The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own. I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before. In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find. Please DO NOT send me your work. I do not take submissions.
Today’s featured artist: Stef King
Reflection of Beauty is a project I started about 15 years ago. It began as a series called Five Minutes With, which was essentially five minutes with a model in front of the camera. They came to the studio wearing whatever they wanted, with no professional makeup. It was a chance for them to be photographed as they were — to express their own perception of how they wanted to be seen, rather than how a stylist, makeup artist, lighting team, or Photoshop might shape their image.
It was a raw, honest portrait session centered around one question: “What does beauty mean to you?”
At first, the answers were simple — “To me, beauty is a great red lipstick.”, for example. But over the years, those answers have evolved into much more complex reflections, mirroring the growing complexity of that very question:
What does beauty mean to you? What does beauty mean to all of us?
My portrait of Katie (pictured at top) was taken after she underwent brain surgery to replace part of her skull. She explores how that experience has shaped her feelings about herself, her perception of beauty, and how others perceive her.
Onella Muralidharan is a model and fashion influencer in Melbourne, Australia. – “The patterns of my Vitiligo are a reflection of how connected I am to the natural world and the inspiration for my definition of beauty.”
Amy Evans (pictured above in wheelchair) is passionate about fashion, beauty, and horse racing. For her, there has always been a conversation around disability identity: whether one sees themselves as a person with a disability (person-first language) or a disabled person (identity-first language). However, she says, “For me, identity encompasses more than just what people see. My identity is my passion. My identity is Amy!”
Leaning on my greatest strength as a photographer shooting for fitness and beauty portraiture and my internal need to connect with other women on what our perspective of beauty is.
Reflection of Beauty has become something far greater. It’s an exploration of life — how we see ourselves, and how the world sees us.
To see more of this project, click here
Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.
Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.
As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.
