Vision

My vision for this set of photos is to describe the letters using ballet and athleticism. The alphabet can be in many shapes and forms, in different fonts, sizes, and styles. I want to use ballet to create a font for the alphabet while showcasing the dancer’s beautiful techniques. Each technique will be shown creatively to showcase the different letters.

Statement of Intent

I am inspired by the human alphabet to create a copy of my own. However, I would use a ballet dancer to portray the characters instead of circus actors. This set will be more challenging than the human alphabet because the human alphabet uses more than one person. I will use only one person, increasing the movement difficulty. Ballet has always been very fascinating to me since I did ballet when I was a kid. The technique and flexibility of the dancers are insane. I want to use creative movements combined with something we see in everyday life to showcase the fundamental aspects of technique, creativity, and ballet methods.

These are my final set of pictures inspired by William G. Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was a writer living in the late 1800s who was interested in photography as a new medium and its potential. In 1897, he wanted to publish a new article in which he would create an alphabet and words using photographs he had taken of a circus group called the Three Delevines.

His photo style is mainly focused on transforming the human body into the shapes of letters. He is not interested in the identity of the circus performers, though sometimes he let their personalities show, like with the example of the letter M, with the performers smiling towards the camera.

At the end of the 1800s, photography was creating new possibilities for publications like The Strand Magazine, where the photographer’s “A Human Alphabet” was originally published. Photography could be used to make more interesting letters and words, which would also make people more interested in paying attention the word. The photographer realized the challenges of photographing the human body to make letters as some bodies are more defined and is shaped differently than others, from a quote that the photographer used he said that with the way E looked: “It is rather a pity that Mr. Harry Delevine’s body is so prominent, thereby making the upper part of the letter unduly thick. But what would you do? It was quite unavoidable.” By photographing human bodies as letters, Fitzgerald was making readers pay closer attention to the letters, something we use every day without really thinking about. Photography can make us look closer at the world and see everyday objects, like letters, from new perspectives.

The Human Alphabet

𐡷❧❦𐫱❦❧𐡸

These are my final set of pictures inspired by Barbara Kruger. Her photo style is mainly focused on the contrast of black and white and the styles and postures of her image that portray an indirect message of what she is trying to say. Her photos also show the ideas of identity, which is also shown in my photography as it shows the portrait of an angel. A person that is pure shows the nature of life and albinism. Albinism is a condition that affects the production of melanin, the pigment that colors skin, hair, and eyes, making the person’s color and hair white. This condition is rare in the world, and few children are born with it. Therefore, because the condition is scarce, children who have this condition sometimes get bullied or excluded by other children of their age based on their looks. They get decimalized since they do not look normal like other people, or however children interpret the idea of normal. However, as a quote from Helen Keller said: “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.” People who look different shouldn’t be judged by their looks. Instead, they should be evaluated by their hearts. They are not abnormal people but Angels in disguise coming to Earth. 

Photograph

• The subject has long, wavy, white or platinum blonde hair and wears dramatic makeup with dark, defined eyes and lips, giving a striking, almost otherworldly appearance.

• They are dressed in a flowing, textured gown, further enhancing the ethereal aesthetic.

• Large, elaborate wings made of layered, feather-like shapes extend from their back, reinforcing the angelic or fantasy theme.

• The lighting and shadows are dramatic, emphasizing the contours of the face and the textures of the costume.

Techniques

• Contrast of Black and White
• Shadows
• Leading lines
• Portrait
• Depth of field
• Compositions (rule of thirds)

Connecting

This connects with my statement of intent, as it symbolizes albinism through the imagery of an angel. It also reflects the story of a little girl with albinism, highlighting her kindness and purity, which states the message that individuals should be valued for their character rather than their appearance.

Personal Aspect

The reason why I chose to use an Angel to depict Albinism in the first place is because of the a story I have seen online of the young girl who had Albinism as she has been seen as an outcast of a group of young kids she wants to play with. The young kids did not want to play with her based on her looks. Her mother instead making her feel worse or not caring about her feelings took her to a manga cosplay place where people look the same as her, people that are all dressed up with different colors of clothing and different eyes and hair colors. Everyone one there was very welcoming of her, even though she is young and probably doesn’t understand that people that were there was just cosplaying of their favorite characters, she was still happy that she was accepted for who she is and what she looks like.

The Name: ملاك

The meaning of ملاك in Arabic is angel, the reason why I chose this word as my title is because Arabic is one of the most beautiful written languages in the world. Since this entire concept of photography that I am trying to portray is the message of beauty, having a language that looks beautiful also contributes to the eyes of the people.

Set 1

𐡷❧❦𐫱❦❧𐡸

𐡷❧❦𐫱❦❧𐡸

✧˖°.☾𖤓
✧˖°.☾𖤓

My concept for this set of photos is albinism or more of the idea of it. These photos portray albinism as a type of angel; albinism is a type of condition that has been given at birth; it makes people look different from others, giving the people white hair and multi-colored eyes. Young children who have been gifted with this condition sometimes get hated or separated from children of their own age, either by the parents or by the kids themselves. This makes the kids who have this condition feel self-conscious about themselves and makes them feel left out. However, looks should not be a way to judge people; it is just like an apple; you don’t judge an apple based on its appearance; you have to cut it open and inside to

determine whether it is good. So, I am using an angel to depict the message of the purity of the children who have this condition; they might look different from what we consider normal people to look like, just like angels. Biblically speaking, angels don’t look like what we generally think they are, beautiful and perfect. They have multiple wings and eyes, designed to look frightening and scare off demons, but behind their frightening figure, they have a kind and pure heart; they protect people from evil and guide them to a promising future. Just as this condition is described, they may look different from others but have a kind heart.

My set also is inspired by the idea of Barbara Kruger where the first few photos are a contrast of black and white as well as figurative beauty. Their black and white style paired with the figurative beauty effectively conveys the message that the artist wants to show.

Techniques

• Contrast of Black and White
• Shadows
• Leading lines
• Portrait
• Depth of field
• Compositions (rule of thirds)

Vision 

There are many people with different looks in this world; some people look average, some people look normal, and some people look beautiful but also normal. “Normal” in this set of photography defines what a person would look like, people who look like what they should look like; for me, that would be dark eyes and black hair, which defines my mother and father, which makes me look normal. However, there are kids in this world who look different from their parents or different from society in general; they might feel excluded from society based on their looks. They might look different, but in the eyes of their parents and the people who love them, they are still angels, beautiful in their ways. Angels have their characteristics; they symbolize purity, kindness, and love. Their looks vary, but the version that appears most of the time is a person in all white, their hair, their eyes, their body, their clothing, everything. Children and people with Albinism are also often defined this way, as they are most known for their angelic appearances; they are beautiful just the way they are; they are beautiful in a unique way, in their own unique ways.

Statement of intent

A week ago, I saw a video about a young girl who has Albinism being ignored by the children of her age because of her white hair and blue eyes. She was sad about it, and instead of ignoring this matter, her mother took her to a comic event, where cosplayers saw the young girl and loved her; she was happy being surrounded by people dressed in unique costumes and people who looked different from what young children think is “normal”, and the young kid felt delighted.

She was a beautiful young girl, and she was finally able to make friends. People at the event accepted her difference but still treated her the same, with friendships and love. I want to use this photography set to show the different beauties of humans who may look different from what we call “Normal” people. They might look different, but their hearts are angels, and they also look like angels. I will be taking pictures of Angels and showcasing them with the same style of photography as Barbara Kruger, whose photos are communicated with bright words that advocate for people who might not have voices. I will showcase that people who look different should not be judged by looks but by their hearts and should be treated equally. I would be using a color contrast of Black and White with portrait as well as color contrasts of different bright colors to showcase this set. 

Barbara Kruger is an American conceptual artist and designer known for her visual art which combines text and imagery to address social issues, identity, and power dynamics. She was born on January 26, 1945, in Newark, New Jersey; she gained fame in the 1970s because of her bold graphic style, which often includes black-and-white photographs overlaid with bold text in white-on-red or white-on-black formats.

Her work frequently includes themes related to feminism, consumerism, and patriarchy, conveying important messages for viewers as well as advertising to the media.

The photos that I have shown at the top include concepts of light and dark contrasts, as well as using color contrasts, in general, to make the important and interesting parts of her photo stand out. However, even with the color contrasts of the photos, it makes both the background of the photography and the text standout, leaving the photography still being able to be pictured in the viewer’s eyes as well as reading the text at the same time. She also uses the words and the photographs to collaborate together to tell a story. In the second photo, it shows the text saying that it is a “small” world, and in the photo, the woman holds a magnifying glass in her eyes as if looking at the earth, which also communicates that the earth is small.

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Carrie Mae Weems is a American artist and photographer best known for her work with themes that include race, gender, and identity. She is born on April 20, 1963, Portland, Oregon. her work focuses on the idea of  the African American experience, using her work to challenge stereotypes and highlight the complexities of identity and heritage.

In the photos above, the Kitchen Table Series, the photographer invites viewers into personal spaces that reflect important social issues. She challenges traditional stereotypes of Black identity through irony and uses dramatic lighting and thoughtful composition to create visually striking images. She also loves emphasizing the voices of minority people that don’t have loud voices by using photos to show their daily lives.

Her photo style also focuses on the black and white contrast and having someone at the center, conveying the messages of the voices using movements and the lighting contrast. Each pose that the models do showcase a different message they are trying to convey. Her style of work really emphasize the the style of modern but also vintage, with the tables and gate in the first photo showcases the vintage, while the contrast of black and white showcases the modern.

The reason why these are my top 3 photos is because the images create a sense of fluidity and grace. The flowing fabric highlights the movement, adding drama and elegance:

• Symmetry and Balance: The dancer’s pose creates a visually harmonized balance, with her extended arms and legs forming elegant lines.

• Negative Space: The dark background provides negative space, making sure the subject remains the focal point without distractions.

• Reflection: The subtle reflection on the surface beneath her adds depth and dimension to the image.

The timing i think is also done really well because i was able to capture the dancer’s movements. The fabric’s positioning is particularly effective, as it appears weightless yet intentional.

The use of black and white improves the visual impact by highlighting contrast. The dancer’s light-toned legs and fabric stand out sharply against the dark background, creating a dramatic lighting between the light and shadow. This contrast highlights the subject while maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.

• The subject is a female figure standing in “en pointe,” a ballet pose highlighting grace and strength.
• She holds an umbrella-like object draped with fabric that partially covers her face, which makes the dancer looks very cool and mysterious. 

In these photos, I was able to merge Ballet dancing, fashion (which states the minimalistic view), as well as the reflection and abstraction in the texture and the mood.

Another reason this is my top 3 is because of the modernity it brings in these photos, as it shows the contrast between the Japanese and Chinese styled umbrellas, with the sharp contrast of the modern minimalistic images of the modern age. It also makes Ballet, a smooth and elegant sport, into something sharp and stone-like.

Vision

As a beautiful dancer is dancing in the abyss, covered by darkness, a white silk sheet gently floats towards her, covering her with light and happiness. As she dances, her figure changes and becomes more and more vibrant and graceful. I want to portray the athleticism and fluidity of the ballet dancer, with bold and flexible movements to showcase the light and how the light can change a person and their general perspective of the beauty of a dancer. As well as showcases the feminine view of the dancers while contrasting the darkness. As most stereotypes are told about women, they are mostly seen as weak beings. This photo showcases the power and strength that women have. The stark contrast of the black and white contrasts becomes yin and yang, the dance between life and death, creation and destruction.

I will use different effects and props to showcase the beautiful flows of the ballet dancers. The sheet that is used will be used as a “dress” that will have a rippling effect on the dancer, as well as reflection and water papers to showcase the reflection of the dancer, which will make the dancer seem like she is walking on water and in an abyss full of nothingness.

Statement of Intent

The title that I am using for this set is バレエ, which means ballet in Japanese; I am using this name because the Japanese font is beautiful, and it is one of the prettiest languages in the world. Ballet also symbolizes grace and beauty, which resonates with a lovely language. The person who inspired this set of photos is Richard Calmes; he uses stunning flows of the dress and the elegance of ballet to showcase the athleticism of ballet.