More Than The Reflection by Ella Hinton

As both the artist and the sitter, this self-portrait became an opportunity to think about how I see myself and how I choose to present myself to others. While I worked from a photograph, I wasn’t interested in creating an exact copy. Instead, I wanted to make creative choices that would express more of my personality and the way I experience myself.

I exaggerated the contrast, intensified the colours and brightened my eyes to create a more expressive portrait. I also emphasised the beauty spot beneath my left eye because it is a small detail that feels uniquely mine.

The sun and moon earrings carry personal meaning for me. Although the moon is often linked with darkness, it still reflects light. I like the idea that people are the same. Even during difficult times, we all have the ability to shine when we’re given the opportunity. Through this portrait, I wanted to explore confidence, resilience and the many different ways we can represent ourselves.