/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

>>10318613
unusual lens focus can put the subject's face at a foggy distance

>>10318615
gravity may be defied

>>10318616
"reality" in such disorienting, distorted, or dreamlike portraits is explicitly subjective. the artifice is not hidden, the way one might subtly edit a photo to decrease skin imperfections or enhance color. these are overtly "manipulated" in some way that invites interpretation.

>>10318619

>>10318620
even if it is just the angle of the photo that is unconventional, the disorienting effect makes an impact

>>10318621

>>10318623

>>10318625
here, the distortion is mostly centered on the woman behind the subject. such "glitching" mirrors the vaporwave-like aesthetic of the subject's shirt, which has another face, more serene, on it

>>10318627

>>10318629
colors pull apart, creating doubles of the subject

>>10318632
or color seems to avoid the subject

>>10318633
blending into the environment

>>10318634
there can be an anti-3D feeling as subject and environment merge

>>10318635
shadows and dopplegangers

>>10318637
reflections acting on their own

>>10318640
another "flattened" 3D space

>>10318642
headless subjects

>>10318643

>>10318644

>>10318646
too many heads!

>>10318649

>>10318652

>>10318653
sometimes it feels like falling into someone else's dream

>>10318654

>>10318656

>>10318658
who is behind the subjects?

>>10318659
false injuries are a common theme for these uncanny or dreamlike portraits. alternative fashion lets us express ourselves, and unusual or stylistically-edited photography expresses a subjective rather than an objective world. conveying a sense of the subject having been injured can reveal what words or regular life does not show.

>>10318662
wearing manga, with writing on her face

>>10318665

>>10318667

>>10318717
lolita especially seems to easily evoke dreamworlds, compared with other fashion styles

>>10318719

>>10318723
"upside down" portraits may be the easiest way to skew perspective to disorient the viewer

>>10318725

>>10318756

>>10321191

>>10318613
You again! Your threads are always really cool. Keep it up and thanks anon.

>>10322179
continuing the theme of "disorientation"

>>10322190
thank you

>>10323276

>>10323280
gravity can also be defied by placing the subject of the image in an unlikely space relative to the environment

>>10323284

>>10323287
another disorienting type of photo uses shadow for ominous effect

>>10323937

>>10323938
when the subject is "hiding" from the light, i wonder why. it may represent shyness, or the secret world of underground fashion. it may also be to create a feeling of a haunted, or a haunting, soul.

>>10323940

>>10323941

>>10324487

>>10324489

>>10324494
there is a defiance sometimes in such portraits, as though the subject resists being seen, or is challenging the viewer in another way

>>10324623
the use of shadows helps portraits that are heavily edited, softening the unreality of the subject.

in some portraits, the subject is clearly edited to resemble more of a work of art than a human being. the defiance of lurking in shadow, with the addition of being editorially transformed, insists that the viewer see the subject on the subject's own terms. the camera is not representing objective reality, but subjective reality.

>>10324624

>>10324626
the defiant facial expressions we remember from "oldschool" Harajuku street snaps are not compatible with selfie-oriented media. however, rebellion is inherent to street fashion.

using techniques to disorient the viewer can imbue a portrait with some of that rebellious spirit. choice of location can intensify that, and make an image that is confrontational or outright combative.

>>10324643
this portrait uses the uncanny image of a hyper-stylized subject, which is a trendy way of distorting perspective, even when the angle is straightforward and the lighting is even. the location of the portrait clashes with the subject's coordinate; "being where you aren't supposed to be" can be literal like the above portrait or more thematic like this one. the effect is to challenge the viewer.

>>10324644
a disorienting angle, while the subject is wearing lolita in a filled bathtub, seems to suggest comfort with an alternative way of being in the world. what may look strange to the viewer is not a big deal for the subject.

>>10324645
here are some more portraits that seem to embody a sense of defiance or conflict

>>10324646

>>10324647

>>10324648

>>10324649

>>10324650

>>10324652

>>10324655

>>10324656

>>10324659
this subject is not only defiant, she refuses to cooperate with reality at all. is the miniature twin a projection of herself, or is it something brought to the scene by the one whose lens is our perspective?

>>10324660

>>10324662

>>10324663
text in the environment can enhance the anti-authoritarian image of the subject as an alternative fashionista

>>10324664

>>10324665

>>10324666

>>10326048

>>10326049

>>10326051

>>10326053

>>10326056
the squat seems a common choice for "defiant" type images

>>10326058
there are others which can be very effective as well

>>10326059

>>10326060

>>10318613
"Are you ready for the summer"!?

a subject that does not cooperate with the traditional perspective (of the camera or of the passerby) can provoke engagement in a way that a standard beauty portraiy does not.

>>10327055
>portraiy
*portrait

i have been focusing on how such portraits engage the viewers to contemplate the defiant inner world of the subject. however, defying social norms also causes isolation. as much as the subject may refuse the gaze of the viewer, such combativeness often accompanies alienation.

>>10327175
i think these next few portraits portray the type of isolation often felt by people who wear anti-normative clothes. scenes empty of other people, where the subject is not close to the lens, help convey this feeling.

>>10327182

>>10327184

>>10327185

>>10327186
posing conveys the state of mind of the subject as well. most in these "alone" portraits are standing still, but here the subject seems pulled downward.

>>10327187
sometimes the gaze is directed upward, but without the common pose of reaching upward. with her arms at her side, this subject seems not to experience wonder in her isolation, but sadness.

>>10327189

>>10327190

>>10327191

>>10327192
from a lowered perspective, these alley walls seem to be closing inward.

>>10327193
more open spaces can also enhance an isolated feeling

>>10327196

>>10327198

>>10328291

>>10328292

>>10328293

>>10328294
this portrait mimics the "bottom of the stairwell" types of portraits by turning the point of view sideways

some portraits with rusting cars

>>10330470

>>10330472

>>10330473

an abandoned car can signify a directionless life or (as the theme of the thread) a defiant one that will not follow old routes.

these are some portraits of more than one subject in settings similar to the "isolated" ones, where the alternative fashion travelers have company in an otherwise lonely space.

>>10331754

>>10331757

>>10331762

>>10331763
glitching together

>>10331766

>>10331767

>>10331769

>>10331772

>>10331781

>>10333027

>>10333719

>>10334606

fences and flowers or hedges serve similar structural functions in portraits. they help isolate the subject from the environment literally, while also suggesting themes such as separation, cultivation, or confinement. the mood of the photo helps establish the tone of the theme.

>>10336024
when the barrier (fence, hedge) limits the depth of the photo, the portrait often has a lonely feeling.

>>10336026
a barrier that is short helps create depth in the portrait, which can convey a less claustrophobic image.

>>10336028
a tall barrier that can be seen through juxtaposes the subject against an inaccessible background.

>>10336029
in this portrait, the fence in front of the subjects implies accessibility, but the subjects themselves are physically blocking the aperture through the inaccessible barrier behind the fence. they seem to guard the entrance while looking directly at the viewer, as if waiting to see if the viewer will pass the entrance test.

>>10336030
sometimes it is unclear which side of the barrier we are viewing the subject from. are we looking through the barrier to peek inside an isolated place, or are we already inside, getting a glimpse of the world outside?

here, the subject seems not interested in what is behind her. or is she protecting the gate?

>>10336034
there are many layers and compartments here, but we are on the subject's side.

>>10336035
this flower hedge is at an angle, which reduces any potential feeling of claustrophobia or confinement. here the separation may be an aesthetic choice rather than an exclusionary or restraining device.

>>10336036

>>10336042

>>10336043
the barrier of flowers is layered as though holding the subject in a deep cushion

>>10336379
in contrast, the harshness of a chain link fence seems more like a cage here

>>10336380

>>10336381
leaning against the barrier

>>10336382

>>10336384
mute and caged, but "singing" anyway

>>10336386

>>10336389
in this portrait the arching hedges almost form the shape of a coffin. the subject's pose and expression suggest repose, and her coord adds to the image of a funeral bier

>>10336394
a green tint to the light

>>10336395
these fences are often sites where public meets private space. when the subject is on the side of the barrier that has pavement, we can imagine they are posing for the photo outside of someone else's property, using it as a background without trespassing.

that functional choice for the portrait can convey different thematic meanings depending on how the photo is composed. the green light above seems like the flowering plants are washing their light over the subjects. in this portrait, the darkness seems harsh, and with the angle of the close-up shot, the subject seems enclosed in the dark.

>>10336398
this subject is not confined. the fence does not extend over the whole background, and the handcuffs are open.

>>10336399
the blurry plant in front of the camera suggests an enclosure, just as the trimmed hedge suggests cultivation and care.

>>10336421

>>10336426
an angled barrier permits depth of the visual field

>>10336428
facing and grabbing the fence conveys a struggle of some kind

>>10336429
in this portrait, the barrier is between the viewer and the subject, who grabs the fence as if wanting to move it or move beyond it. on this side of the barrier, the theme of captivity seems strong.

>>10336430
at a zoo where the barrier forms a corner, a coord with cute bear ears gives this portrait a captivity theme.

>>10336433

>>10336434

>>10336435

>>10336437
the barrier's end

to close the thread, here are portraits where the subject is in a strange context. here, the subject is laid to rest as if in a coffin, but it is a playground slide.

>>10337792

>>10337794

>>10337795

>>10337796

>>10337800
a dreamy bed in the water, more lived-in than what we see in the OP, and closer to shore. this subject is comfortable dreaming on the liminal space of the shore.

new thread >>10337835