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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: In the Style of Cindy Sherman (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2016
Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED
Date: Mar 10, 2016
Date Uploaded: Mar 10, 2016

 This was a tough one. Very conflicted about what to do. I really did not want to do a self-portrait (especially on the heels of another one. And the movie series was interesting but didn't inspire me.

So I did a hybrid!

For me, her work is a social commentary on the role of women, and their appearance is a mask they wear to navigate society. Women are incredibly pressured to conform to idealized roles and narrowly-defined ideas of beauty, creating a lot of angst to be the right size, the right weight, the right age, the right color, the right style. To the point that we can no longer see our own natural beauty.

And since most of us do not come close to any of these absurd parameters, it is torture to try to fit into them. It's enough to kill anyone's spirit.

I love this image and fully expect it to bomb.

Well this was a pleasant surprise!! Thank you for your generous comments and votes!

Susan: the title is a play on the word "conforming", as in conforming to the norm, and has nothing to do with horses and sewing machines :)

Statistics
Place: 2 out of 30
Avg (all users): 7.4262
Avg (commenters): 8.8000
Avg (participants): 7.7000
Avg (non-participants): 7.2927
Views since voting: 2554
Views during voting: 214
Votes: 61
Comments: 20
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 03/21/2016 04:59:08 PM
Congratulations, Lovely image and a wonderful thought behind the image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/20/2016 10:15:18 PM
I find this so intriguing and so disturbing. ha... Yet I think it is very much in the style of Cindy Sherman. Well done. I can't imagine the setup and patience to make this happen. Kudos and congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/20/2016 08:49:24 PM
Congrats, Johanna! This was perfect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/18/2016 09:11:43 PM
Grats on the red, Johanna! I have to admit the title confused me a little...as a onetime horse professional, to me the word 'Conformation' is all about how well a horse is put together. A horse with good conformation, a good blending of angles and body parts, is a joy to ride. A horse with poor conformation can feel like riding a sewing machine while it's falling down a hill.

So, in this sense, I thought you were referring to how the girl herself is put together - as it is, she is lacing herself into a corset.

But maybe you meant to convey the sense of Confirmation instead, which is entirely different - the model is looking at the head and wig as though affirming that she too is meeting the rigid sense of beauty so prevalent in society? So which is it?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/18/2016 08:42:50 PM
Fully expect it to bomb?? I thought it was awesome. 9 from me. I thought it would get the blue. :)

Huge congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/18/2016 04:25:57 PM
Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/18/2016 01:30:16 PM
Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/18/2016 04:59:05 AM
I really liked this - it communicated its message well. Congratulations on the Red.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/18/2016 01:34:50 AM
Congrats on the red Johanna! Wonderful set-up & shot and your comments are spot on. Where did you come up with all those shoes??
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/17/2016 10:37:09 PM
Great set-up; so much to take in. Nicely done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2016 10:03:38 PM
Lovely work. Top 3.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/17/2016 09:25:11 PM
I like the mannequin feel and vexing story.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/16/2016 11:25:46 PM
she looks doll-like, or rather trapped inside a doll. appropriate for the challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/15/2016 01:23:26 PM
Yes, great job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2016 09:42:43 PM
9 from me
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/13/2016 10:17:08 AM
Nice composition and well light good luck. I gave an 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2016 10:24:29 PM
Very nice composition. Superb B/W I give 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2016 05:51:53 PM
Love it, all the things to look at, looks like you built a story around this person, the clothes, shoes, the point of the toes and the window frame. There's a great light to this and an underlying darkness that I see in many of Cindy Sherman's photos.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2016 09:19:39 AM
Great set-up this is one of my favorites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/11/2016 06:43:16 AM
Nicely put together. Very enjoyable!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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