About Me
I'm Edie, a fashion communication graduate from Northumbria University
Edie Mills is a creative who specialises in photography and creative direction. Her work forms connections between photography and people, creating authentic work driven by real stories. While studying, she found her love of photography and began to use it to support those who may not feel they are represented in the media, currently giving them a voice.
During the three years of my studies of Fashion Communication, I found my love of authenticity telling stories through photography by capturing real people whether this is through portraiture, documentary or street photography. I seek to represent realness and defy the unrealistic expectations of life set on social media. I have a keen interest in creative direction, videography and photography and aim to use them to create work which represents those who aren't currently sharing their stories which should be heard.
INSPIRATION
My inspiration started with my own insecurities which have formed from comparisons on social media.
Being amongst Gen Z, social media has been a large part of my life, sharing pictures, following friends and being influenced by influencers since I was around 13 years old. From this, it has affected how I see myself growing up thinking I should look a certain way and live a certain way and if I don't fit into what social media tells me I should be doing then I have failed. This has lead to me hiding my natural, big, curly hair for the majority of my life straightening it nearly every day.
From these personal feelings I was having, I decided to research into insecurities to find out if anyone was experiencing the same feelings as me. I found the majority of society were affected by insecurities formed from comparing themselves to social media and felt they weren't represented within any form of media. I felt the responsibility to change this to bring back self confidence giving society new relatable platform. I interviewed and photographed around 30 individuals sharing their insecurities.
MY WORK
PORTFOLIOS
Rodger Scaife "My age spots."
Billy Snowdon "I hate the gaps in my teeth."
Athira Rahadian "My fake lash is my personality."
Anon. "I hate my voice."
Wyn Raine "I hate my old hands."
Ben Burns "I hate the colour of my teeth."
Ben Burns "I hate the colour of my teeth."
Harrison Stones "My extremely receding hair line."
Alan Raine "I feel younger than I am."
Ben Wilkinson "I hate my weight fluctuations."
Abi Thompson "I hate my smile."
Anon. "I hate my irregular body shape."
Eve Cooper "My nose is too big."
Ben Watson "My bad breath."
Owen Milne "I'm not good enough for anyone."
Cameron Fitzpatrick "I'm too hairy."
DETAIL
I photographed and interviewed individuals in a setting which represented them.
While capturing the individuals insecurities and interviewing them about it, I did this in a setting which represented them the most. I allowed the individuals being featured to pick the location so the shoot was more authentic and really showed who they are. The aim was to replicate the overall message of my publication of taking away body armour which people usually hide their insecurities behind by showing their natural selves. This meant the locations were comforting and varied with many taking place in the individuals bedrooms, places they went when they felt sad or which had memories attached to them. This was to emphasise the difference in all of the individuals that I photographed and interviewed showing a community being built making relatable and comforting content which people can confide in to overcome their own insecurities. I hope after reading my publication people can feel confident again knowing it is okay to have insecurities seeing how many others suffer with the same feelings.
"Comparison is the thief of joy" -Ben Wilkinson
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