Photoanalysis

In this project I seek to be a blank slate and conduit for the favorite personal and photographic styles of each photographer, allowing him/her to lead the discussion so that each photoanalysis becomes centered on the theme of what the photographer values. This can lead to a modification of the standard model/photographer relationship and discussion vector through the schema of the therapist/client relationship. The photographer articulates his or her process and psychology, I explore my position as model/object, and the shoot often goes in surprising directions.

Below are excerpts from photoanalysis sessions which in their final presentation will include a mix of photographs taken of me, videos, analyses, and audio clips.

Oreste Schiavone: Danger Dreams
Nightmares turned to prophecies, psychological intimacy of shooting, electricity and showers

“Ultimately I’m engaged in the psychological processes. Like with sculpting – with the arm you just moved grab your skirt and hold it down – imagine there’s a flashlight projecting outwards from you – your entire head – your head is in a glass and you need to project your entire skull out like a lightbulb – can you do that? Keep doing that lightbulb all the way to the empire state building – pull the skirt down from the center…Photography is a journey of emotions and the final picture maybe the result of 8 hours. Sometimes there’s a lot of talking. Some of these girls I don’t know if they’re lying to me but they tell me all this crap. One girl said she’s a sex slave and I’m like really? One girl when she first started modeling had a lot of anger and you can see it in the pictures, in her eyes. It was a very deep anger that she wanted me to see.” – Oreste

Mathias Goldstein: The Last Sitting
Marilyn Monroe’s scarf, the perfect environment for seduction, and let’s pretend you’re my girlfriend

“‘It was late. All of her assistants were in the other room. My dexedrine was beginning to wear thin. I could feel fatigue creeping in. There was no reason to take any more pictures, I had shot everything I could. Marilyn moved.’ After the shoot she’s just kinda lying there, just waiting. ‘She was just laying beside me peacefully eyes closed. Maybe she wanted it.’ This is my favorite: ‘Maybe she was just waiting for me to… after all, why had she lifted up the veil and let me throw everybody out of the room? She had been in the mood for something. But what? Maybe I should kiss her. Why not? I leaned over her as my lips touched her she turned slightly away No, she said. My heart sank I felt defeated. But Marilyn did move. She didn’t scream, she didn’t sit up and slap me she just crept back into her trance.’ So first he’s really defeated but, and this is like my favorite line in the entire book: ‘But if she’d been insulted wouldn’t she have just gotten up and left? She didn’t want to kiss dot dot dot but maybe she wanted to make love. And then I put my hand under the sheet and touched her skin. The room stopped moving the room became silent and she nestled closer.’ And just like for me reading this and being like, can you imagine like if fucking Marilyn Monroe nestled closer to you what would be going on in your head you know? ‘The energy between us was magic, we were inches way from pure erotic pleasure.’ This is like porn you know! So like I read this and I was like, sign me up. Anyway, he doesn’t end up sleeping with her.” – Mathias (reading and commenting on The Last Sitting by Bert Stern)

Eddie Elmi: Just a glimpse
Opening up, the erotics of implication, and having fun

“Photography gets me high and naturally and turns me on, shooting the beautiful natural curves of a woman is enticing to any photographer. I am like an open book, things come and go so rapidly for me that nothing is every out of bounds to discuss. I always come back to the fantasy of my being a king with many wives.” – Eddie

Christian Johnston: The Portrait
American portraiture, existential death, and finding out who you really are

“When it comes to portraiture….I feel my style is very old school. I try to do portraits that don’t feel synthetic or like a “stock” photo. I try to make the subject feel completely at ease with me and open up. I want the viewer to feel that there is a strong connection with the eyes. I love portraits that are from the 19th Century….there is an element of that in my style. With fashion I also want the model to make a connection with their eyes……not just a vacancy….you want to feel that the eyes are genuinely looking at you and there’s a connection. Sexuality is usually present and somewhat evident.” – Christian

Jon Apostol: Hotel Stories
Subversive photography, glamour addiction, staying at the Nolitan

“My photography style isn’t a reflection of your personality. Everything looks too perfect with a great amount of symmetry in the composition. There might be a bit more truth in my clown series in my personal work which reflects a bit of my quirkiness. . . yet there is still a bit of seriousness to them. But then again, I’m in the midst of changing the more addictive personality traits.” – Jon

The Black Series
Lost photos, celebrity, and will you sleep with me?

I’m in the land of sex and drugs and alcohol in the art world. You’ll look really nice naked and taking notes. i would think you’re pretty. Usually my therapists aren’t pretty. Everyone has their issues of infidelity or complacency of getting turned on by the weirdest things of being with beautiful women of working with beautiful women but wanting normalcy which doesn’t always work and wanting fame and success. Obviously infidelity and faithfulness come along with that. Men are born as hunters. – Anonymous photographer