about the project:
I turned 70: I retired, had been ill for a year, lost 12 kilos and got for the second time in my life size 38 (7.5 US size).
My hair had started to turn grey on my 28th. I never dyed it. My grandma and dear mam had more wrinkles then you can image, like an old shrunken apple. So have I. I never had cosmetic surgery, I never will. And I don't use a lot of make-up. I've never been a beauty, I don't need to become one. I lost a lot of hair due to medication. What is left is thin but shinny.
So now… so what…
I needed to redefine the relationship with the world and with my aging body. I needed to accept that body, I needed to accept a limited outlook in life. I needed a new identity.
So I picked up the camera…
Is there a possibility to make a good esthetic photo of my body, at tje age of 70?
My body as a model is easily available. Model and photographer are a perfect working couple. And it's of equal importance what is happening in front of the camera as well as what is happening behind the camera.
Making a good self-portrait takes time. It should not show the double chin, the wrinkles, etc. I'm searching for the right angle, the right light, to crop or not to crop. The result is an almost graphic image. It's why I work in black and white, to give the composition more power.
Some inspiring photographers:
* Francesca Woodman
* Irving Penn
* Bill Brandt
* Noell Oszvald
* Marcel Duchamp
* Gilbert Garcin
* Edward Weston
and so many others...
Review from LensCulture:
"Your photographs are visually striking. You have a very strong sense of black and white materials and how to create dramatic and arresting images. Each photograph in this selection creates powerful juxtapositions of shape, line, and at times provocative content. I personally find this is a striking group of images. [...]
While your work has some references to the fashion photography of Irving Penn and other greats, I also feel that your images have a unique quality to them Cath. And I am very happy to hear that you are continuing this project. I have a sense this will be an inspiration and enlightening body of work for many."
LensCulture, 18/10/2020.