Ellina Burns

Luke

Class of: 2027

Major: Fine Arts BFA

Medium: Photography

Faculty: Barbara Bordnick

Prompt: The face is not the only feature that identifies/defines a person. Make a portrait of a person without showing their face, yet have them be recognizable.

I wanted to capture how one may withhold exposing the authentic self when engaging with the world. Luke is someone who chooses when to disclose his vulnerability. Everyone uses physical appearance as a facade in some form, but when we strip that away, what is left? In this image, the subject can be seen contorted within the frame, shielding himself in an act of discomfort. I wanted to explore nakedness as a concept rather than a literal one, dressing the subject in basics as if it were a test shot, informal and personal.