For our inaugural issue of TIMES, we asked for submissions of work that explore the idea of a ‘Heightened Selfie’.

We expected to receive submissions across different mediums, but a very interesting thing happened: every submission that came in was photography.

We think this says a lot about the term ‘selfie’ and what society at large thinks when they hear the word.

We want to acknowledge that photography is only one of many means by which to explore the concept of ‘self’ and the many facets of that subject. This topic is so broad, that it would hardly be possible to do more than scratch the surface in this online publication.

So, perhaps it’s fortuitous that we were provided an opportunity to focus on this one genre, and to delve a bit deeper into what the practice has to do with self-representation, identity, and process.

We’ve asked each artist to feed back on how their process - and the medium itself - is related to their images.

We’ll be taking a look at various aspects they touched on, and hopefully, we can build up a collective picture of how photographers approach making a ‘heightened selfie’.

IDENTITY AND THE SELFIE

‘Identity’ and ‘self’ go hand-in-hand, so it makes sense that one of the major recurring themes in self-portraiture is the investigation or expression of one’s identity.

Selfie culture arguably exists because as individuals, we feel a need to mark our existence, to understand who we are, to express ourselves in a way that we want to be perceived, to claim things we deeply identify and connect with, and to investigate the ways that we ‘are’ within the world or certain situations.

Jocelyn Allen has worked extensively within the photographic genre of self-portraiture. She documented her pregnancy, and has submitted images from her recent work on motherhood. Collectively, the images serve as documentation of transition, and with a balance of humour and gravity, they explore her navigation of this new role.

Karim Skalli’s images also deal with identity. His images omit the physical self, as he opts instead to build a picture of the photographer through the things he chooses to capture and curate. The mirrored map of the British Isles seen here is from a series entitled Third Space exploring Karims identity as the son of an English mother and a Moroccan father. In the series, archival images, geography (both physical and implied as in the map), the concept of home, and objects work together to present the picture of Karim. The series touches on his cultural, familial, and personal identity.

SELFIE AS AN EMOTIVE TOOL

Self-portraiture is not always about looking inwardly, but can be a powerful tool for evoking or communicating feeling. It can stir empathy in the viewer, highlight humanity’s shared experiences, and create a sense of the subject’s mental state.

Jack Henderson’s images are the result of inward feeling, expressed in an outward, visual way. They begin as words, often associated with negative emotion or thought. He shot the images until the words became the visual manifestation of his emotions.

Collectively, the images convey a dream-like feeling. In one image, he stands at a distance, solitary in a wheat field. His head is turned as he gazes even further out. In another, he sits nude on a bed, facing away from the viewer. On the wall, within a bright slant of sun, is a shadow self. In the image here, his face is again obscured through the blur of motion. What is implied is akin to a scream.

DUALITY AND THE SELFIE

The self is complex. Each of us has many different facets, shaped by experience, preferences, cultural norms, ideologies…

Self-portraiture is one way to present the self as a reflection of multi-dimensionality. Whether to depict a dichotomy, explore a complex notion of personality, or to try and communicate an idea, photography can be a powerful tool for introspection and expression.

In Mado and Grove, Pheobe Riley Law explores the idea of duality. Photographing herself in Japan, she investigates the concept of being both a tourist and a non-tourist.

“Grove was taken in the bamboo glade at Arashiyama, Kyoto and I was thinking about how very famous locations like this have thousands of selfies taken in and around them each day. I wanted to subvert this and look behind the selfie as a format - and the location itself, how its borders are both actual and metaphorical. With Mado, my thoughts were more connected to the roles of public and private space, how they can be performative, as is the selfie format.”

THE MIRROR SELFIE

Google ‘mirror selfie’ and you will find a host of articles with tips on how to pose in flattering ways and accentuate your fashion choices, but taking portraits in mirrors is not a new trend. In fact, it’s one of the earliest uses of the photographic medium. As early as the 1800’s, people were capturing their visages in shiny surfaces.

Lucy Elmes and Blake Storm present two different takes on the time-honoured reflective self-portrait. The ‘mirror’ is used, not simply to reflect themselves, but also their environments. The faint geometric lines in Blake’s image hint at a patient and considered composition. We get the sense of his being alone, placing the emphasis on himself within a space.

The asymmetry, motion, and overlapping elements in Lucy’s image emphasise her intentional pause within a fast-paced and fleeting public environment. Her submission singularly involves the inclusion of other people. By stopping to capture herself in a self-service camera, she’s making a statement about how we are observed by other people and technology. The masks anchor the image to a specific point in time - the COVID-19 era.

WHAT IS A SELFIE, ANYWAY?

The ubiquitous term, basically means a picture we take of ourselves, right? So, what makes it distinct from a self-portrait…or are they actually the same thing?

Is a selfie defined as any snap someone takes in a bathroom mirror? Does it require a pouty face? Does a self-portrait require hours of pre-planning and sketches?

We’re curious to know what you think the definition is…

CONCEPT, EDITING, AND THE SELFIE

Conceptual photography is ultimately about communicating a clear message. For a photographer presenting self, the elements involved must be carefully considered and purposeful.

The concept of self as a subject is not new, but there are many approaches to exploring the subject.

Matthew Keenan’s images meticulously explore various aspects of his self - gender, cultural perceptions, and Northern male identity to name a few. Costuming and the use of props help to strongly cement the ideas being communicated. Combining objects such as an axe and a hair ribbon in a single image, Matthew highlights the way in which inanimate objects and clothing are closely related to associations of gender. Too, the decisions made in capturing the images are vital to the message. This includes the use of a large format camera, which ‘requires that the user goes into a thoughtful space to visualise the images and their possible meanings before they are made’.

Thomas Robinson describes his process as inextricably linked to his self. Working in a series of books allows him to edit and combine writing, photography and manipulated imagery, archival materials, ephemera, and any other subject matter which is deemed relevant to produce the self he wishes to display.

SETTING, INTENTIONALITY, AND THE SELFIE

Natasha Edgington’s images give some insight into the ways in which our surroundings and choices can inform the representation of self. Her reference of a film reminds us that popular culture and the homage are elements that can help shape self-portraiture. These reference serve as a point of shared experience, build depth, and can create a sense of visual intrigue. Someone who understands that visual reference might glean an aspect of the photographer and infer certain things about her interests. That said, someone unfamiliar with her film reference or the cold war architecture that features within it, can still gain some understanding through her choices, which create mood and frame the way in which she is perceived within the space.

There is an interesting play between what is shown and what is concealed. The hotel rooms are unfamiliar spaces, made intimate. She gives us a lot, as we are invited in and provided with the view from a private, hired space. The sleepwear evokes a sense of intimacy or vulnerability. In the foreground of one image, the bed is unmade, a detail which removes formality and lends physicality.

However, these choices are carefully countered by the use of shadow, the fortuitous double exposure in her first image, and her facing away in the second - all of which reinforce a fleeting feeling and the sense of not being able to actually grasp the tangibility of the self within the space.

THE SELFIE AS EVIDENCE

Another common practice in the world of selfie culture is taking a snap at recognisable or impressive locations. These images serve as proof that we saw the thing, had the experience - it is the modern day equivalent of purchasing a souvenir or scrawling I WUZ HERE.

The accessibility of digital cameras through mobile phones and social media has made this largely possible.

Sophie Lethem’s images are like an ephemeral day-dream of her collective experiences. She describes her photographs as ‘things I think I’ll miss one day’.

The objects, buildings, and locations in her images are not mean to to be immediately identified by the viewer, but serve as a visual momento of personal experience. They are bound in nostalgia and celebrate the beauty of the commonplace.

The presence of self in Sophie’s images is not the driving focus for her, as she’s more concerned with the immediate, unplanned composing of a lived scene. She therefore exists within the shots as an element occupying that space.

About TIMES

TIMES is 87 Gallery’s bi-monthly round-up style online publication. Each issue invites you to respond to a theme. There is an open submission process — anyone, anywhere can submit work in any medium. Final selections are featured here on the blog and across our social media.