BoB on Location
This is my most recent experiment, creating a bi-gendered being but this time shot on location in the female toilets. Shooting this and creating the montage has been a useful exercise with lots of learning to take away. Firstly, while I did have concerns about the suitability and size of this space I have found that using the mirrors helps to make the space seem larger while also allowing me to show in the reflections elements such as the toilet cubicles to help gender the space. Additionally I like the way that the use of mirrors provides multiple angles of the subject as well as adding to the narrative by having the subject performing their self grooming. Of course, I have also referred previously to the legacy of female, surrealist self-portraits which this image might bring to mind.
Unlike previous reference and test shots of this location which were shot in the evening, the images for this montage were shot on a sunny afternoon. The bright but soft light that comes in from the skylight above the subject changes the mood of the space a little when compared to relying solely on the artificial lights. Overall, I like the aesthetic with pools of light from the ceiling spot lights adding visual interest as well as functional illumination. If I’d had to shoot this after dark, it would be possible to re-create the sun from the skylight by placing a flash gun out of sight in the ceiling light-well. I might still need to add more light shooting in the day though. I had to use a slightly higher ISO (image sensor light sensitivity) setting on the camera than ideal to both freeze any minor movements and retain enough depth of field to keep the scene sharp from front to back. In some situations a shallower depth of field might be suitable, but here my aim is to create an unreal-reality, so I want to have the entire contents represented clearly and accurately.
Although I do like the overall effect and aesthetic of the image above, I now realise that it is probably the wrong combination of body and location. What would be more appropriate would be to have this body in the male toilets and actually using a urinal. In place of the body here in the ladies toilets, I should have a male body with breasts and vulva or perhaps even an entire male body with a female head. This will be my next test shoot, reshooting the scene in the female toilets for a male derived body and shooting a scene in the male toilets with this sort of female derived body we see above.
As one can see from the images here shot in the mens toilet, the space is far smaller however and even using the mirrors it will be more challenging to get a satisfactory image. Only shooting with the subjects in place will show whether or not it is possible, or if another location need be sought. I would personally prefer to use this male toilet however due to the similarities of architecture and interior design with the skylights and light wells.
I have also previously mentioned that using the bodies of myself and my partner for these tests are problematic. In the example above I am concerned that the resulting body is too ambiguous. It is somewhat of a conundrum as if I should specify more “manly” or “womanly” bodies, then I run the risk of employing some of the very same stereotypes that I am seeking to avoid. Having photographed many bodies over the years, it has also become clear how much clothing plays a role in gendering a body, so of course removing clothing from the equation only blurs the boundaries further. I am sure however that I do not want to use clothing as my gender signifiers though, as while I am using the body to represent the psyche, I also want to be able to speak of the embodied experiences of different people.
