In conclusion, it can be seen that social identities can be successfully presented in faceless photography if photographers are to place an emphasis on fashion, colour and composition and that the face is not solely responsible for expressing identity. The photographers Rosanna Jones and Elene Usdin are prime examples of this. Their work openly obscured the subject’s faces and yet demonstrates just how much of their subject’s identities can be deduced from the other aspects in the image- predominantly the background, colour and use of props. It is notable how they use juxtapositions and contrast in their work to emphasise certain features of the subject’s identity that would otherwise be overlooked. The composition of the image allows the viewer to see more about a subject’s identity than they naturally would- to quote John Szarkowski “Photography is a contest between a photographer and the presumptions of approximate and habitual seeing.” (John Szarkowski, 1964) The evolution in the purpose and content of portraiture over time, from being something used for scientific identification purposes to something used for creative expression and from being for the upper classes to being accessible to all, illustrates the fluidity and flexibility portraiture offers today. As Ansel Adams outlines “Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.” (Ansel Adams, 1962)  It is interesting how in entirely reinventing the content of portraiture through the concealment of the face, still, a part of the processes original purpose remains- a tool for displaying identity. This illustrates how the face is not necessarily the vehicle for identity.  

 

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