Better Lives Blog 2: Themes Reflection
The better lives project has reminded me of the importance of sustainability, diversity, and social responsibility in context of their role in the creative industry. It has made me reflect on my previous work and also revisit my morals and values that I hold and carry throughout my work. This project has made me realise what topics I am passionate about, such as representation of culture, diversity and inclusion in society. Before this, I couldn’t really pin-point which social issues I felt strongly about, so I felt as though my work didn’t have a purpose or a role to push conversation or positive change in the world. Now I know what I want to create in order to add to this social commentary in the world that we live in.
“If one wants to change society, one needs to understand the logic of how it operates” – Babbie, Earl R. (2011) The Basics of Social Research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Crucially, it is important to collaborate together in order to create change in the world. I will aim to collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds and upbringings, as I believe that diversity is not only essential in front of the lens, but also behind the lens – the operation. It took Vogue 125 years to finally have a black photographer shoot the cover of Vogue. This is significant, as it matters about who is re-presenting and creating someone in their own eyes. A young black photographer, Tyler Mitchell to represent and capture a black female artist, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. In future projects where I want to portray and represent another culture, I will do my upmost to learn about their history and engage in conversations to broaden my knowledge before I present it to the world. I will ensure that all, or if not, most of my team and collaborators come from the background that I am capturing to ensure accurate representation and authenticity of my project.
The most important basis of my work now, is to show equal representation of people from a diverse range of backgrounds; including gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, different body sizes and figures, and abilities. I hope to use Fashion imagery to broaden everyone’s point of views and mindsets – to reduce ignorance. I want people to be able to identify themselves to the people in my images and have someone to look up to. To be able to have the confidence to say, “I can do that too”.
I want my work to be the medium that connects people around the world.