Sociological Perspective

The following photographs were inspired by Lauren Greenfield and her work, Girl Culture.  She is a documentary photographer who explores girls in society with a focus on eating disorders and gender identity.  I am especially interested in the social impact of her photographs and how they have a social message behind them.  For example, her series Thin explores eating disorders among women and the message is that there is a problem with the way beauty is viewed in our society.  While Lauren Greenfield leaves her images open to interpretation of that message, I decided to add words to my images in order to create a more direct message.  My images have a specific role of representing how media instills these ideas into females at a young age and the pressure to look like models we see in magazines or on TV.  These ideas are unrealistic however, media makes them appear to be possible and desirable...as long as you buy their products and skip a few meals of course.  This leads to unhealthy lifestyles and low self esteem.

This image represents the socialized idea that women have specific roles in society.  Women are given their identity rather than creating one for themselves.  Society has certain expectations for females and their purpose.

This image represents the viewpoint of women in society.  I added the text in order to add meaning to the photograph, that is, the idea that woman are treated differently than men and have different and specific roles.  These roles include the pressure from society to look beautiful.

I took this photograph in order to show how even babies are subjected to social conformities.  They are already given their identity as girls with fashionable bikinis and sunglasses.  They are being "cultured" as girls in society.

This photograph was taken to represent how unhealthy life styles are glamorized in society.  In society, stick thin is what is beautiful.  Barbie is obviously a child's toy which shows how early on this idea that a perfect figure is what makes someone beautiful is instilled in us.  We are socialized to think this way from a young child, even unconsciously.

This photograph represents the social/media impact on young girls in society.  This particular magazine is filled with articles teaching girls how to be sexier or how to better "please" their men.  I created the fading around the edges to put more emphasis on the magazine and to represent the lens of society, the socialized idea that women have a purpose to please men.

This image represents what society deems perfect and beautiful.  I made the faces distorted to represent how these ideas are unrealistic.  Society puts immense pressure on girls to look like these "perfect" models when in reality, it is only a product of airbrushing and editing to create what we are taught is "beautiful."

Lighting

To explore the element of light I photographed the object out in the sun with the light hitting the object and emphasizing the shine of the glass.

Texture

To explore the element of texture I placed the object on top of different textures to compare the differences.

Color

To explore the element of color, I created a background that was the same color as the object to emphasize the colors pink and red.  I also placed different objects of the same color next to the object.

Lines-pattern

I chose to explore the element of lines.  I photographed this building because it has a unique pattern.

Perspective