Photo collages

Ambiguity Collage, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photo collage

I created a series of physically manipulated photo collages to represent a conflict of identities and to present the viewer with an ambiguous image in an attempt to frustrate the viewer as they try to identify the gender of the subject.

Does it matter? Opening Night

The private view of my first ever solo exhibition was a huge success, couldn't be happier with how it went.  I performed for the duration of the opening (2 hours) interacting with the audience and engaging them with my work.

Manipulated Portraits

Hide, Chaz Howkins, 2016, acrylic on photograph 

Cover Up, Chaz Howkins, 2016, acrylic on photograph

Burn Out, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photo manipulation

Torn Out, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photo manipulation

I manipulated these portraits using physical methods such as painting, drawing, burning and ripping so that the subject is distorted and their identity is questioned.  I used physical manipulation techniques rather than digital to give the images more presence and make them more personal.

Distorted Bodies

Distorted Bodies - Wide, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photo manipulation

Distorted Bodies - Line, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photo manipulation

Distorted Bodies - Float, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photo manipulation

I used a photocopier to distort these images of myself dressed as Chad.  The intention was to create confusing imagery which distracts the viewer from immediately questioning the gender of the subject.

Chad Photo Shoot

Dramatic Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

Filtered Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

I used a honeycomb flash filter to create these dramatic self portraits.  Though these are successful images and a useful tool in exploring my own gender fluidity, they lack a sense of purpose as the subject appears too authentically male for their gender to be questioned by the viewer.

Chad Photo Shoot

Open Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

Undressing Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

The aim of these images was to create a sense of ambiguity by exposing the centre of the subject's torso to further the viewer's questioning of the subject's gender.

Chad Photo Shoot

Chad On Chair, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

I felt that using a chair as a prop would enable me to create some more masculine poses to add to the effect of gender as performance, which I think worked successfully.

Chad Photo Shoot

Sideboob Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

Chest Tape, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

Chad Frontal, Chaz Howkins, 2016, photograph

I used the continuous lighting studio to create some dramatic self portraits as Chad.  For these images I wanted to masculinise my body my taping down my breasts and covering the nipples.  I think the headless image is particularly interesting due to the sense of ambiguity created by the masculine pose and covered nipples.
I plan to expand on these images in a future shoot in which I will bind my chest or pose fully topless to create a greater sense of ambiguity and gender fluidity.

Digital Triple Exposures

Triple Exposure 1, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photo manipulation 

 Triple Exposure 2, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photo manipulation

Following my series of double exposures of Chaz vs Chad, I realised I was reinforcing the concept of gender as binary, which I don't agree with.  I decided to include three portraits in these photo manipulations so that the two characters weren't just male and female but rather portrayed gender as a spectrum.

Digital Double Exposures

Opposites,  Chaz Howkins, 2015, photo manipulation

Crossover,  Chaz Howkins, 2015, photo manipulation 

Duality,  Chaz Howkins, 2015, photo manipulation

After my frustration and disappointment with attempting to create double exposures using a film camera, I decided to go digital so I could fully realise my intentions of overlaying multiple images of myself dressed up as Chaz and Chad.

Chad Photography

Chad Mugshot, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photograph

Chad Selfie, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photograph

Chad Shadow, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photograph

Chad Neck, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photograph

Long Haired Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photograph

Sleepy Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photograph

These are select images from several photoshoots in which I have dressed up as Chad, my male alter ego.  I enjoy dressing up as Chad as the resulting images are confusing to people who know me as they half recognise the character they are seeing but can't quite place them.  I plan to take this photography further by creating more dramatic/staged images using proper lighting and a clean background.

Photography Workshop

Large Format Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photograph

I created this image using a large format camera, which was very tedious to use as it is such a long and technical process.  Though I enjoyed the photography workshop and found it interesting using various cameras and techniques which were new to me, I was not converted to the world of film cameras as I still believe that anything I could create using film could be created more easily, quickly, cheaply and successfully using digital.

Photography Workshop

Dissected Chad, Chaz Howkins, 2015, photo collage

For this image I cut up my photographic paper before exposing onto it at fragmented, overlapping angles.  I then collaged it back together to make a confusing, disjointed image of an unidentifiable character.