honorable mention
María Norris Esparza spain
title
Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (I)
In this series of pictures I wanted to portray those feelings of anxiety, anger and despair in the over-exaggerated way in which society (mostly men) has seen women throughout history. The portraits are taken as if the women had been captured at the exact pinacle moment of that hysterical tantrum, showing their gestures at their most extreme.
I included four self-portraits, which are actually pictures of a mirror in which you can see my reflection (they're kind of like portraits of a mirror, being the mirror the self-portrait, turning the pictures into some kind of "portrait of a self-portrait"), taken in my back garden using just a piece of blue fabric, a small mirror, and some boxes to hold the camera in an angle in which it wouldn't show.
In order to make the aesthetic match the "madness" theme, the clothes and props are all very colourful and shiny, and the pictures have high levels of saturation and contrast.
Although I love all types of photography, design and art (as well as being quite a science geek), I have really been into portrait photography lately. I take inspiration from filmmakers such as Wes Anderson, Pedro Almodóvar, Stanley Kubrick and Tim Burton; timeless photographers like Cindy Sherman, Richard Avedon, David Lachapelle and Man Ray, and contemporary photographers such as Cole Sprouse, Hana Mendel and Annie Noelker. 60s and 70s psychedelic design and fashion photography are my ultimate source of inspiration, although I like to give those styles my own take when it comes to my work.
I look forward to continue growing in whatever paths I decide to pursue, and I hope that one day I can become an independent designer and photographer that works for magazines, designs music covers and simply enjoys doing what she lives for.
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entry description
"Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios" is the title of a critically-acclaimed Pedro Almodóvar film. An "ataque de nervios" is a psychological phenomenon during which the individual, often female, displays dramatic outpouring of negative emotions and bodily gestures in response to disturbing or upsetting situations, and it has been historically referred to as "hysteria".In this series of pictures I wanted to portray those feelings of anxiety, anger and despair in the over-exaggerated way in which society (mostly men) has seen women throughout history. The portraits are taken as if the women had been captured at the exact pinacle moment of that hysterical tantrum, showing their gestures at their most extreme.
I included four self-portraits, which are actually pictures of a mirror in which you can see my reflection (they're kind of like portraits of a mirror, being the mirror the self-portrait, turning the pictures into some kind of "portrait of a self-portrait"), taken in my back garden using just a piece of blue fabric, a small mirror, and some boxes to hold the camera in an angle in which it wouldn't show.
In order to make the aesthetic match the "madness" theme, the clothes and props are all very colourful and shiny, and the pictures have high levels of saturation and contrast.
about the photographer
Hi, my name is Maria and I am a nineteen-year-old design student at the Complutense University in Madrid. Born and raised in a small seaside town in the south-east of Spain, I moved to the big city just a year ago to pursue my dream in becoming a designer and photographer. Of english father and spanish mother, I have always been inspired by both of my cultures, and I believe that has made me a more open-minded person and artist, and fueled my desire for learning about different countries, cultures and people.Although I love all types of photography, design and art (as well as being quite a science geek), I have really been into portrait photography lately. I take inspiration from filmmakers such as Wes Anderson, Pedro Almodóvar, Stanley Kubrick and Tim Burton; timeless photographers like Cindy Sherman, Richard Avedon, David Lachapelle and Man Ray, and contemporary photographers such as Cole Sprouse, Hana Mendel and Annie Noelker. 60s and 70s psychedelic design and fashion photography are my ultimate source of inspiration, although I like to give those styles my own take when it comes to my work.
I look forward to continue growing in whatever paths I decide to pursue, and I hope that one day I can become an independent designer and photographer that works for magazines, designs music covers and simply enjoys doing what she lives for.
back to gallery