Rachel Papo - Desperately Perfect

Whilst searching to images similar to Bill Henson's work on Google I found the following image:

It is entitled "Backstage" and was taken by photographer Rachel Papo in 2007, at the Opera in St. Petersburg, Russia. The photograph reflect absorption from a totally different perspective. The two girls could be members of the ballet ensemble or they could be students watching the artists during rehearsals. Nonetheless, the basic process is similar to what the audience does when attending a show. They immerse themselves in the narrative and attempt to understand exactly what is going on. Each person interprets things in a unique manner and that influences his/her reactions and facial expressions.

From the entire series called "Desperately Perfect" this is the only one which related to the topic I aim to explore. The other images depict ballet students during training and rehearsals.

Desperately Perfect can be viewed by accessing the following link:

http://www.rachelpapo.com/perfect1.html

Perhaps, that is another reason why I have decided to go and photographs shows taking place at Opera theaters. I hope to be able to capture something similar yet different which would make my project personal instead of just reproducing other people's work.

Possible shooting locations

Until now,  the locations I have thought of are the following:

- The Opera Theater in Brasov, Romania.
- The Winter Gardens in Margate, UK
- The Marlowe Theater in Canterbury, UK
- possibly the Opera House and Royal Albert Hall in London

I'm not entirely sure if permission is required when photographing the audience at the venue, instead of the actual performance. Sending an email and asking for more information would be a useful thing to do in order to avoid any unexpected situations and negative responses.

The reason why I have chosen these locations is due to the nature of the shows which take place there and the audience who shall attend the events. I'm likely to get shots which are similar to Bill Henson's work, with the elegant outfits and classy jewelry.

I have also thought about trying to obtain an interview via email with the photographer Bill Henson. If that were possible I would ask him questions about the project, what has inspired him to photograph those people and how he managed to obtain the images.

One of the most challenging aspects of this project is having to work in a set amount of time. I am aware that I might not get all the images I want from 3 or 4 shows. I might have to keep shooting until I get the desired results, however, I have to be aware of the time limit and project deadline.
In addition to this, the project will most likely become an ongoing one because I might become more and more interested in this certain theme.