Bubbly
Digital negative instead of the out-of-focus film, portrait of Amii smiling with bubbles added
16x20" resin-coated paper (pearl)
Blowtorch to burn away the negative space
Two types of bubble picture to add depth and detail
This represents the bubbly, joyful, playful personality that often comes with ADHD. We are often children at heart.
Compassionate
Simple photo as lumen print idea didn't work, two hands holding a heart with bursts of colour
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag) as this paper is better suited to inks and hand-colouring
Neon ink (primarily pink and yellow) in the white areas - masking tape to cover the hands and heart
This represents the compassion ADHDers often have for those struggling. We are frequently the underdogs, so we root for and support others who are facing tough times. The vibrant inks diffuse and intertwine - the pink for nurturing and the yellow for joy, blending to create an orange for victory and community.
Hyperfocused
Several ICM-zoom images of a Switch overlaid to add more layers and depth, with the boldest, smallest image in the middle to make a point of focus
A starburst effect added over the top to add to the zoom effect and draw the eye in
Subject is a Switch as it is a person's escape and hobby
"Cinematic black bars" to add the feeling of being absorbed in a movie
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag)
This represents hyperfocus, when a person is so absorbed in what they're doing that they lose track of time. This isn't through choice, but through attention dysregulation. For some, this can get in the way of everyday tasks, but for others, it can be a way to really unwind as they get lost in their video games.
Spontaneous
Portrait of Amii cuddling a cat
White background so the cat's dark coat stands out
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag)
This represents spontaneity, a positive spin on the typical impulsivity. Both Amii and I adopted kittens on a bit of a whim, and they have brought so much joy to our lives. ADHDers are more likely to be adventurous and to say yes to opportunities.
Creative
Lightbulb with added lightning burst to colour in with watercolour pens
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag) as the resin-cracking method hasn't worked, and this textured paper is suited to inks
This represents creativity and the out-of-the-box thinking often experienced by people with ADHD. A lightbulb commonly symbolises an idea, but adding electrical sparks in a rainbow of colours demonstrates the range of unique, creative paths an ADHD brain goes down. New thoughts branch off, creating an increasingly complex system of ideas.
Distracted
Digital negative instead of out-of-focus film, portrait with intense, wide eyes
16x20" resin-coated paper (pearl)
Burn holes in the paper (avoiding the subject's face) to create texture and points of interest
Neon ink added behind the holes with platinum rag paper
This represents the common ADHD struggle of being easily distracted. The model's intense stare is her attempt to focus on you, with all of these distractions going on around her. The distractions are not any particular objects, just areas that the audience's eyes can't help being drawn to, stimulating the struggle ADHDers have when trying to maintain focus.
Camouflaged
Portrait with a Dazzle camouflage pattern overlaid
The pattern is placed so that one of the model's eyes is highlighted, with the V-shape lines drawing the audience's attention down her face, and a second layer slightly offset to add depth and further distortion
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag)
This represents the need to camouflage. As the stigma surrounding ADHD is so pervasive and our actions deemed "socially unacceptable" at times, we frequently suppress our ADHD traits and put a mask on so those around us don't realise we're different. This is not to mislead people or to give us a tactical advantage, but rather to offer us protection through masking our ADHD's identifiable features, much like the merchant vessels first painted in the Dazzle pattern during World War 1.
Disorganised
Multiple exposure shots of Becky walking around looking for her keys (sitting on a pedestal in plain view), with a long shutter speed to blur the motion and pops of flash to freeze it
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag)
This represents the common difficulty of being disorganised. Many ADHDers have memory problems and struggle to keep items and thoughts in order. It is so easy to put something down and then to almost forget it exists, similar to the idea of "out of sight, out of mind", or to struggle with organisation so much that we lose ourselves in the mess. Sometimes it's hard even if the object is in plain sight, like a set of keys on a pedestal, but we are just so jumbled and disorganised that we still can't find them.
Insomniac
Two similar portraits overlaid, with the model's eye being pulled open by a pair of hands, plus another layer of digital noise over the top to add distortion
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag) to add texture
This represents the common ADHD experience of insomniac nights and sleeplessness. Many of us are on the go all the time and it's exhausting, but when we go to bed we can't switch our brains off. People with ADHD are more prone to anxiety and delayed sleep phase syndrome, meaning that sleep issues are very common. The distortion in this image, caused by a double-exposure and a layer of noise, illustrates the fuzzy brain and blurred sense of reality that insomnia causes. Similarly, the hands give insomnia a corporeal form, creating the feeling of helplessness that ADHDers often experience when trying - and failing - to sleep.
Sluggish
Image of a pair of shoes covered in honey, with one of the shoes lifted at the back to simulate walking
8x10" fibre-based paper (cotton rag)
This represents the sluggish thought processes common amongst ADHDers, particularly when unmedicated and overwhelmed. Even simple questions can be hard to answer when your brain is feeling sluggish - I know what my favourite colour is, but actually finding that information in my brain, bringing it to the forefront of my thoughts, and converting that into speech to tell you is extremely difficult. To you, it may be as simple as saying "my favourite colour is green", but to me, each step of the thought process is slow and heavy and thick like treacle.
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