perfection? (2019)
this was an a level photography project inspired by pretty hurts - the opener of self-titled album by beyoncé. it deals with the topic unrealistic beauty standards on social media, especially instagram, and how many people feel pressured to change themselves, even if those changes make them unhappy. i wanted to use this project to spread the message of self love and being happy in your own skin
the list of instagram beauty standards was compiled by blogilates - an eye-opening read
i chose an instagram grid as the display medium, and this was a no-brainer decision as the project was around the toxic beauty standards of social media
the instagram handle is @_what.is.perfection_. unfortunately, instagram has since moved away from the original square grid, so it’s not possible to view the project as intended anymore
the song: beyoncé - pretty hurts
inspiration
the font used in the project was the one used on beyoncé’s self-titled album cover
i was inspired by these collages/digital manipulations i found on pinterest, and this was translated into the eye and lip cutouts
for the blurred face, i was inspired by the idea of the paint smudges on photos that i actually used for another project. i thought the idea was so cool that i needed to use it again