“I’m Me” is a self-portraiture project that uses the masquerade as a tool for self-exploration and discovery. In my initial concept for the project, I planned to masquerade as some of my photographic heroes, specifically Adams, Weston, Leibovitz, Brigman, Harvey, Newman, and Avedon, in the hope of channeling their grandeur by stepping into their shoes. Instead, I felt frustrated and annoyed. It’s incredibly difficult to recreate a photograph and no matter what lengths I went to, it would never, ever be perfect and I realized I would never, ever be the person I was pretending to be. (Tribute bands are cool, but let’s face it, the guy in the wig isn’t James Hetfield.) I couldn't get my face to do their expressions, the light curved around my facial features differently than theirs, and my body just couldn't/wouldn't mimic the postures just right. I literally could not be anyone but myself. That really hit me in a wonderful way. I can only be me, in my environment, with my resources. I spent so much time adoring other photographers - and dare I say, sometimes being jealous of them - and I learned through this project how ridiculous and futile it is to think that way.

My hope is that everyone who sees this work is drawn to it by its jovial nature and sarcasm, and is then touched more thoughtfully and deeply by its emotional statement: no matter how hard you try to be someone else or something you’re not, in the end, you can only be you.

And I can only be me. 

(The photographs of the original artists that follow are not mine. I did not take them and they do not belong to me in any way. They are the "inspiration" photographs for the photos I created.)  

(Click on each photograph to view the full frame.)