Ego and Alter Ego Portraits

Sketchbook Research/Brainstorming DUE:_____________________________

In addition to your contact sheets, you will be asked to turn in your sketchbook that shows how you
researched and planned your approach to this portrait shoot before and after you shoot. Here’s what you
need to include in your sketchbook:

First, interview your subject. Ask and record their responses to some of the following questions in your
sketchbook:

1) How do you think people usually approach you as a person? What do they tend to think?
2) How do you see yourself? What adjectives would you use to describe yourself? (Please be specific
here, avoid meaningless adjectives like “fun, cool, etc.”
3) What about yourself are you sure or confident about?
4) What perceptions do you sometimes worry other people might have about you?
5) What do you wish other people really knew or understood about you?
6) What do you wish you could change about yourself on the inside?
7) What do you wish you could change about yourself on the outside?
8) What event from your past are you really proud about? Why?
9) What event from your past do you wish you could change? Why?

Second, brainstorm and illustrate how you will shoot the portraits for both the ego and the alter ego of
your subject, based upon your knowledge of lighting, composition and camera technique.

Here are some of the criteria for this assignment:

1) You will create four final prints for this assignment, two for the ego, and two for the alter ego.
2) Your ego portraits must capture the true, genuine presence of your subject, while your alter ego
portraits must somehow transform your subject’s appearance in a radical way.
3) All portraits must use compositions that somehow emphasize the face and head, but can include
other parts of the body.
4) You must shoot a combination of at least one roll of black and white film, and at least 24 digital
exposures for this assignment.
5) When presenting your subject’s ego or alter ego, you must demonstrate use of the following:
appropriate light quality/amount, use of gesture, consideration of props, attire, and/or costuming
(when necessary), camera use of depth-of-field/focus, and compositional emphasis.

*It is highly suggested that you collaborate with your subject and plan your shoot ahead of time when
creating each of these portraits.

*In your sketchbook, you must research and find, cut/paste, or draw visual examples that will illustrate the
approach that will be used for each portrait.