Photographer Research Christopher McKenny

Christopher McKenny

Christopher McKenny is a photographer from Pennsylvania who specializes in horror surrealism. Editing is key in all of his images and I really like his work. Below are 4 examples of his work which I like. Unlike other photographers I have researched, McKenny's work hold connotation and denotation which are both very similar.  For example, the holding of a knife from a man can be interpreted as a serial killer- they are very clear connotations- all horror/creepy!

In this image, someone is being hung by a noose, yet only the head is there, creating mystery, where is the rest of the body gone? Also as the blanket isn't completely opaque you can make out certain facial expressions- for example the mouth open as a sign of struggle, this wasn't a suicide but a murder. The editing to remove the body is really important because it doesn't take any focus off the face- in the dead center of the image. 

Unlike the image above, this has the subjects full body, but it doesn't take any focus out of the horror side of things. The theoretical fact of "weapon tunneling" where the audiences focus is zoomed into the weapon, then when looking at the image more we look around it. This is important because it shows a sinister type of atmosphere to the photo. Also the setting is really straight, the camera must have been on a tripod as the person is positioned really well. Additionally the lack of shoes wore by the subject is important in conveying a connotation/ story behind this image. Perhaps this girl was chased out of her house (unable to put shoes on) before she turned like this way. The straight like position of her body is as if she is dead, yet she is still standing leaving us wonder whether the subject is dead or alive. 

This is an image with another noose in. Again symbolizing murder or suicide, but considering the rest of the images, it is likely to be murder. The attire of this subject looks very outdated as well- perhaps the time the noose was used to hang 'witches' or when the death penalty was around. Either way the clothes of the subject account to the creepiness of the image.  

This image, like all the ones above, is shot in a forest, around autumn time where all the leaves are withering on the floor- thus in it's self symbolizing death, not even to mention the subject. Like the first image on this post, the subject is only half there, yet this time a hand is present and the facial features aren't as clear. The subject appears to be trapped/ stuck under this sheet which appears to be coming out of a case.