Author: Angelina

In today’s world, many people—especially young individuals—feel pressured by unrealistic beauty standards on social media. The constant chase for perfection has caused people to forget what truly matters: the meaningful, special things in life. Social media often promotes edited appearances, filtered images, and false ideals, which can change how people see themselves. It is frustrating how quickly beauty becomes a competition, making people feel like they are not enough. Because of this, we often lose sight of real beauty—confidence, kindness, emotion, and individuality.

Through my photography project, I want to remind my audience that special things in life are not based on how we look, but how we feel and how we treat others. True value comes from within—from our emotions, our attitude, and our presence. A person might not meet the “perfect” standards online, but their heart, strength, and uniqueness can still light up the world. I want my photos to encourage others to be confident, inspiring, and proud of who they are.

To express this theme, I will focus on capturing strong emotions through facial expressions like steady gazes, soft eyes, and subtle tension in the face. I’ll also explore powerful body language such as upright posture, open stances, and hands placed firmly to show inner strength. My camera angles will often tilt slightly upward, placing the subject on a higher level to symbolize confidence and self-worth. The background and clothing will use strong primary colors like red, yellow, or orange to create a sense of energy, boldness, and individuality.

By doing this, I hope to capture what truly makes people special—not their surface appearance, but the emotions, personality, and presence they bring into the world.

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Annie Leibovitz explores many themes using staged settings, strong lighting, and symbolic composition. One photograph that connects to a similar emotional message is inspired by Frida Kahlo, the famous Mexican painter known for expressing pain and strength through self-portraiture. Although Annie never photographed Frida herself, she has created portraits influenced by Frida’s unique style. These portraits often feature models or celebrities dressed and posed in ways that reflect Frida’s spirit. In one such image, a woman styled like Frida sits calmly, surrounded by natural elements and rich textures. This scene represents both vulnerability and power, much like Frida’s own paintings. The expression on the model’s face is calm but thoughtful, showing deep emotion and self-acceptance. The use of bold colors and traditional clothing honors Frida’s culture and individuality. Annie uses this setup not just to recreate an image, but to show that the special things in life, like strength, identity, and emotion, go beyond physical appearance.

 

As a photographer, I want to explore the idea of the special things in life. In today’s world, many people are focused on chasing perfection and unrealistic beauty standards, especially on social media. This can leave out people who have different abilities or unique traits, making them feel excluded. But in reality, no one is perfect—and that’s okay. What truly matters is appreciating our confidence, appearance, and talents. The special things in life come from being true to who we are. The purpose of my portraits is to show that every person is unique and deserves to be seen and accepted. Through this theme, I hope people will realize that everyone has something special to offer.

Definition of Portrait

A portrait photograph is a way to show a person’s identity, personality, or story by using elements like lighting, composition, posing, and facial expression. A modern type of portrait is the selfie, where the focus is also on lighting, framing, angles, and how the person presents themselves. Both selfies and traditional portraits give people the ability to control how they are seen, allowing for many styles, emotions, and artistic choices. For instance, a portrait can show feelings like sadness, confusion, peacefulness, or even a mix of different emotions, such as calmness and stress.

One of the most important parts of a portrait is the facial expression. It helps tell a story or set a mood and can be the main symbol in the image. A strong portrait should also avoid having distracting backgrounds, because they can take attention away from the subject’s face and emotions. If the background stands out too much, viewers might miss the deeper meaning or message behind the photo.

There is no exact rule for what makes a “perfect” portrait. Instead, it depends on what the photographer wants to show—their ideas, feelings, and creative vision. A powerful portrait often comes from breaking traditional rules and exploring new styles. Trying out different techniques and focusing on what matters to the photographer is what makes a portrait unique and meaningful.

A good method in portrait photography is to take close-up shots of parts of the face—like the eyes, mouth, or nose—to show small but powerful details. Still, it’s also okay to experiment with different angles or styles beyond just facial expressions. As artist John Baldessari once said, “I will not make any more boring art,” which encourages creativity and change in photography.

So, it’s okay to play around with things like blurring the image, changing colors, or even making the photo look torn or faded. If all portraits followed the same old style of showing a perfectly clear face, photography would lose its creative edge. Using abstract styles in portraits can make them more interesting and can even start new trends in visual art.