TonyWardStudio.com

Daniela Chamorro

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Daniela Chamorro

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……….There’s a big difference between standing in front of a camera, and standing behind one. Needless to say, there’s also a very big difference between being a character, and being yourself. I’ve always struggled with both: finding that line between being the artist and the artist’s creative influence. For this assignment, I spent days thinking and rethinking what I wanted to do. I had to be both the subject and photographer; something I had never been told to do. But more importantly, I wanted to capture the essence of my character. My persona in a photograph.

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Daniela Chamorro

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I’ve always been attracted to the simple and the pure. In other words: the bare. Today’s modern world is full of white noise, and over-the-top exhibition. Rare are the artists that are tempted to capture purity in a photograph. I wanted to incorporate that aspect into my series. Which is why I decided to use a white background. For my self-portraits, any distracting background seemed unnecessary, as well as any overblown clothing or props.

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Daniela Chamorro

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Another component that seemed extremely important is the face. Although many photographers chose to avoid using their face as the main focus, naturally, to me, it is the most important aspect of a self-portrait. I wanted to have my face, and the emotion I put behind each photograph to be clearly evident. Adding this to my previous thoughts, I wanted my face to be the main focus, which is why adding the white background, was essential. Furthermore, I wanted to keep the face in close proximity to the dimensions of the photograph.

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Daniela Chamorro

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There are a few phrases that I live by. Phrases that have been very relevant to the unfolding story that is my life. That’s why I decided to include these phrases into my pictures. I’m also very known to write things on my arms, or hands when it’s on my mind (kind of like using my body as a canvas). Thus, I put both things into play into 4 photographs. The four phrases reveal a small part of me. The fifth photograph (“the thoughts in my head”) really tied in the entire series. I wanted that picture to collect the other photographs to leave in one theme. It put the period in the final statement.

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Daniela Chamorro

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In short, this series was most definitely a challenge, but an interesting one at that. I wanted certain aspects to shine through, most importantly, the simplicity that appears to be each photograph, but the complexity that lies behind it. These series of self-portraits, in all its nakedness, will forever be extremely close to my heart.

About The Author: Daniela Chamorro is a freshmen enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2014 – Copyright 2011

Nicole Malick

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Nicole Malick

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STUDY OF THE SELF

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……….It started with the location. The library on the fifth floor of Provost Tower in Riepe College House peaked my interest the first time I saw it: at two stories tall and equipped with spiral staircases and turquoise accents, I knew it could serve as my mise en scène. What I remained unsure of was the concept to coincide.

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I decided to start with the fashions, since, while the pictures were to be self-portraits, they were also to be fashion images. I interpreted the idea of the “self-fashion-portrait” to mean an expression of my personal style, and thus knew my next step, after settling on the library, was to design my ensembles. I considered texture and shape within the limits of my own wardrobe, which was a challenge at first. It was difficult to stick to a cohesive concept with an ever-developing wardrobe. I feel the outfits in my final pieces are indicative of my personal preferences, and are therefore successful. My reliance on dark bottoms is evident, as is my desire to juxtapose multiple patterns or textures (for example the splatter-paint top with the cut-out design of the heels, or the light denim jacket with the dark wash jean pants). I also highlighted the way my overall appearance is altered depending on my hairstyle – something most are quick to notice after seeing me with curly, wavy, or stick-straight hair.

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Nicole Mallick

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I found the process of photographing myself fun, but challenging. Though I could easily frame the pictures as a friend stood in for me, I couldn’t always position myself correctly, or capture my body in relation to the scene exactly as I pictured it. The biggest challenge was directing the shoot – because I was both giving and taking the constructive criticism after every few shots. The library provided numerous corners, tables, and spaces with which to work, and I tried to capitalize on each angle I could find. In my final images, I feel I captured the different spaces well, without making the image set too disjointed.

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My story for this portfolio is one of exploration. I reinterpreted the idea of studying in a library, surveying the library itself and my relationship with it.

About The Author: Nicole Malick is a freshman enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2014

Ayasha Guerin

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Ayasha Guerin

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LOCATION
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……….This self-portrait spread was shot in my own bedroom. I chose this location for both its personal and impersonal connotations. My bedroom is decorated minimally – with white furniture, spreads and curtains. This block-coloring acts similarly to a studio backdrop, allowing viewers to focus on the fashion that the model (me, in this case) is wearing. However, there are also some color details in my bedroom’s decoration, which serve to develop my brand as a photographer. The polished wooden floor, for example, that attests to the material quality of the brand. Or the wall graphics that I move from room to room (from berlin, to Madrid, to Philadelphia) that reference a certain design culture, and internationality.

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Ayasha Guerin

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STORY

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The photographs tell the story of a young woman getting ready for a party. Many images catch the model in movement, implying that the viewer is receiving an inside view at the life of this young, fashionable party-goer as she prepares for a night of festivities. Neon-colored latex balloons appear next to the vintage silk, beaded and lace fabrics, creating a textural juxtaposition that references the contemporary lifestyle of the brand.

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Ayasha Guerin

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FASHION AND SELECTION

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The fashions displayed were chosen for their unique forms. Most of the collection is vintage, and therefore nearly impossible to locate elsewhere. The camera highlights the fashion items, often cropping out the face of the model. The shots appear to have caught the model “in the act”… the fashion’s relationship with nudity give the items an edge they otherwise wouldn’t have. I reviewed my RAW images several times, before making my photo selections , and switched the “bathtub” shot of the model in profile for a more posed shot with a pink balloon, to give the set more diversity of form.

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Ayasha Guerin

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COLOR

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I layered a black and white version of each picture with a color version and hard light filter to create the specific look of the brand: saturated and solarized.

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Ayasha Guerin

About The Author: Ayasha Guerin is a Candidate for Bachelor in Environmental Studies, Ecological Urbanism; Anthropology Minor at the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2012.

Erica Sachse

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Erica Sachse

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TOM FOOLERY

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……….Tom Foolery is utter nonsense. Goofing off just for the fun of it. Shenanigans, funny business, hanky-panky. Mischievous people doing mischievous things. This series puts a spotlight on the elegant and edgy, the sexy and mysterious, the dark and light sides of tom foolery. In essence, it is a naughty game of hide and seek between the camera and me. I chase pleasure, while the spotlight and lens chase me. Inspired by my fellow vandals on the fashion blogs, this series is a declaration of beauty in misbehavior. Personal pleasure should not be confined to the dark, but instead brought into the light. The spotlight catches me in private moments, baring my hidden assets and the clothing that caresses. I find pleasure in electric yellow stilettos, the cold metal rings on my breasts and the movement of a silk jacket falling from my shoulder. Through these photos I want to the viewer to explore me in segments, to share these moments of intense personal pleasure.

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Erica Sachse

However, having never shot self-portraits before, I found myself faced with a daunting challenge: how to become stylist, photographer and model for a shoot that had a strong creative concept and required intricate execution. I have a lot of experience in styling others and in photography. But modeling – that was the real challenge. I have never thought about how my body looks in photos, how to move to create the right angles, how to position myself in the light – I am always the one doing that for others. After coming up with the concept of the “spotlight” and playing a game of hide and seek, I began asking myself questions. What areas should be dark? Where should the focused light be? How do I make myself interesting and also ensure the frame is intriguing?

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Erica Sachse

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I wanted different settings for my photographs to keep them dynamic: showcase my many personality traits and body segments. The graffiti wall is edgy and is used in a highly sexualized photograph. For the tree setting, I kept my pictures natural, with little styling and a lot of movement. The spotlight was created with a flashlight so that I would easily be able to have it move around. Tom Foolery combines nonsense with absolute truth to focus the viewers on the artistry of personal pleasure and bad behavior.

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Erica Sachse

About The Author: Erica Sachse is a sophomore enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2014

Carolina Ernst

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Carolina Ernst

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Simple Mess.

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………..My brand is about me. It represents me, and what sets me apart as an individual. It is illustrated by my tastes and preferences, and the choices that I have made as an artist to influence how you perceive me.

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My style is simple, feminine and soft. What you see is what you get. What I am selling is the focus. You will look at what I want you to look at because I haven’t given you a choice. The images are cropped so that I choose what you can see. There is nothing extravagant or scandalous. Instead, there is something delicate and feminine about the subject. There are hints of glitz and glam, but they aren’t overdone. They are details that liven the image. The mise-en-scene is minimal and compliant. It frames and supports the subjects. After all, it is about the subject.

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Carolina Ernst

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Yet, my photographs aren’t as simple as they appear. There is something off: slight imperfections that are only noticed with time that make the images beautiful. You have to spend some time with the photographs to notice these faults.

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Carolina Ernst

About The Author: Carolina Ernst is enrolled at The Wharton School of business, University of Pennsylvania – Class of 2012

Amanda Callahan

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Amanda Callahan

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……….Self-portraits are an incredibly intimate experience. As a photographer you get to decide what look you want from the subject, but when the subject is yourself it creates a conflict. As a photographer you want to achieve the artistic goal and as your own model you want to fit that image; however, as a human being you want to feel good about your self-image and that makes self-portraits tricky.

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Amanda Callahan

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I attempted to tear myself away from worrying about the fact that it was me in these images and focus on the way I wanted the spread to play out with any model.

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Amanda Callahan

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The inspiration I got was from Neiman Marcus’s 12-16 page spreads in W magazine. They generally feature an overarching theme of background and props, but the specific details and outfit change in every image. To accomplish that – I used the graffiti park to tie in the location, but each pair of shots has an entirely different background and feel to it.

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Amanda Callahan

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The clothing choice was essentially something bare in one shot, and something winter-style/covered in the dipytych, but with the original outfit underneath. The graffiti and facial expressions add and edge to the photos that brings them into an editorial genre rather than commercial. Overall the images came out different than my original plan, but the location brings out the grit, color and pop – I didn’t think was possible.

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Amanda Callahan

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Looking at myself in the photos, I feel like the model isn’t me, but the photography is. I don’t recognize myself but recognize the style of photo and theme.

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Amanda Callahan

About The Author: Amanda Callahan is enrolled in the School of Engineering and Applied Science; majoring in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania – Class 2013.

Renata Siruckova

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Renata Siruckova

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2:00 AM Cigarette

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While conceptualizing my shoot, I wanted to portray a snapshot of a moment in time. The night is winding down, the lights are blurry, and the alcohol is still pulsing lethargically through a spent body. I wanted to capture the essence of “the drunk girl”, beginning with her having a cigarette after a wild night, and ending with her stepping on the butt of the cigarette. The six photographs were chosen to provide this brief glimpse. They are playful while still emphasizing fashion, whether it is lingerie or high heels. In the photographs, there is never a clear shot of the face, capturing the essence of the drunk and tired moment. There are also many close ups, setting the mood of how the world is viewed while one is intoxicated.

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Renata Siruckova

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Renata Siruckova

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Renata Siruckova

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I found this shoot particularly challenging, since I was simultaneously the model and the photographer. At first, I thought I would just put on an outfit, get in my desired pose, click my clicker and get the shot. I was wrong to think it would be that easy. Setting up lighting on a balcony at night, while the wind is trying to steal your reflector umbrella, is challenging all by itself. Then you find that your clicker is more of a hindrance than a help. The shoot ended up consisting of me running back and forth on my balcony, half naked, setting the self-timer on my camera and rapidly attempting to create some semblance of the shot I had visualized. I definitely acquired a different perspective on photo-shoots through this assignment, and the challenges associated with being both in front and behind the camera. It was interesting to learn more about my own sense of style and aesthetic, and I look forward to developing it in future assignments, behind the camera.

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Renata Siruckova

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Renata Siruckova

About The Author: Renata Siruckova is enrolled in the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2014.

Tara McConachie

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Tara McConachie

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THIS IS ME

………..Though it has been quite a long time since I’d been in front of the camera, I have to admit that I am still shy to pose. I had my mom come with me to the photo shoot for help and support, as she had done so many times with my sister. I don’t know how models do it; they sit, twist, bend and stand still for hours on end just to get the perfect shot. Changing from one outfit to the next, checking my hair, makeup, etc. A models job isn’t as glamorous as it looks – or I am at least not cut out for that type of work. I must have spent a good 3-4 hours trying to perfect certain photos. There came a time during the photo shoot when instead of trying to perfect each photograph, I just let go.

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Tara McConachie

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I was able to sample what models have to go through on a daily/weekly basis. I did not feel like just the photographer on this assignment. I was the model, the hairdresser, the makeup artist, wardrobe stylist, lighting director and much much more. It was a busy afternoon going back and forth from camera to set, but my mom and I had an amazing time and would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

About The Author: Tara McConachie is a Liberal and Professional Studies major, with a concentration in Photography, at the University of Pennsylvania. Class of 2013.

Glasses

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Bonnie Arbittier

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……….I began this experience with an idea in mind, tried to execute it, hated it, and then went back to the original idea.

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To start the story of my experience of this project, I am used to taking photos of myself. Some may call me narcissistic, but I truly believe that one can express one’s true sentiments with a series of self-portraits. I keep a “photo blog” of sorts on my Facebook in which I take a photo every few days and then write as the caption how I am feeling or what is going on. It is a great project that allows me to remember specific days and how I was feeling on those days.

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Full Body

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What I am getting at is that self-portraits are nothing new. However, when I was presented with this project, I wanted to create something innovative and unique and different that is detached from the unoriginal photos I take nearly every day. I wanted to express who I was becoming, but with a twist. So, I thought of all the fashion photographs I have seen, and decided to draw inspiration from Marc Jacobs and Aldo – overexposed, simple, minimalist photos with a zing. I came up with a minimalist theme while using texture and pattern elements and extreme editing. I felt that this style expressed who I am, but with a new spin.

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Shorts Etc.

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I went about setting up the studio with my crazy-colored sheets, and collected clothing from my closet that contained as much colorful patterns as possible. However, when I began taking photos, they turned out to be nothing like I had imagined. I felt that the shoot had gone terribly. I didn’t have time to edit the pictures, because that weekend I was going to my grandmothers to visit with my family.

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Just Shorts

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I ended up bringing my camera to my grandma’s house, and, spur-of-the-moment, I ended up having another photo shoot. I found a huge amount of old clothing that would lend perfect for fashion photography, and my bedroom had some cool mise-en-scene opportunities.

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Shoes

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I came back to campus expecting to use the photographs from my grandmother’s house. However, when I imported all the photos into my computer and began editing, it was the first photo shoot that transformed into something really special and unique, and exactly what I was hoping for when I first came up with the idea. The second shoot seemed boring by comparison. With all of the textiles and patterns, the shoot came together as a story, not just a series of photographs.

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Whoa

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I am excited to continue with this way of shooting photos for all my next assignments. I feel that this idea has opened the door to a lot of possibilities with textiles and patterns and color, of which I cannot wait to explore.

About The Author: Bonnie Arbittier is a sophomore enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2013.