# Daily Transformation Portraiture Mel Keiser Explores Self-Image in Her Latest Series By Vasiliki Marapas | Published 2014-12-19 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mel-keiser References: [featureshoot](http://www.featureshoot.com/2014/12/self-portraits-examine-the-disparity-between-we-are-when-we-wake-up-and-the-person-we-present-to-the-world/) & [melkeiser](http://www.melkeiser.com/) For her latest series, 'Becoming Mel,' Chicago-based photographer Mel Keiser took a series of paired self-portraits. The first photo was taken upon waking, and the second after she'd readied herself to face the public. More than a "Before-and-After" beauty feature, Keiser's series explores the ways in which we conceive of our own identity. The differences between "private Mel" -- the sleepy-eyed, messy-haired woman who squints into the camera with a sneer on her face -- and "public Mel" -- the cheerful, confident woman who stares back at us with clarity and certainty, are performed in Keiser's daily routine. We recognize this fact because we, too, have a routine in which we "become" ourselves. Keiser says it best when she says, “The second picture is taken after I begin to feel like ‘Mel,’ usually after my physical self begins to reflect what I believe ‘Mel’ looks like.” The project reveals a sense of anxiety over the fractures in our own identity and the way it is perceived by others. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.6/10 - Popularity: 98% | Activity: 93% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/stylephotography) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Self-image Exploration:** Exploring the conception of self-identity through photography and daily routine. - **Before-and-after Beauty Narratives:** Moving beyond traditional beauty transformations to explore the complexities of identity. - **Identity Anxiety:** Highlighting the unease surrounding fractures in one's own identity and its perception by others. ### Who This Affects Most - **Photography:** Opportunity for photographers to offer unique perspectives on self-identity through visual storytelling. - **Beauty and Personal Care:** Creating products and services that focus on enhancing personal identity beyond superficial appearance. - **Psychology and Mental Health:** Developing tools and strategies to address and alleviate anxiety related to self-identity and perception. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [Identity-Exploring Clothing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shapes-we-take.md) - [AI-Generated Self-Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/persona-ai.md) - [Public Art Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith.md) - [AI-Generated Selfies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dreambooth.md) - [Abstract Geometric Solo Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/impermanent-state-of-being.md) - [Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/becoming-familiar.md) - [AI-Powered Portrait Studios](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ai-powered-portrait-studio.md) - [Unretouched Photography Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dove-reimagine-beauty.md)