/16 Iran

Mahboube Karamli

Awakening

Don’t know why I need the mirror’s approval so much but do know that I am not the only one. I have seldom seen a woman not carrying one in her purse or losing any opportunity to look into it or other reflecting objects. In my series, girls of my age have been located in front of the lens immediately after waking up without the chance of looking into the mirror first, so they could always remember their own faces before reaching a mirror. They have been seen, they will be seen forever, in a condition where they definitely don’t want to be seen at all. They have enough reasons to avoid this situation, one brings excuse for having puffy eyes, the other one the way that her hairs are looking, another one because of the faded make up after the last night’s party, some the bad mood after waking up. “Many people are anxious when they’re about to photographed: not because they fear, as primitives do, being violated but because they fear the camera’s disapproval. People want the idealized image: a photograph of themselves looking their best.” Susan Sontag, On Photography

They tried to pose moderately but still not wary enough for. They were still half sleep as I woke them, took the shot and went off. No surprise that they had absolutely no interest to see the result.