Making KEYHOLE

This is my new photograph titled KEYHOLE.

I wanted to create an image that would cast the viewer as a character in the scene. This image is about voyeurism, about seeing something that you shouldn’t, and worse – being caught in the act.  In this image the viewer is the incumbent victim.

I made an oversized keyhole for the camera to look through out of foamcore, copper paint, and sculpey.

Bob Barber played the part of the axe murderer. Patricia Castillo, who helped me with the make-up on BABYSITTER, returned to do Bob’s make-up again. I had her shave Bob’s head so that he would look more like a business man, or maybe a banker, gone berserk. I gave him sock garters.

Matt Tady and Demian Vela worked as my assistants. Here you can see our keyhole rig and some of our lighting. I placed a large softbox on the floor as my main light source. I placed a small hot light in front of the softbox to add a brighter, harsher light to Bob’s face. I used two clip-on desk lamps to light the rim of the keyhole prop.

I also placed small hot lights in both of the rooms behind Bob, and used a fog machine to add a little bit of atmosphere.

Matt Tady’s wife Danielle played the part of the victim’s body.  She stretched out on the floor and then scrunched down inside the nightgown to make room for a severed neck stump that I stuffed inside with her. I then sprayed her down with fake blood. From the camera’s position, the illusion worked.

I photographed a fake head on set.

I later photographed my sister Becky in the same position and comped her face onto the fake head using Photoshop.

See you next time!