Critical Evalution of My Work

Becky Hughes is a Manchester based photographer who is currently studying photography at Salford University after beginning her photography at Carmel College Merseyside. Becky's main enjoyment for her themes in photography is city based, such as documentary and architectural. She enjoys images with structure and angles, and does work with models in a variety of briefs.

Becky’s body of work named ‘In the eye of the beholder,’ which will be featured at the ID Photo Festival 2014 Riga Latvia in the summer, is based upon the theme of identity. Becky’s work is aimed to look into the idea of how people are individual, specifically through peoples eye. The work shows a series of 6 images, all of different peoples eyes using a macro lens. By showing the colors’ in such detail, it works with the idea that everyone is different in some way. Even the colours in the eyes are not the same; they are all mixed together to make the person unique.

The artist asked the models to look straight into the lens, Becky wanted to model to have a good connection with the camera to show any emotion they may have. She wanted to show that everyone’s eyes are different, and the eyes can give a lot away about a person. Becky chose both men and women for a variety of images, showing both with and without make up, for example mascara on the eyelashes. This does give away the gender of the model, and adds to the individuality of the eyes themselves.

The artist chose to name the body of work ‘ In The Eye Of The Beholder’ to link with the idea behind the images. Becky believed that the eyes give a lot away about a person, their feelings and if they are confident or shy. Eye contact is vital in these images to show a connection. By having the work named this way it reflects the idea of the feelings behind the eyes.

As a body of work, all the images work well together and it is easily seen that they are part of a group. The images are all in the same composition, as well as lighting and the area of around the eyes.  The images are bold, bright and eye catching with a lot of detail. This could be linked to the ideas of hidden identity. The colour of persons’ eyes is usually very general with blue, brown or green, but as it is seen in these images it is all not as simple. With the waves of different colours Becky has shown that it is not all what it seems. Over all Beckys work shows the idea of identity and the idea that everyone is different in some way.