
Whitney Makowski
Art 280- Introduction to Photography
Silver Print; 14″x8.3″
This project of mine turned out to be one of my favorite pieces I have done; with that said, it was also the most frustrating. My focus was to capture myself in the shower because that is my reflection time from a long, stressful day. While I was taking the photos, the process seemed to be a disaster. Water kept getting into my eyes, and I was afraid my camera was going to stop working from water damage (it did not). I took about 75 photos, and I narrowed it down to this exact one. The thing I love most about my image, is how crisp the faucet is. The detail of the water spilling off along with the different reflections on the faucet, is what catches my eye the most.
One of the struggles I faced while working on this project was that I do not like talking pictures of myself, and since I was nude, I was even more vulnerable. This was extremely uncomfortable for me; I almost tossed the idea but I took a few more shots and got out of the shower.
Another struggle was the fear of the image portraying as sexual over vulnerability. In this new age of technology, I was terrified to showcase this picture of myself due to so many individuals who won’t see this image for something more than a naked woman in the shower. But that is exactly why I showcased the image, if I choose to allow those fears dictate who I am as an artist, I will never grow. Instead of backlash, I received support and encouragement, which I am truly grateful and thankful for.