Portraits for Shy People

How a simple 30-day project helped me explore storytelling, figurative photography, and new creative possibilities.

Why I love creative projects

If you’ve read my blog before, you’ll know I love a creative project. Most projects drift away from my main artistic practice, which revolves around digital photomontage and at first, they may even seem unrelated. However, they always teach me something valuable that will feed back into my practice. Read about my project ‘Portraits for Shy People.’

Why Projects Matter

A new project brings fresh energy and curiosity. It encourages me to explore something different and see the world in a new way. Projects also have clear boundaries. They might last a week, a month, or longer, but because they are temporary, they feel less intimidating. As a result, I feel freer to experiment. Sometimes a new project will spell the start of a bigger idea, that can just gently carry on cooking in the background and other times, I simply leave it behind. Either way, every project propels me forward in some way.

Where This Project Began

Like many creative ideas, this project grew from several experiences coming together. One idea led naturally to another. At the time, I was exploring my Duality project and experimenting with more figurative photomontages. These are three of the images I created around the idea of Duality.

Soon afterwards, I worked with a willing sixth-form photography student. She posed for photographs, and I took the time to develop another Duality Photomontage that I loved.

However, sharing the work became more complicated. Because she was under eighteen, I needed permission from her parents to use the image. This meant creating a formal model release agreement. Although I understood their concerns, they felt uncomfortable sharing the images on social media. Naturally, I respected their decision. Even so, I felt disappointed that the work would remain unseen. More importantly, the experience raised a question. How could I include people in my photographs without involving contracts?

The Spark

The answer appeared unexpectedly one morning, as I sat in a café with my husband. As he lifted his coffee cup, it completely covered his face. I quickly took a photograph with my phone. Immediately, I knew I wanted to explore the idea further.

Portraits for Shy People

That simple moment became the starting point for my project. I called it ‘Portraits for Shy People’. The challenge was simple. I would create thirty photographs of people without showing their faces. The only rules were to experiment, enjoy the process, and embrace the ridiculous. I quietly opened an Instagram account to record the project. However, I never really told anyone about it.

The account was called ‘Figuring it Art’

Finding a Starting Point

Like with most projects, I wanted a head start to give me some confidence that I could actually do this. First, I searched through older photographs. I looked for images where faces appeared accidentally or intentionally hidden. Those early photographs felt ordinary and lacked colour, but gave me a buffer to explore a growing list of new ideas. Some ideas came from years of teaching photography, some came from looking at Pinterest. Others grew from everyday situations where faces naturally disappeared from view.

Learning Through Daily Practice

As the project developed, I had to think more creatively. Instead of waiting for inspiration, I began creating small scenarios by thinking what objects or actions would naturally cover a face. I also accepted it was ok to to use a straight forward portrait format and plain background to try out ideas. Of course I tried to rope in friends, family and on occassion students.

The Challenge of Daily Posting

Posting every day created an urgency and at times felt pressured. Every project becomes difficult at some stage. Some days, I simply lost enthusiasm and had to come up with a simple idea. On other days the challenge encouraged me to keep experimenting. Instead of waiting for inspiration, I made time to create. I moved the furniture in the house, employed my tripod and used a remote shutter realease on the camera to capture a few ideas at a time. Looking back, that discipline became surprisingly valuable.

More Than the Original Idea

Often in the making of making of images, they become more interesting than the original idea. The initial idea needs tweaking or changing to be more effective. Each photograph suggests another possibility. One experiment naturally leads to the next. The process becomes a constant series of “what if?” questions. That unfolding discovery keeps me engaged.

Storytelling through Photography

Although I have never felt confident telling stories, this project has begun to change my perspective. Many images centred on everyday domestic life and simple narratives appeared naturally while I worked. I never plan my work, but stories began to emerge as I added props, adjusted backgrounds, and refined poses. As a result, the images became more expressive. Many images gently explored emotions such as frustration, overwhelm, or quiet resilience, which I think creates more of a connection with the viewer.

I also became a main part of the photographs as it was easier to set up and pose for these ridiculous scenarios myself when no one else was around. As a person who does not enjoy being photographed, I loved the anonymity of posing for these photos – It was fun!.

What I Learned

This project also changed how I think about clothing. I found myself searching charity shops for brightly coloured clothes. Eventually, I realised clothing can shape the entire composition. Colour, pattern, and texture became essential design elements. Consequently, I now consider clothing part of the creative process rather than an afterthought.

Looking Ahead

I have always enjoyed photographing people, but this project allowed me to have fun with it, come up with ideas quickly and see possibility everywhere. I feel like I could take what I have learnt back to the Duality project, especially the storytelling aspect. Or I could photograph and cut out the figures so they can become an element in a narrative that is created later in a collage process; an approach that would allow me to construct more complex and imaginative landscapes. It would also feel much closer to my own visual language.

Why the Portraits for Shy People Project Mattered

I find that ideas become much more tangible when I bring them to life instead of leaving them as “what if?” questions. This project encouraged me to try ideas I might otherwise have avoided. More importantly, it gave me confidence to place figures within imagined scenarios and to think about clothing, props, and backgrounds before taking the photograph. Usually, I don’t consider those elements until I begin constructing a photomontage. This project shifted that way of thinking. Sometimes the best creative projects begin with an unexpected question—and a coffee cup.

Take a look at my blog about the Duality Project here