# "Salted Razors" Portfolio (omg sooo emo)



## cHeeunIT890 (May 29, 2007)

Basically the idea behind this portfolio came from my friend and I after we had just finished practice. We both do photography and were discussing how much we hate emo-type pictures and how unnecessary it is to sprew all of one's own personal hate/bull**** for everyone else to see. So, we decided to begin making *THE MOST* cliche collection of our own "emo" photos which we're appropriately calling the "Salted Razors" series. 

Here's the first photo of the series for your own viewing pleasure. There will be more to come in the future!







"I hate all you conformist assholes ." 

hahahahah


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## DSLR noob (May 29, 2007)

Making fun of that is not cool. My girlfriend used to have a serious problem with cutting before meeting me. then she'd pout salt into her wounds. Luckily the salt healed her wounds better but it really isn't cool.  Unless you are conveying a serious message or emotion and not just poking fun of people who hate their lives, this is offensive. True many "emos" are fake and cut themselves because they think it's cool, and others 
to get attention, but some people have real issues.


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## cHeeunIT890 (May 29, 2007)

everyone's entitled to their own opinions.  this is just my friend's and mine.


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## Stretch Armstrong (May 29, 2007)

Damn, I'm gettin old. I have no idea what yall are talking about.


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## newrmdmike (May 30, 2007)

hhahaha, stretch . . . . cutting, as in cutting themselves with razor blades.


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## lkavaney (May 30, 2007)

I don't like the fact its a ****-take of SH'ers despite majority of Emo's being fake and sheep like and not actually depressed... however from a technical POV I'd say the model looks more demented than depressed. He appears to be staring to hard to hold the pose and there is no sadness in his eyes to evoke the emotion your looking for. Get the model to work on the pose a bit and you could be onto a winner!


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## LaFoto (May 30, 2007)

Stretch Armstrong said:


> Damn, I'm gettin old. I have no idea what yall are talking about.


 
Same here, Stretch. Same here.
But my son's home early from school and he at least has a vague idea (I did not even have THAT) as to what "emo" stands for. 

But also he had to suggest I check out Wikipedia to find what is written there.

IF it is to do with depression, basically, and self-harm, then yes, it is a delicate subject, and yes, then maybe it might be something that doesn't really bear to be made fun of, but - since these things EXIST - should not entirely be excluded from the big field of photography.

IF you two, CHEE, are actually trying to kid those who are seriously suffering (which I doubt, I guess you are more trying to kid the _scene_ that in itself only _reflects_ who are seriously sad, depressed and self-harming, and I hope I am right), you should keep such photos to yourselves and not make them public.

But, like I was saying, I doubt you are meaning to do *that*. 

As to the photo as photo ... :scratch: ... what can I say if the entire "emo"-business is next to unknown to me.....!?!?!?!?


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## LaFoto (May 31, 2007)

Well, of course I remember all the further discussion on "emo" as lifestyle versus really being sad, depressed and so on, even though it all got lost in the server outage, after which the most recent parts of the forum could not be restored.

So to summarize it again, what you meant to mock in your photos is "emo" as an adopted LIFESTYLE, but *not *mock people who really, really suffer.

Thought I should say so once again.


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## nealjpage (Jun 1, 2007)

We seem to have lost some of this discussion during the update.    Corinna, you're a mod--can you bring it back?


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## LaFoto (Jun 1, 2007)

No. Can't. Neither can the admins. It got LOST in the server outage. Unretrievably lost. Else Chase WOULD have restored it. 

That is why I summarized the outcome of our discussion.


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## nealjpage (Jun 1, 2007)

LaFoto said:


> No. Can't. Neither can the admins. It got LOST in the server outage. Unretrievably lost. Else Chase WOULD have restored it.
> 
> That is why I summarized the outcome of our discussion.



Ooops.  I should've read through the thread more closely


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## PNA (Jun 1, 2007)

Please spell it out..."emo"?


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## newrmdmike (Jun 1, 2007)

i think its a terribly oddly framed shot. with lots of dead space on the left, and me wanting to see a little more on the right.

as far as content goes, or the theme, i think its fairly weak to use the power of photography to poke fun of something so juvenile.  or to be so juvenile as to stoop to the level of those your poking fun of and create a whole portfolio (currently one image?) which does the exact thing you said you had some distaste for --- "and were discussing how much we hate emo-type pictures and how unnecessary it is to sprew all of one's own personal hate/bull**** for everyone else to see." ---i know this may be going outside the realm of general critique and i apologize for that, but really?

i think its great to feel passionate about something and to use photography to show that; but rather than use cliche (which most of us associate with being a bad thing)photos to attempt to poke fun at what is for most people a fashion statement why don't you do something original or productive.


for example, raise awareness about modern agriculture, help get prostitutes off the street, help feed starving children.  or even the less noble task of sheding some positive or negative light on a local political figure.  come on man, photography is such a powerful tool.  speaking of tools it might be up your alley to show how your teachers are tools to a conflict theorists idea of education or religion.


just a opinion, and sorry if i'm out of line.


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## abraxas (Jun 1, 2007)

I've been putting off looking in this thread.

My baby brother used to cut himself alot.  Lots of drugs, depression, self-hatred and loathing.  He married a woman, who although she was a manipulative, greedy, self-centered, Satan's witch sprewn from the yellow bowels of hell, ended up having three beautiful children who loved their father.  They were his redemption. He cleaned up his act and began acting responsible.  The little woman wasn't behind him though.

He's dead now (29).

We think his wife poisoned him with some homebrew speed that she slipped into his food- of course the result was an accident. She just wanted him to clean up the house while she was gone shopping for the day. He ended up twitching to death on the floor with blue stuff foaming from his mouth as another of my brothers watched. He tried to help, but the episode only lasted a couple minutes. 

Our family hasn't seen her or the kids since. Well, just her at the funeral when she blurted out, "It was all an accident, and he wasn't supposed to die."

--

So if that's the type of emotions and memories you're attempting to provoke with parody, well done.  Pretty funny- teehee.


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## moracca (Jun 1, 2007)

OK I think its important to point out that there is a severe difference between "emo" kids and people who actually have real mental issues which cause them to self-destruct, etc.  The audience this photo was aimed at is obviously one in which it is "cool" to wear dark eye make up to make yourself look more depressed and uber tight jeans for God knows what reason, and it's cool to cut yourself, etc.  These things are done not to help themselves cope with their issues, but rather for the people around them so they can show how trendy and, well, "EMOtional" they are.

And for the record, its not a great picture, but I still LOL'd


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## DSLR noob (Jun 2, 2007)

moracca said:


> OK I think its important to point out that there is a severe difference between "emo" kids and people who actually have real mental issues which cause them to self-destruct, etc.  The audience this photo was aimed at is obviously one in which it is "cool" to wear dark eye make up to make yourself look more depressed and uber tight jeans for God knows what reason, and it's cool to cut yourself, etc.



I don't think salted razors is an appropriate title. Adding salt to the wound is a case where the cutter needs to feel more pain. My girlfriend who used to do this needed the pain to mask problems with her parent's arguing all the time.  She is borderline anemic and has low hemoglobin levels. This would cause her to blackout. she had to get professinoal help and was treated for months. Occasionally she still gets the urge to hurt herself and results in biting the inner lining of her lips. What got her to stop hurting herself is what these pictures make fun of. She stopped because her friends noticed she was getting attention and became "poser emos" who cut themselves to get this said attention. this sickened my girlfriend and she finally stopped. 
 THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND TOUCHY SUBJECT THAT YOU SHOULDN'T TOUCH UNLESS YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
 I Think Abraxas and I have made our points. 
You can seriously offend some of us and did a good job hitting soft spots linked to our loved ones.


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## nealjpage (Jun 2, 2007)

So, changing the title is gonna calm everybody down?


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## DSLR noob (Jun 2, 2007)

nealjpage said:


> So, changing the title is gonna calm everybody down?


I think that it shouldn't be a subject of photography all together, but yes, a title adhering to the emo lifestyle rather than a broad self destruction title would be less offensive. My girlfriend jokes that she used to be emo, but really, she didn't do the steryotypical lifestyle at all. Try a title like "Posing as a poser emo" or something else if that sounds too lame. Self mutilation is a very serious subject.


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## shorty6049 (Jun 3, 2007)

did anyone stop to listen to themselves?? this is ART. Art isnt always politically correct. Art isnt "nice" . Art is whatever it wants to be, and however this photographer wants to show it to you and however they want to title it is up them. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the infamous "p.i.s.s Christ" by Anres Serrano, that evoked a lot of controversy, much like this piece of art. You don't HAVE to agree with it, but don't you think its a little hypocritical what everyone is doing? Art is about self expression and freedom of speech, not playing nice with everyone and making sure not to offend anyone. This is probably one of the LEAST offensive pieces of offensive artwork i've seen... sorry to go off like that, but this arguement is going in circles


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## nealjpage (Jun 3, 2007)

shorty6049 said:


> did anyone stop to listen to themselves?? this is ART. Art isnt always politically correct. Art isnt "nice" . Art is whatever it wants to be, and however this photographer wants to show it to you and however they want to title it is up them. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the infamous "p.i.s.s Christ" by Anres Serrano, that evoked a lot of controversy, much like this piece of art. You don't HAVE to agree with it, but don't you think its a little hypocritical what everyone is doing? Art is about self expression and freedom of speech, not playing nice with everyone and making sure not to offend anyone. This is probably one of the LEAST offensive pieces of offensive artwork i've seen... sorry to go off like that, but this arguement is going in circles



:thumbup:


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## neogfx (Jun 3, 2007)

Art is an expression of one's feelings and opinions. If someone has feelings about this kind of subject, not just this particular one but any 'touchy' subject, then when they portray their opinions through their artwork some people are bound to get a bit narked. As shorty said above, this is not an isolated piece of controversy. Artist's have been using art to point out what they think is wrong with the world for thousands of years. Controversial art, and indeed controversy itself, is a part of our everyday lives, and although not everybody will agree with it you must remember that it is only the artist's point of view at the end of the day. It is no more right or wrong than the opinion of the person viewing the artwork.


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## nealjpage (Jun 3, 2007)

Holden Caulfield was the genesis of the emo movement.  Discuss.

Now, back to the photograph, without the caption I have trouble knowing that you're commenting on the emoness that seems to be pervading (sp??) popular culture.  Maybe I'm old-school, but I was always under the impression that art, especially photography, is supposed to speak for itself without the artist having to explain things...


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## shorty6049 (Jun 3, 2007)

yeah, my take on it, is that it looks somewhat emo, but i'd never guess that it was intended to poke fun at the lifestyle, but how can you make a photo poke fun at something that already looks sorta funny... ya kno? if someone dresses all in black and walks around looking like that, it'd be hard to tell if they were actually that way, or just making fun of it, unlike a man dressed in an ape suit , (where you'd KNOW he wasnt actaully a monkey...)  does that make sense?


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## cherrymoose (Jun 3, 2007)

I say his left cheek is blown out.


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## lkavaney (Jun 3, 2007)

I still stick by my opinion that the models pose is off, he needs some real sadness in his eyes to pull it off he doesn't look sad to me. The idea is growing on me for sure but get the model to work on his sad look please.


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## cherrymoose (Jun 3, 2007)

lkavaney said:


> I still stick by my opinion that the models pose is off, he needs some real sadness in his eyes to pull it off he doesn't look sad to me. The idea is growing on me for sure but get the model to work on his sad look please.



So you're another supporter of people posing to be emo? What if someone was posing to be a person of a different race? It's pretty much the same thing.


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## shorty6049 (Jun 3, 2007)

not exactly though. emo is more of a choice in the sense that the photographer is trying to show, and also, i'd sort of like to see something like you mentioned emma, i like controversial art, it makes you feel something other than "oooo, pretty picture" , wouldnt you agree?


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## cherrymoose (Jun 3, 2007)

shorty6049 said:


> not exactly though. emo is more of a choice in the sense that the photographer is trying to show, and also, i'd sort of like to see something like you mentioned emma, i like controversial art, it makes you feel something other than "oooo, pretty picture" , wouldnt you agree?



Yes, I do agree, and I also like controversial art-- but don't you think a picture of (no offense to anyone, I'm just searching for an example) a white person posing to be an African American by wearing lots of 'bling' and putting their hair in dreadlocks would spark some debate similar to this?


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## shorty6049 (Jun 3, 2007)

well, yeah, i'm SURE it would, i was just saying that i dont know if its necessarily _wrong_ to do, just un PC. I think people are maybe being a little overly sensitive about it though, because its only art, and people are letting their personal experiences and feelings judge whether its appropriate or not, and i dont think that those things should be what tell you if art is good or not.


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## lkavaney (Jun 3, 2007)

well there is a difference between emo and mentally ill. I have suffered severe depression and mental illness that is no laughing matter! Emo however in the vast majority is a fashion statement, its dark clothes, sad faces, SH wounds because its "cool" it is very popular at the moment to be emotional, appear deep and meaningful but unfortunately self harm seems to have become a trademark for these kids, in the same way that a chav will sport a tracksuit and bling an Emo will wear his/her battle wounds as proof of conformity. At first I was upset by the image I just thought of the truely depressed, those that really need help, however on 2nd inspection this is about Emo'ism not depression. If it was serious then its not sensitively approached enough but its not. 

Its not the original posters fault he didn't create the Emo trend, hes just documenting it.

Another comparison I suppose is fashion on the side of what most people would consider mainstream. Girls are being told that size zero is the only size to be so they are making them selves ill to conform, thats no different to an Emo SH'ing to conform.


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## cherrymoose (Jun 3, 2007)

shorty6049 said:


> well, yeah, i'm SURE it would, i was just saying that i dont know if its necessarily _wrong_ to do, just un PC. I think people are maybe being a little overly sensitive about it though, because its only art, and people are letting their personal experiences and feelings judge whether its appropriate or not, and i dont think that those things should be what tell you if art is good or not.



Ah. I get it now.  Well, it does all depend on the person and their own personal previous experiences, but I completely agree about your 'if art is good or not' statement.


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## shorty6049 (Jun 3, 2007)

and one last thing, Emo is a choice, if you are depressed, there ARE other ways to deal with it besides becoming emo


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## DSLR noob (Jun 3, 2007)

shorty6049 said:


> yeah, my take on it, is that it looks somewhat emo, but i'd never guess that it was intended to poke fun at the lifestyle, but how can you make a photo poke fun at something that already looks sorta funny... ya kno? if someone dresses all in black and walks around looking like that, it'd be hard to tell if they were actually that way, or just making fun of it, unlike a man dressed in an ape suit , (where you'd KNOW he wasnt actaully a monkey...)  does that make sense?



it was the "omg sooo emo" that showed he was poking fun of it.

I don't see any opinions expressed in this work at all. What opinion would it be? His friend looks gay in eyeliner? What a retarded way to use a camera.


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## shorty6049 (Jun 4, 2007)

i think a lot of people are being so critical towards this , has something to do with the gramar used. the "omg soooo emo" sounds like something a 14 year old girl would say or something, and i think a lot of people are seeing this as immature (which i suppose it might be to some extent) but do you think you'd be acting the same way if the photographer typed like an adult?


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## nealjpage (Jun 4, 2007)

To me it lacks the distain and disgust that seems to swirl around "emo."  Check out this picture of Conor Oberst, which is what I think of when someone says "emo."

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...shack.us/img366/88/lifted8we7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]



He seems to just be bored/disgusted/angry with everybody he sees; yet at the same time "deep" or "souful" or "complex."  Sorry to any of you Bright Eyes fans out there...


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## lkavaney (Jun 4, 2007)

nealjpage said:


> To me it lacks the distain and disgust that seems to swirl around "emo." Check out this picture of Conor Oberst, which is what I think of when someone says "emo."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
exactly what I was getting at but with pictures to back it up, thanks!! the OPs photo doesn't have any real emotion in the models eyes but that bloke does that captures it well.


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## William (Jun 5, 2007)

This is not cool.  I hate the term emo.  This is just making fun of them, be careful.


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## cherrymoose (Jun 5, 2007)

shorty6049 said:


> i think a lot of people are being so critical towards this , has something to do with the gramar used. the "omg soooo emo" sounds like something a 14 year old girl would say or something, and i think a lot of people are seeing this as immature (which i suppose it might be to some extent) but do you think you'd be acting the same way if the photographer typed like an adult?



*is a 14 year old girl*
Watch it.


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## thespeedyshutter (Jun 5, 2007)

All of this "emo" talk is so depressing.... lol


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## emo (Jun 8, 2007)

yeah be careful


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## Rabieshund (Jun 8, 2007)

Making fun of emo is so 2006. I'm sure you guys don't even know what emo really is.


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## GlendaleViper (Jun 8, 2007)

I am completely sympathetic to the OP as far as his right to create this. This is not a personal attack against the mentally ill, it's intended to portray the absurdity of glorified self-hatred. He has every right in the world to shoot what he wants, no matter the subject.

That said, I also agree that this is simply offensive for the sake of offensiveness and critical debate is better spent elsewhere. There are plenty of provocative artists and photographers out there that spark controversy through critical thought and philosophies which will be portrayed in the work they produce. These are the pieces to get worked up over (love them or hate them), not spiteful parody.

Just my opinion, but this is farce and critical debate only encourages further additions to this one-trick "portfolio".

To the OP - pardon my words. If you're actually serious about commenting on this movement, then I suggest you spend more time learning about mental illness and speaking with "emo" kids. A better understanding of the truths and bastardizations of profliferating a percieved depression epidemic is a compelling and potentially deep bit of subject matter with enormous potential - _if_ tackled in earnest and with a desire to understand. There is more to find by asking why and developing an opinion to share, rather than mocking the unknown.


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## shorty6049 (Jun 8, 2007)

cherrymoose said:


> *is a 14 year old girl*
> Watch it.


 
hah, sorry, *stereotypical* teenage girl. Dont tell me you havent heard more teen girls say OMG than any other age/sex, not saying other people DONT say it, but you know, TV, movies... damn stereotypes....


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## shorty6049 (Jun 8, 2007)

Rabieshund said:


> Making fun of emo is so 2006. I'm sure you guys don't even know what emo really is.


 
care to explain for us?


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## DSLR noob (Jun 8, 2007)

Well said girlfriend cheated on me and we broke up 2 days ago. I still think the subject is bad, just right now I am worried she is going to hurt herself after this breakup.


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