Portraits without people

<p>Hey all,<br>

So I'm really using this post as a creative aid. We have a project for our photography class that we could pick any subject we wanted basically all artistic freedom we just need to have twenty final images. So for my project I decided to do portraits without people. Basically, finding belongings or taking belongs that describe a person and use that as a portrait. So far I have done things like a straightedge and comb for a barber, a crown and sash from a girl that was in a pageant, gear from a tile worker, and a few others. Basically, I just wanted to know of any neat ideas that you guys might try and capture for "Portraits Without People". Also I like the idea of a portrait of someone I might not necessarily know but finding belongs that could still describe someone. Thanks and hopefully you all will help get my creative juices flowing!</p>

<p>Here are a few ideas .. hope they help ...</p>

<ul>

<li>the epaulettes & hat in front of a symbol for their wearer, eg a Ship's captain would be in front of the wheel for a ship .. or maybe on the stern of a boat/yacht ... a picture of an aircraft in flight, with a Captain's hat and apaulettes ...</li>

<li>A nurses hat, injection needle, medicine cup</li>

<li>A doctor's stethescope, BP machine on a white coat ... </li>

<li>a graduates gown with hat and tassle on a stack of books on a desk, or infront of a library</li>

<li>a mechanics wrench, a rag atop a car engine ... </li>

<li>a bucket of water, some sponge, a tin of car wax atop a shiny sports car .. </li>

<li>A builders square, a trowel, a line cord atop a brick wall </li>

<li>an empty bus, a bus ticket at a bus station to signify a bus driver or conductor .. </li>

<li>A half full bag of leaves , a rake, a litter pick on a grass probably beneath a tree or in front of a wel manicured garden, if there is a tractor in the background - great for a landscaper</li>

</ul>

<p>Just a few ideas ..</p>

<p>You could also go shopping at Goodwill and make up your own characters out of old stuff you can buy cheap.</p>

Those are some really good ideas thank you! After being in today's class and messing around in the darkroom I came up

with a fun little thing that I think might be interesting and would like to hear what you think. For instance I took a picture of

a barbers straight edge razor and comb and then a picture of the barber. I then mounted them on top of each other and

exposed them. So therefore I have a portrait representing the person and also the person. Now I would most likely not do

all the pictures like this only a few with the others being regular exposures of "portraits without people" but would like to

know your opinion if you think that might add a new interesting aspect to my work. Unfortunatley I have not learned the

best way to take my prints and get them digitized in order to post which I think would be easier for you to see what I'm

talking about. But hopefully you understand and can give me some good feedback. Thanks again guys this is great to get

help