The notion of staging realism is an interesting one, as it questions our connection with the world around us and how we make sense of life within it. We are used to being bombarded with consumer messages and images, to the extent where it becomes visual noise that we have grown used to. The ability to manipulate imagery, is both beneficial and problematic, as on the one hand it allows the photographer to deliver concise messaging, but on the other, it can dupe audiences entirely, causing problems with authenticity and misrepresentation. As viewers, we look for visual codes to decipher between reality and fiction, often by identifying particular aesthetics that are related to either documentary making or cinema. When the two become blurred, it harder to distinguish between the two. In my own work, I explore the notion of a false reality to addresses gender hierarchy in a familiar scene, within Western culture. By shooting the foreground separately and combining this with an iconic consumer background, in a cinematic style, the stage is set to deliver a subtle message. Many fast food brands target themselves at men, as it is culturally more acceptable for a man to enjoy a burger and food that is considered less healthy. During the 1990’s women were increasingly portrayed as desirable, based on their thin waistlines and the social activities engaged in, to achieve that. By challenging the social norm in a subtle manner, that encourages people to look again in a negotiated manner, my own work aims to empower women in an environment once endorsed by men.
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