Control and Distraction in Portrait Photography

In this photographic pairing, I explore the contrast between control and interruption in portraiture by photographing the same subject within a single institutional setting. Both images were taken against an Alcatraz-style height chart background, a space strongly associated with surveillance, authority, and classification. I deliberately chose this background to frame the subject as someone being measured and defined by an external system, creating tension between personal identity and imposed roles.

The first image is a classic portrait in which the subject faces the camera directly and engages with the act of being photographed. Her posture and gaze are controlled and intentional, suggesting an awareness of how she is being seen. By holding the “INMATE” sign, the subject appears to perform an identity rather than simply reveal one. This reflects Roland Barthes’ discussion in Camera Lucida, where the photographic pose becomes a conscious construction, shaped by both the subject’s self-image and the camera’s authority. The frontal lighting and clear focus further reference the visual language of documentary or archival photography, reinforcing themes of record and control.

The second image is a distracted portrait, captured as the subject looks away from the camera and shifts her body position. In this moment, the subject seems less aware of the photographic process, and the sense of performance is disrupted. This image feels more spontaneous and vulnerable, suggesting a character that emerges unintentionally. I see this as closer to what Barthes describes as the punctum—a moment that escapes full control and invites a more emotional or personal response from the viewer.

I converted both portraits to monochrome using adjustment layers in Photoshop in order to remove the distraction of colour and enhance mood and texture. The black-and-white treatment directs attention to expression, gesture, and the symbolic weight of the background. By placing these two images together, I aim to show how photographic identity can shift between deliberate self-presentation and accidental revelation, questioning how much of a portrait is constructed and how much is unconsciously revealed.