Expressing Identity Through Photography

Pride by Lisa Shalom

Pride by Lisa Shalom

Our current photography competition is in full swing and the entries are coming in thick and fast. The theme 'Identity' looks to explore how we see ourselves as a person but also how we see ourselves in relation to others. It asks us to capture images in which we express our individuality and the traits that set us apart from others but at the same time it asks us to consider how our group affiliations can define us as being part of a distinct group. It invites us to consider how we depict who we are and what gives us a sense of belonging. Typical ways of expressing our identity include our choice of hairstyles, clothing, and make-up through to marks on our bodies including paint, tattoos, scars and piercings. Other aspects of identity such as language, race, ethnicity, religion and occupation are also powerful markers of cultural identity.

We have had a look through our back-catalogue of images that have previously been submitted to our competitions and exhibitions in order to find the best examples of photographs that illustrate the theme Identity. Hopefully they can provide some inspiration to you if you are considering entering our competition.

Identity inspiration images