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Such a collaborative process meant Ruddy had to give up some creative control, which led to some surprises.
Presented with five or more portrait options, the subject got the final say about which photo would be displayed.
“It’s interesting to note that in many of these cases, I would have chosen a different photo, which I think speaks to, you know, I really had to let go of my ego and my control over the project to allow them to have agency,” said Ruddy.
“It was difficult, but I knew from the outset that the purpose of the project was to support their creative expression.”
The photos are on display in Regina in The Woods, a small art gallery inside The Junction hair salon downtown.
Ruddy will be leading tours of the exhibition on June 13 and 27; to reserve, visit thejunctioncreativestudio.com. Individuals and households can visit Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m.
The photos are also online at storiesthatmove.ca as, due to COVID-19, Ruddy didn’t know whether real-life exhibitions would be possible at this point.
“I personally think they look really good in person on the wall. So if people get a chance to come out and see it, I’d highly recommend going that route,” they said.
