Workspace and Identity 

 

This project is based on the belief that our everyday workspaces reflect our personalities and identities. What we surround ourselves with and how we organize the spaces where we work are manifestations of who we are, what we value and to what we are dedicated. To test this idea, I photographed workspaces of friends and acquaintances and then took their portraits. 

 

For the workspace images, I asked for the space to be un-staged when I arrived in order to capture the state of the space as authentically as possible. I chose a wide angle, deep depth of field and direct perspective to include as much detail as possible in each image while avoiding extra complexity.

 

For the portraits, I chose a shallow depth of field and a downward angle with tight framing to achieve a feeling of intimacy and openness. This approach not only attempts to eliminate the distractions so the viewer can focus on the person, but also provides a sense of authenticity. The quality of light is designed, not to reveal the subject, but to give each a warmth and accessibility. 

 

Each set starts with an image of the workspace with a quotation, followed by the portrait. The quotation is the answer to the question: what do you do in your work and how do you think your workspace reflects your identity and/or personality? By viewing the image of the workspace along with reading the text first, I anticipate the viewer will make unconscious assumptions about the person who works in the space, perhaps even what they may look like.

​

-Toshi Shimizu