Theme

For my final set, I have been able to create a clear alphabet, with letters from A through Z, using the human body. I have selected photos that most clearly represent each letter and also show consistent contrast. With this final set, I want my audience to reflect on the potential that the human body has to move and mold itself into different shapes. I want the audience to think about their own body and how their everyday movements might have meaning. However, the model that I used is a trained ballet dancer, and many of her positions are unachievable for most people, so the audience is also in awe of the skill and flexibility that this body has. I believe my final set showcases the fundamental technique, creativity, and methods of ballet dancers that I have always admired.

Connecting

By using only one person in my human alphabet, I wanted the achievement of her positions to exceed what the 19th century writer William G. Fitzgerald accomplished in his human alphabet, which used two or three people to make each letter. I was inspired by Fitzgerald’s project to create my own version, but in my version, I wanted there to be more focus on one individual human body and its flexibility ad technique. Unlike Fitzgerald’s photographs, which can include his models showing aspects of their personality in their facial expressions, my human alphabet is much more minimal and has the serious atmosphere of a ballet performance (rather than a circus act, which is what Fitzgerald’s models did for a profession).

Technique

One of the most important technical considerations that went into creating this set was lighting. I had to make sure that my model would have adequate contrast in black and white in a way that would make her visible as a letter against a white background. I used two strong spots on either side of her, and then a softer light directly in front of her, so that there wouldn’t be any highlights or too dark of shadows. By working with lighting, I was able to ensure that the black and white tonal contrast was consistent in each letter I created. I also had to pay close attention to the composition of each shot, making sure that the model’s body filled the frame while also following the rule of thirds.