Can anyone see me?

I always imagined taking portraits like these would be simple and easy; I never considered the multiple components necessary in order to capture a successful portrait photograph. I never knew the difficulty in capturing the perfect lighting, or the best aperture and shutter speed for the type of photo I want to take, or the perfect timing required so that the photo conveys your message or purpose. After this assignment, as well as every other assignment thrown my way, I truly appreciate all types of photography more and more.

My inspiration for these shots was quite clear to me from the beginning: I wanted to convey the message of someone who feels like an outcast; someone who feels invisible to the world around him. I wanted the viewers of this photograph to feel the model's sadness and desolation, as well as the lust to just simply fit in. I believe my photographs channel the theme of feeling like an outcast or a "nobody". I was trying to showcase someone who attempts to put himself in different settings, or at a fresh start or "new light" as some people refer to it as, in order to fit in, yet no one notices. I captured this message through this person's expression and positioning as well as my manipulation of the camera and the lighting I used. No matter what light he was in, whether it be spooky or "scary" lighting (where the light source is psitioned below the person's face), or side lighting (where the light source is positioned at the side of the person's face, highlighting only half their face), or of course, head on (where I used two light sources in order to light up the entire face), they all attain a certain mystery that draws the viewer in to the pictures as if they are being told a story; a story about a person that is just trying to fit in and "be seen", yet he unfortunately can't seem to accomplish this goal. For my photographs, I used a Canon Rebel T2i with an 18-55 mm lens, a shutter speed of 1/125 of a second, and an aperture of f12.