Modern Freakshow, Ideas.

change their bodies so they can escape the social norm and become human oddities. Extreme body modification allows an individual to temper with their body in unnatural ways to create the body they want. Body modification can variety and some even accepted by society such as breast implants and facial reconstruction as it can actually be used to fit into mainstream society where as modifications such as tongue splitting and ear stretching are mainly used in the opposite way and escape it. Although some may only see these two sides to body modification, they can also be used for spiritual reasons such as mindfulness and a way to ease stress and anxiety.

One form of extreme body modification is suspension. Suspension is a temporary modification where hooks are pierced through different areas of the body and are used to lift a person off of the ground. Although this isn't a permanent modification it is an act which requires both body and mind and works on the same principles as many extreme body modification. There are several different reasons for the commitment of suspension, this varies from breaking the social norm to adrenaline but the most common reason is spiritual reasons. Mind over matter, if you can achieve something physically through the power of body you can achieve anything. This can also be the cause of why many people nowadays want to modify their bodies, to achieve something greater than the average body can.

This is something I would like to try within my images (The art of suspension) although I do think it will be very tricky to link with fashion. Due to this I may have to try it out myself through a photoshoot as suspension being such an undiscovered subject not many photographers have touched up on it and without trying it myself I will never know if it will link in with my fashion based photography project and the idea of a 'Modern Freakshow'.

So far iv show birth oddities and haven't shown anything created by choice. This photograph I feel personally will be the most hard to pull of as an image of fashion photography. This is because of the requirements of the model industry and the boundaries between what is art and what is visually wrong. My other images so far I have been able to pull of as objectification of art whereas this image will be the the most unnatural as the model industry would never cast someone who may be covered in modifications and body art. This image will also in my opinion produce a bigger reaction to the other images due to this and also because of how common body modifications are in modern society. I do feel the only way to overcome this will be to work with this image visually to make it appear like a contemporary piece of art and utilize my subjects body as a piece of art rather than an advert for extreme body modification. This through the models positioning like my Giraffe Girl shoot and clothing choice, I need to try and rip away the view of a person being alternative due to them having body modifications.