I found Laird's works quite similar to those of Judy Dater. Their finished products aren't too similar for the most part, but their reasons for the pictures they take are nearly identical. Laird's series "investigates the ways in which we define ourselves through social roles, dress and physical markers, both natural and applied." This sounds very much like what Dater wishes to convey in her self-portrait sequence "in which she dressed and posed herself as stereotypes of certain kinds of women." Both women take special pains to use themselves as models (not an easy feat, I know from experience!). Not only that, they change costumes and props in every picture to convey the character they are becoming. In a sense, they are actresses, and each picture is a separate role for them. How well t

Laird's "Parasol Tattoo" reminded me of Dater's "Nehemiah." I found "Parasol Tattoo" to be the most intimate of Laird's pictures. It is the only one in which she is not costumed, she is not assuming any roles. She is giving us an intimate glimpse of her body, her soul. I love the tattoos on her back, they are an integral part of her. The way the parasol blocks the head, and yet shows the shadow of it, it enhances the mood of the picture. I love the whole picture for this reason. I love how you can see the red marks where she just took off her bra. The whole picture is just so intimate, it is sensual. I love Dater's "Nehemiah" for this reason. In this case, the picture isn't a self-portrait, but one of her finer nude pictures. It is a picture of the back of a nude man. You can see none of his facial features, and yet you can tell so much from his back. I love the line of it, the way the lights glisten on his skin, it looks like silk to me. It is an incredibly sensual picture, one of my favorites by her. In this case, "Parasol Tattoo" and "Nehemiah" have similar subject matter, and the same sensuality oozes from them because they are so intimate. They give me chills to look at them, I love them love them love them!!!

hey fit the roles? That is a matter of opinion. I found each role they wished to convey was portrayed quite well. As different as each ladies style is, I still found some pictures I thought were quite similar in many respects.

Laird's "Marionette" and Dater's "The Magician" were also similar. In this case, though, the similarities were in the actual picture and not the theme behind it.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1101
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)