I'm developing a narrative here, one about how I created a space for myself to step into my artwork, to be my own subject, to examine that subject as something wholly external to me, and yet also learning to take on the responsibilities of that image-making. It's most likely becoming clear that I developed insights … Continue reading Another Viewer
Author: Allie Carr
The Last Three Images: Mlle de Bremont
The final image I'm presenting here, is the last one I completed, but the penultimate of the set. I got together the outfit and props for the tenth image, but time ran out and I did not get to rearrange the last shoot. It was difficult to get the studio booked and gather together my … Continue reading The Last Three Images: Mlle de Bremont
The Last Three Images: Erni Erika
What's noticeable in these images, which I haven't yet mentioned, is that I grew my short cropped hair into a pageboy bob in the second year at college, and just before I left for grad school I got a fringe (bangs) and dyed my hair black, channelling my new favourite star, Louise Brooks. This project … Continue reading The Last Three Images: Erni Erika
The Last Three Images: Getty Jasonne
Each year at CalArts grad students have their own solo show--I was going to complete the series and show my cigarette cards. And I was also getting a network of friends who supported my project. For each shoot, I was able to have at least a couple of friends there to press the button and … Continue reading The Last Three Images: Getty Jasonne
A Critical Awakening
My first day of grad school--a getting to know each other sharing of our work. I presented the six cigarette card photographs I had made. The conversation was light, and triggered some useful readings. And then, one of the new cohort, voiced her disgust. In these images, she saw an outdated version of how women … Continue reading A Critical Awakening
Les Girls, 2007
Over the college course, I was applying to grad school. I secured a place at a school in London I was interested in, but I really wanted to go to CalArts, so I set my focus on there. Long story short, I applied to start in 2006, but I didn't get in--I was waitlisted. I … Continue reading Les Girls, 2007
Becoming A Photographer?
I have not come close to a professional dance career, but at the time of making the photographs, I was still taking classes at Constance Grant Dance Centre, in my home town, Sheffield, England. I was doing ballet, tap, modern and theatrecraft. Never quite making it to excellence in dancing, but enjoying the fantasy of … Continue reading Becoming A Photographer?
Learning & Researching
In order to get the costumes and poses and lighting just so, I started to find out what I could about the photographs I was copying. The backs of the cards gave a clipped biography of the woman I was recreating, giving me leads of where to look. I scoured eBay for theatre programmes, publicity … Continue reading Learning & Researching
Learning to Pose
And I keep going—over the 2 years of the course. I alternate between shoots and processing and printing the images. Here's another selection from my first semester using the digital back of the Mamiya camera. I was learning how to get my look right, how to copy a pose, as well as the lighting. As … Continue reading Learning to Pose
Getting Going, The Start of an Obsession
I’ve got the cigarette cards—and an idea to recreate them. Coincidentally, I have the means to explore this idea. This was 2005 and after graduating from BA (Hons) Fine Art in 2001 I had immersed myself gallery education and community art, applying my skills so that I could share them with others. I was a … Continue reading Getting Going, The Start of an Obsession