Series Statement: Rebecca's Style

Initially, I wanted to take pictures of clothing in general, but that was too general (obviously). Then the idea progressed to show how people express themselves through clothing. I was happy with that, but I never had the time to ask other people other than my twin sister, Rebecca, to model for me. So this series represents her style of clothing, which is mostly preppy, but also comfortable and casual.

I wanted to capture her style as well as the environment that might fit well with it. Several of the pictures show her in her bedroom, on the computer, with her backpack, etc. These only made sense because, as a student, she spends a lot of her time doing homework in her room. I tried to switch things up a little by moving her outside, which she handled well, despite the colder weather.

I don't mind doing portraiture; I actually enjoy it. My main concern with it is finding a model who is willing to be shifted and prodded, and who can sit patiently through all my preparation, set-up, and adjustments. Another problem I have is that I sometimes don't know how to vocalize what I want the model to do, how I would like her to stand, where she should place her hands, how she should turn her head, etc. It often happens that I move away from the camera and adjust the model myself because I'm unsure of how to instruct her. I also have trouble with making her smile or hold a certain face long enough for me to capture it. In part, I think I just need to work with people more so I can practice different techniques and find what works best for me. This series has helped me a little to do that.