Paris Visone

Artist statement: In this series of photographs, my intention is not only to explore the gender dynamics and sexuality of my subjects, but also to present the appearances which my subjects feel they must uphold. These dynamics are preserved as they are passed down from one generation to the next. "You have to look good." "You have to be a man." "You have to look young if you are old, and old if you are young." "The more muscles you have, the better you are." These general assumptions are a focus in many people's daily lives. In our society, the idea of image has become an obsession. This obsession is not only in regard to appearance, but also in terms of the gender roles that are delegated to us at a very young age. Throughout our whole lives, the majority of people are trapped in these roles, which they will never escape.

There are layers of image-consciousness at work. I am emphasizing the way the subjects want to be perceived, the way the photographer is capturing them, and the way the viewer perceives the image as a whole.

Bio: To me, the essence of photography is capturing the moments that most people let pass them by. I feel that everything has significance. Everyone's face tells a story and every moment captured can make an impact that lasts forever. I have been photographing moments like this for the past four years. These moments and images illustrate a connection or disconnection between the subject and the space, the subject and the camera, the subject and the photographer, or the subject and themselves.

I've used my intuition to capture the images. I plan to continue this project and make it a life long series. I want to watch this group of people grow and transform as they get older. I want to see their interaction with one another and their surroundings progress, and be able to present it to others through galleries, my website, and a series of books that will be published every five years.

This series of photographs presents a portrait of the modern American middle class family.

Interview

The idea of photographing the same subjects over the course of their lives is very ambitious. How did you come up with and commit yourself to this enormous undertaking?

I have been photographing since I can remember. Sometimes I photograph to remember. This project just found me. I feel awkward and mentally naked if I don't have a camera on me. I feel like I'll miss something, so I guess it is the need, or the fear, that makes me commit to such a long project. I just can’t help but do it.

Why did you choose this particular family?

I chose this family because I know it best. To document something truthfully and completely, I feel you need to be engulfed in it entirely...live and breathe it day and night...and then take a step back and realize what you have just experienced and photographed.

Could you describe how you proposed the project to them? Was it difficult to get them to consent to a lifetime of occasional surveillance?

To tell you the truth, I never really asked them. They see their pictures on websites and gallery walls, and they do not seem to mind. They occasionally complain of "looking fat" and I also get the "don't you dare use that for anything." But in the end, it is their way to contribute to art.

You’ve been photographing this family for the last four years; certainly they’ve grown accustomed to you and your camera. How has that familiarity both aided and challenged you as a photographer?

When photographing people, for me it is always hot or cold. Either they don't realize you are taking pictures, or they realize and don't care, or they realize and want to look good and smile and fix their hair, or they get really mad and put their hand in front of their face. I believe that no matter how long I photograph this group, I will always get the demand to "Get that camera out of here!"...But, that is always part of the challenge.

In your artist statement, you’ve explained that the tension between self-image and perceived societal norms is central to your work. This dissonance is wonderfully delivered in “Lisa.” Was this focus determined at the beginning of the project or is it a result of observing the family’s behavior?

This issue was one that was always brewing...even before I completely realized it. Sometimes getting so involved with the subjects, you forget to take yourself out and look at the photographs from an outside perspective. A photograph can carry so much information and have so many layers, that it is hard to know exactly what your doing at the time you are shooting. In my experience, intuition has rarely steered me wrong.

In your artist statement, you also draw attention to the difference between how the people in your photos want to be seen and the reality captured by the camera. Are there strategies you rely on to emphasize this disparity of perception?

Sometimes yes. It is really interesting to see how the subjects react to the photographs. The way that a person sees himself or herself in a mirror is different from the way they see themselves in a photograph. It is also different from how the camera sees them, and from how a viewer of the photograph sees them. There are so many layers of interpretation...that is one of the things that fascinates me most.

What have you learned about the conflict between self, society, and the perception of both since you began shooting these subjects?

Everything I've learned about the conflict between self and society has really been observational. From what I've seen, both with my eyes and through my lens, is that the majority of people want to meet and exceed the standards that society sets. If there is a new pocket book, shoes, or phone, so many people feel they have to be the first to get it. People don't necessarily care how they think they look, but do care about how other people think they look. I think one of the interesting aspects of this group of photos is the tension that exists within that conflict.

These pieces were chosen for their strong sense of composition. In “Lisa,” we have the lighter and the ashtray in the tilt of the mirror, as well as the glasses and scissors lying on the counter. In “Dinner,” we are confronted by Dr. Atkins and the choice between a no-carb burger and nothing at all. “Easter” gives us a trio of subjects above the suggestions made by the remains of a meal, which only the woman is still eating. How do you approach setting up your shots? Do you go with what is already there or do you try to develop upon the potential of an intriguing moment?

I never direct a shot. I love finding things. I like to think of photographing as a quest. Your intuition knows what you are looking for, and you need to be quick to catch it. It’s like a game. And you get the results months later when you figure out what the photographs mean.

What camera(s) did you use for these shots? Could you explain any post-production work that occurred?

I shoot with a Canon 5d. And with a fixed 24mm Canon lens. My post production is limited to color correction. I like to keep the digital manipulation out of digital photography. I am also a strong believer of keeping photography as real as it can be.

Ever since digital cameras became financially accessible, it seems like everyone is out there archiving the world. What do you look for in a photo to decide whether or not you should take the work seriously? What are the things beginning photographers tend to ignore? What advice do you have for those new to the field?

With the digital revolution, there are millions and millions of photographs being taken. There are also, a lot of good photographs in that bunch. I take work seriously, if the artist takes his or her own work seriously. If you truly believe in your work, it will show in the work itself. I would say, if you want to be a photographer, just believe in photography as an art, and in yourself as a photographer. I love the idea of the average Joe or Jane being able to pick up a camera and be a photographer. It gives the "real" photographers a run for their money.

Of the photographers producing today, whose work do you most admire? Why?

There are so many talented people out there. However, if there is one man that consistently keeps the "real" in photography, and makes it look damn good, it's Eugene Richards.

As you continue to photograph these people in the years to come, is there anything you hope they derive from your work other than memories? What would you like to learn from them?

I am really interested in change. And people, generally, are interested in the past. I love documenting what this family normally wouldn't. I love that when they look at one of my photographs, it is not the shot the family wants to put on Christmas cards. The images I capture are the photographs that won’t get put in albums or in the mantelpiece frames. The types of moments I capture are the ones most people delete from their digital cameras or throw out of their just developed photo piles. But later, perhaps even years later, when they realize that these pictures depict real life and true moments, they enjoy them for that. It is then that they will fully understand the most precious and sacred memories and glimpses of our lives are the one’s rarely captured by the camera’s lens. It is precisely those instances I want to capture.