Reflection photography is a type of genre in photography that creates symmetry by using reflective surfaces such as mirrors and glass. Reflection in photographs not only emphasizes symmetry but also creates uniqueness and creativity, which makes the viewers think more about the photograph. There are several types of reflection: water reflection, self-reflection, reflections of fashion, and distorted reflections.

Rules of Thirds

• editing tools- lower the level of light & higher the level of colors, saturation
• balance in colors (similar colors between the subject & the flower (pink, magenta, purple)-creating harmonious
• contrast in colors between the green leaves & the  flowers or the subject
• rule of thirds (the subject is set on the left of the photo)

Symmetry and Patterns

• symmetry and patterns
• various lines & direction of lines

• Higher the saturation & vibrance
• lower warmth
• leading lines
• patterns & shapes
• contrast in colors (background & foreground)
• rule of thirds (the subject is on the right)

Framing

• perspective
• negative space
• rule of thirds
• cool colors, mood
• visual irony (subject inside Long Long’s mouth)

• perspective
• composition & framing (the camera was above the subject)
• lines
• depth (between books and books)
• lines
• contrast between dark colors and bright colors

Depth of Field

• Sharpen the subject; the focus is well shown toward the subject
• Reflection from the green light
• contrast in colors (pink vs green)
• cropping
• lowering the light
• vivid colors & dark colors

Negative Space

• editing technique- tilting the angle
• cropping
• lowering the light level
• increasing the saturation level
• contrast in colors (black vs vivid colors)
• shapes and patterns
• framing, perspective
• negative space
• leading line of shadow
• use of bold, bright, and vivid colors

• editing tools- lowering light
•  editing tools-highering hue, highering saturation
• negative space in the background
• contrast in white, black, and pink/red
• a boundary line between white and black

Perspective

• perspective (the subject seems as if it is lying on the ground and putting its leg on the wall)
• cool tones
• negative space
• lines
• cropping
• lowering the saturation, light
• vivid colors

• perspective
• cropping
• editing tools–tilting, lightning
• negative space
• lines

Balance

• balance
• cropping
• lowering the light
• lines
• contrast between the colors pink and white
• shapes (triangles) , patterns
• rule of thirds, the subject is in the center of the photograph

The theme of my portrait photography is the chaos between anger and depression. The girl in the image is my second sister, who is currently a senior and stressed about studying for and taking college tests.  From this photo, I interpreted her current thoughts and mental conditions as a process of depression turning to anger.  I used a mix of red light and green light in the photo to represent the emotion. The red symbolizes anger, and green symbolizes the emotion between anger and depression. The center and the lower part of her face, like her mouth and nose, are red, and the upper part, like the forehead, and her hair’s color is green because of the light reflection. I also used some small pieces of paper to describe how she is stressed and going through challenges because of test papers. There are several pieces of paper on the photo, one on her nose, and others on her hair. I placed the paper on her nose because I wanted to emphasize the paper in the image, and the nose is the center of her face, which effectively highlights the paper. Additionally, I styled her hair to appear disheveled, emphasizing the stress she was experiencing from her studies.  Also, her facial expression is clearly visible in the photo. She is spacing out and zoning out, which lends a more serious and cold mood to the photo. There are several elements I focused on in this photo, but I primarily aimed to showcase the creative and diverse colors of lightning. While taking the photo, I struggled to mix the two lights because I didn’t know where to set the lamp. I tried placing the lamp in various locations and found the perfect spot that will make my photo look interesting and appealing.

The subject of the photograph is my oldest sister, sitting in the center of the image. The two different colors of lightning in the image, blue and red, are very noticeable. The color of the background clearly shows contrast in colors. The left side of the background is blue, showing depression, and the right side is red, which indicates anxiety. Additionally, the face exhibits contrast in lighting. If we examine the photo more closely, her eyebrows, bags, and cheeks are blue, and her blush is red. I was able to make part of her face blue by adding highlighter to her face and using a blue light screen. The blue eye bags make her face appear more depressed, sad, and exhausted, which aligns well with my theme. The photo shows high contrast in colors between blue and red.

In this photo, I experimented with how shadows can enhance portrait photography. I focused on making the shadows on Amber’s face. In the left photo, the leaf shadow on her right eye made the photo more unique and made it creative. Also, the photo on the right, the leaf shadow under her eyes, reminds me of the shape of tears. At first, it was difficult to create a shadow on her face because I did not know how to form a clear and unique shape of shadows on someone’s face. However, after lots of practice, I was able to achieve this result.

In this photo, I experimented with how movements and hand gestures can impact the image. I focused on showing the gestures and pose while taking this photo. The pose, where she raises her hands, and the shadow of her hands, make the photo stand out. Additionally, her smiling facial expression made the portrait’s mood more positive. The photo of the right-hand gesture that reminds me of a microscope is interesting and humorous. It was difficult to think of a gesture at first, but as I practiced, my photo skills improved.

In this photo, I experimented with how colors and different shades of shadows can affect the image. I focused on the orange color shadows and the lightning on her face. The two orange cones beside her face made an orange shadow on her face. Also, the natural sunlight on her face made two colors of lightning. In the photo above, the boundary of the color shadows is diagonal, which makes it more interesting.

In this photo, I tested how it would show a difference if there were additional objects around someone. I focused on her facial expression, gestures, and the additional object, the autumn leaves. The photo appears full, and its atmosphere symbolizes happiness and joy.

Lee Kirby

Lee Kirby is a contemporary British photographer whose portrait work is known for using projected imagery and movement to create layered, atmospheric “real‑life double exposures.” His portraits often blur the boundary between photography, painting, and graphic design, especially in music, fashion, and experimental projection projects.

Kirby is a freelance photographer based in London, originally from Norwich, with a background in both photography and art education. He describes his work as covering “a bit of everything,” but with a consistent emphasis on fashion, music, and portrait photography. His portfolio also includes nature, landscape, travel, and advertising commissions, showing an ease in moving between commercial and personal work.

Within contemporary portrait photography, Kirby’s work sits at the intersection of fashion, music imagery, and experimental projection art. His practice reflects a broader trend of treating the portrait as a layered surface—combining body, projected media, and motion—rather than a neutral record of an individual, aligning him with photographers who use in‑camera effects to question the stability of photographic identity.

Common visual traits in Kirby’s portraits include:

• Strong, high‑contrast lighting that makes projected forms stand out crisply on skin and clothing.​

• Simplified poses, often with faces turned away or partially obscured, to keep attention on the projected image and overall composition rather than on recognisable expression alone.​

• A limited, often moody color palette and careful framing, which give even commercial portraits a slightly surreal, editorial feel.​

Mind Map

Mood Board

The title of this project is “Deep in One’s Heart.”

The societal issue I want to explore with my photographs is the mental health crisis, especially among young people, that has occurred because of the rising rates of anxiety, loneliness, and depression.

I want my audience to understand and feel empathy about the mental health crisis by looking at my portrait photography I captured. I also want the audience to feel that the photo is creative and unique.

I will draw inspiration and develop my ideas by searching for photographs that utilize high-quality lighting techniques, effective composition, and body movements, such as the movement of hands, hair, fingers, and eyes.

A portrait is an artwork of a person or people that shows a particular impression of a person’s identity or their story and thoughts.  The main theme and topic in portrait photography are always the person themselves, which means that, unlike abstract photography, portrait photography has a clear concept and main idea. To make a particular photograph a portrait, it should contain a human as the foreground and other additional elements as the background. In a portrait, making the subject people stand out is important and essential.

I think selfies can be considered a form of portrait, because they are also capable of capturing a particular person or people’s identity and their story.  In a portrait, a person and an interesting element that can capture the audience’s attention should be included. To make a good portrait, a unique and attractive concept and elements are vital. People might think the outer beauty and appearance are important in a portrait, but I believe it’s the creativity and intriguing elements that make a photo stand out and look good.

A portrait can consist of a small detail only, such as a close-up of a hand, because portraiture is about representing identity, personality, or presence, not just faces. Even though someone’s face is not directly captured in the photograph, detail shots—like hands, eyes, or gestures—can convey emotion and tell a personal story. The photo below is an example of a portrait that consists of a small detail, namely an eye. The photo shows the mood and conveys emotions and identity.

A portrait remains a more abstract representation as long as the specific identity of the sitter is the primary information the image is designed to convey or preserve. For example, a blurred figure, or a photograph of a person that has been torn, ripped, or faded can make the image become a portrait. The photo below is captured by Bill Jacobson. Each photograph depicts a man’s face, its edges and features blurred and softened in a painterly style that reflected Jacobson’s preoccupation with loss and mortality in the early 1990s. Jacobson conveys the sense of futility in trying to capture a human likeness in memory or portraiture.

A portrait does not have to be a single photograph; it can be a series of photographs. Having a sequence of images in portraits makes the photo feel alive and tells the main idea of the photo more clearly. The photo on the left is a portrait captured by Lee Kirby. Lee Kirby used a series of photographs in a portrait photograph. The variation in a person’s arm gestures made the photo more aesthetically pleasing and interesting. The photo on the right is a series of photographs of a young woman captured by Lorna Limpson. The change of a young woman’s hairstyle makes the portrait more interesting and creative.

It possible to represent a person photographically without them being present in the image when you are capturing a photograph. For example, a photographer Sophie Calle took a photo of people’s beloning.  With this freedom she documented, in writing and with the use of photography, different belongings she found within the rooms. Being the chamber maid she was allowed an insight into how the guests lived as things were left untouched exactly how the guest had left it. By photographing current belongings positioned by the actual people Calle creates frankness in her work.