12 May 2016 // Sanne Schrijver //Amersfoort

//SUSAN A. BARNETT

 

Susan A. Barnett has always done street photography. But when Barnett snapped a young woman in a T-shirt that had a specific text printed on the back she realized the shirt told her so much more: her style, her interests, her identity. “When people choose a T-shirt, it’s not just something to wear,” she explains. Often it’s to communicate a strong message. This is the inspiration for the series “Not In Your Face”. Each one of these people reveals a part of themselves that advertises their hopes, ideals, likes, dislikes, political views, and personal mantras. By photographing from the back these pictures can tell us just as much as a facial expression might. Barnett haunts well-traveled spots with her Leicaflex camera. She seeks out and approaches interesting T-shirt wearers. “People relax when they realize that you’re not photographing their face. When it’s because of what they’re wearing, they feel special,” she says.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to//Daily