Filed under: Rollins College
Caitlin Vyborny
ART 300 Photography II
Digital Prints; 8.5″ x 11″
Unfinished series…will be about 24 images
These images are exploring the Western ideas of gender roles. I am playing off advertisement adds in magazines (over sexualized and demeaning use of women), which are perfect examples of what is excepted culturally. But I am switching the gender roles. I want to see how this change affects the viewer, and if they pick up on these underlying social issues. Our society is overloaded by images everyday, but there is a lack of gender equality in these images.
Both of these images were inspired by real adds. But that is a female posing in the boxers. With the other image I was inspired by an offence add where the female was on her knees and the male was standing. I simply switched this. And want to know how the viewer responds.
11 Comments so far
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This is so interesting! The shadows create a really strong image. I like the prominent black and red colors in the first image. I think that composition wise these photos are very eye catching, and the fact that they are portraying the reversal of gender roles keeps the viewer engaged. In a society that portrays women in a derogatory sense as a norm, these photos really stand out. I love the overall idea, and how you used light, color, shadows and body placement to intrigue viewers and powerfully portray your theme. The series feels incomplete, would like to see more photos. Well done!
Comment by Teresa Cage November 7, 2010 @ 7:19 pmThis is a great idea. I especially like how you have defaced them to where one may assume the person in boxers is male, but by small details like fingernail polish we know she is female. I would like to see more. you should check out tom ford advertisements if you haven’t already.
Comment by katelyn November 7, 2010 @ 9:03 pmYou have a really intriguing concept here. My initial response when seeing the first photo was “woah… wait, what? oh…”, and reading your statement really helped me to anchor these photos. I actually didn’t realize that the second photograph was of a female until I read it, and now that I look at it again it seems so obvious. Like I said, I like your concept a lot. Other areas to explore/expand would be to include transgendered individuals, or to include age as an element- imagine that first photo with an old lady instead of a sexy young one…
There’s certainly a lot to be said on this topic. Great work so far.
Comment by Sarah Nemire November 8, 2010 @ 10:40 pmI think that both of your photographs, without description, speak to the advertisement industry. However, I did not immediately realize that their were females in the photos (I’m not sure if you want the female figures to immediately read as female). Both figures in the first photograph seem to be male. The figure wearing the dress and heels has large muscular legs, I honestly thought it was a photo of two men, one possibly dressed in drag. In the second photo, the figure reads as a male with nail polish on. I’m not sure if my comment will be useful, I think you have a really good concept, good luck!
Comment by Alexis Artuso November 9, 2010 @ 10:11 ami love where you’re going with this series. i think it is very interesting and a great commentary on sexualized ads in the media today. when i first saw both images, i assumed the girl was on her knees and the underwear ad was for men. but then i noticed the switch of gender roles which made me read both images completely differently. instead of the woman being weak and on her knees, she is in total control and has power over the whole image. the nails in the second image is what gave it away for me, but i had to look for it. i feel that the top image overall is stronger, but i like where you’re going with this work. keep it up!
Comment by Alyssa November 9, 2010 @ 11:10 ami think your idea is a strong and compelling one but i think there are a couple things you may want to consider in the progression of this series. First the idea of gender roles specifically in media is a heavily explored topic already, in many mediums, so to be effective you need add something to the conversation that is already happening. that being said you work is compelling but i think you need to push it a bit further. the first image seem quite sexual in nature but the woman does seem to be in control, how can you polish and intensify this feeling and the second one seems a bit androgynous. it think you need to push the femininity of your model while putting her at odds with the stereotypical male sexual view. i am very interested to see where this leads.
Comment by Jordan Anderson November 16, 2010 @ 12:49 pmI love the concept a lot, but I think you need something that punches harder. It might be helpful to think about not only illustrating advertisements but also illustrating traditional stereotypes themselves. Also keep in mind that cisgendered people are not the only people that exist, and if you are going to tackle issues of gender, it might be even more compelling to address genders that don’t fit into the current binary system. What about intersexed individuals? What about individuals who feel that they were born in the wrong body? Just something to think about with future work. Keep going! I think what you’re doing is really important.
Comment by RosaLee Ward November 23, 2010 @ 9:17 pmi love the idea, and concept. i feel like the lighting situations does not really fit the imagery, when i think commercial i think big studio lighting set ups, and absolutely no shadows lacking details.
Comment by Nick A November 29, 2010 @ 1:07 pmAside from lighting this is wonderful.
I love the dramatic lighting of these photos. The first one does an exceptionally good job of reversing the gender roles and it is odd to also feel the reversal of power. The woman seems so much more confident and is commanding the attention. I love to see the woman exuding her authority over the man for once instead of the other way around. It’s very intriguing to think about a man being submissive to a woman and made to please her.
Comment by Sarah Ridenour March 20, 2011 @ 8:32 pmI love that these pictures are not easily overlooked. It is definitely rare to see a man bending over in front of high heels. They demand your attention to stop and think of what we expect as women and men. I also like that both of these concepts are depicted from the waist down.
Comment by Lindsay Paluch March 29, 2011 @ 12:12 pmI really like your images. I think they are powerful and prompt the viewer to think without hitting the viewer over the head with a thought. I would love to see this series expanded because I think it would benefit from more images.
Comment by E. K. Levy April 12, 2011 @ 7:49 pm