talk to each other while she is sleeping;
People think she is a dummy because she never talks to those who live at the same town;
She’s enjoying the little world she created and perfectly avoids all the unnecessary social interaction with human beings; “I live on my island.” Ariel thinks.
But sometimes she just wishes to pack her stuff and move to the forest, then she can talk to the tree fairies because they are her best Podcast station’s audience.
Jessica
HER WISH:
Spinning on the stage after the lights are out, she cannot feel the pain;
Twelve bouquets of roses are aside from the wooden floor;
Tens of missed calls and texts with congratulations showing on the phone screen at the backstage;
She lives for the spotlight; therefore, she never takes off her dance shoes even there is no audience;
“Practice makes perfect.” Jessica says that firmly in mind.
But sometimes she just wishes she can go to a rock music concert with a stranger she meets on the street.
Hannah
HER WISH:
Everyone in school knows her because she’s always the top of the cheer pyramid in pep rally;
She got 839 likes on her latest Instagram post;
Her friends are asking if she is going to prom with Kyle the class president or Aaron the football star;
Mom talks about her perfect daughter in front of her relatives at Thanksgiving dinner again;
“The desire for success should be greater than the fear of failure.” Hannah chants.
But sometimes she just wishes that she can show up without her makeups on in school and people still like her.
Sammie
HER WISH:
She was born in a family with a single dad and six brothers at the coast of a southern town;
They work for dad’s seafood store days and nights; Sailing, fishing, cleaning, delivery, she does the same stuff brothers do all day, even better than them;
She knows which kind of the fish sells the best in summer;
“The sea hath fish for every man.” Sammie shouts out loud to the customers.
But sometimes she just wishes to wear some lipsticks and a dress to dance with that man from New York City.
Wendy
HER WISH:
She runs from the other side of the farm with a basket of freshly squeezed milk and splits half of it;
Mom yells at her in a louder-than-thunder voice as always;
She sticks her tongue out carelessly, runs away to hug the new-born lamb; While sitting with the tall sunflowers blooming at the edge of the farm, she tries to follow the brightest sun beam that warms her freckles;
“It’s another usual day with my favorite creatures on earth!” Wendy mumbles to herself.
But sometimes she just wishes mom and dad won’t talk about their divorce after she goes to bed at night.
Daisy
HER WISH:
She is a role model stay-at-home mom of 3 children;
She left her wealthy family and gets married to a businessman Fredrick when she was 20;
Everyday she dresses in the beautiful outfit with flawless makeups and has British Afternoon Tea with her friends after she settles the kids in school. Her task is to get everything organized and clean before Fredrick is home;
She’s the perfect wife in everyone’s eyes. “Those pink tulips in the vase are perfect like me. ” Daisy sprays some fresh water on the flowers and says that to herself in a soft voice.
But sometimes she just wants to forget about the fragile perfection, roll on a pile of leaves and screams louder than her kid on the playground.
