A two-part exploration of illusion and performance through photography and digital manipulation, using self-portraiture to examine how emotional and visual narratives are constructed.
The first image is a staged photograph designed to resemble a raw, emotionally charged moment — a dirty bathtub, makeup running, and a contorted face mid-cry. Though carefully constructed, the scene feels found, like a moment caught rather than created.
The second image turns surreal: a stylized self-portrait digitally manipulated to appear as though iridescent mermaid-like scales are part of the skin. With slicked-back hair and pearl earrings, the edit walks the line between elegance and fantasy.
By appearing as both photographer and subject, I explore the tension between authenticity and artifice — asking how much of what we consume is curated, crafted, or completely imagined.
