The School Portrait Series is a photography collection that uses young school students to explore a variety of themes relating to youth, identity, education and the pervasiveness of the class system. The project is the creation of St.Louis-based photographer Sarah-Marie Land.
Land used her personal connections as well as Craigslist ads to solicit young students around the U.S. to appear in the series. Land photographed the students in their domestic spaces and wearing their school uniforms.
While it is unsurprising that each student brings a unique quality to their photo, it's noteworthy that the School Portrait Series as a whole has a common thread running through it -- a theme of youthful innocence, exploration and awkwardness.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- School Portrait Series
- Capturing young students in their school uniforms to explore themes of youth, identity, and education.
- Personal Connections
- Leveraging personal connections and Craigslist ads to find willing participants for a photography project.
- Youthful Innocence and Awkwardness
- Embracing the common thread of emotional vulnerability to create a compelling series of portraits.
Where This Applies
- Photography
- Opportunities to disrupt traditional portraiture by exploring unconventional themes and compositions.
- Education
- Utilizing photography to uncover the emotional experiences that students face in school.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Using photography to create authentic and relatable content for brands targeting a youthful audience.
