The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own. I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before. In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find. Please DO NOT send me your work. I do not take submissions.
Today’s featured artist: Ryan Dearth
For a few years now, I’ve been very interested in the concept of human identity, specifically how people perceive and express themselves. The way we dress is often a reflection of how we feel about ourselves and who we want to be. Cosplayers take this to the extreme, literally transforming into comic book characters, superheroes, and video game stars as a way of exploring different facets of their identities.
I began photographing cosplayers during Comic Con in Denver as an exploration of the metamorphosis from ordinary people to fantasy, while still remaining human.
This is an ongoing project, and if you’ll be in costume for Denver’s Comic Con in 2025, please reach out. I’d love to photograph you.
To see more of this project, click here
APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world. She has been involved in the photography and illustration advertising and in-house corporate industry for decades. After establishing the art-buying department at The Martin Agency, then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies, she decided to be a consultant in 1999. Follow her at @SuzanneSease. Instagram