Photographing the theme of Depression

Hey everybody!

I just finished a little 112 page book and now I'm trying to start a new one. Apparently, this idea started when I felt depressed a couple weeks ago and I should at least show what makes me depressed. Apparently, I don't know how to photograph the theme of depression.

Here's a couple of my thoughts: I have a model that can make a depressing face, I can go to a part of the city that makes the world seem depressing or beautiful, just that I don't know what it is in San Francisco. Need help and ideas for a start!

-Bryan Smith

Off the top of my head - no personal experience, but observational from peripheral work with those with mental health problems - some starting points:
isolation (self-imposed)
lethargy, aimlessness
useless displacement activity
loss of routine (domestic and personal squalor)
use of deep shadow, muted colours
b & w

Use either depth of field, or better yet subject motion to make your model appear to be alone in a crowd. If the model is still while others move around using a long exposure.

How about working indirect angles, such as symptoms? From Wikipedia (sorry, not a M.D. here): They may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, or problems concentrating, remembering details or making decisions; and may contemplate or attempt suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains or digestive problems that are resistant to treatment may be present.
Empty plates, books with pages whited-out, an empty bed at 3 am, whatever. Things that may or may not indicate depression by themselves, strongly suggest it when found together (hence the interest of a book), but that are not a direct depiction of it.

How about a seemingly endless line of pill bottles...I did that once.

Well....I've never suffered from clinical depression but I have experienced normal depression states from lifes downs (such as loosing a close loved one). The first thing that comes to mind when I think of depression is isolation. When a person is depressed and down, they tend to isolate themselves from the world. There are many ways in which this could be portrayed. You could take it a step further to self medication......it's pretty common knowledge that depressed people have a strong tendency to abuse alcohol and drugs. Maybe you could work that into your photos somehow.

How about photographing the 5D3 specs list... next to the D800 specs list... in front of a huge collection of expensive Canon lenses and a price list for equivalent NIkon gear?

Having been to the bottom of clinical depression myself, you won't find it easy to manufacture the "look" of it. I did very few of the things listed above - I didn't abuse alcohol or drugs, didn't withdraw from the world and didn't stop doing stuff (in fact I did vastly more things than usual because I could't genuinely relax).

What you may be able to generate (and I don't know how) is that it is a constant feeling of being haunted by something dark, something you can't describe but you know it's evil. It follows you everywhere and you know it's going to get you. Think around that theme?

Btw, one of the best descriptions of it can be found in the autobiography of former England international cricketer Marcus Trescothick who was forced to retire from international cricket at the peak of his career because of it. For those who've "been there" it's a heart-rending story, for others it is an education and everyone who doesn't understand depression should read it.

http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1331279​847&sr=1-1

EDIT: Btw, my experience was over 20 years ago, I'm now completely free of it and I ain't going back to it!

It's not so much as withdrawing from the world, as it is feeling like the world is withdrawing from you.
The suggestion of using extremely shallow DOF to make it appear they are isolated from the crowd...
Maybe having the subject in color and the rest of the world in black&white?
one image that always comes to my mind when I analyse what I'm feeling is that it is like standing outside a window, looking in on everyone you know having a party. you want desperately to join, to be able to smile and laugh, but there is always something invisible and impenetrable blocking you.
I liked the suggestion of sitting at a table with empty plates (make the model look like they are eating though), or reading a blank book, or piecing together a jigsaw puzzle with no picture.

There is no such thing as a "depressed face". Mostly it is just not being able to smile. The person is turned inward, and very little can make it to the surface for others to see and/or recognise.
Like looking in a mirror and seeing a stranger. Or worse, looking in the mirror and seeing a prisoner trying to claw their way free.

I've never felt as if I was being haunted by anything....it's just a crushing feeling of helplessness, loneliness, and being almost impossible to generate interest in anything. Sometimes it's like even breathing is too much effort, like you are trying to expand your lungs while sitting under a 20-ton boulder.
When you wake up in the morning and the only reason you can get out of bed is duty....duty to your family, your friends....

BTW - my experience was not that long ago.

A wet cat. Nothing in the world looks sadder or more sorry for itself.

Photograph the homeless

You could wait until I purchase another lens and then come photograph me when I get the bill!

Someone looking pensive and outside of the action at what should be a festive location, a solitary person holding a flower loosely so its head is pointing down while looking at a headstone...

I've struggled intermittently with depression for a long time. Part of the trick will be balancing it - if you aren't too careful you will turn depression into a parody of itself, maudlin, hand-wringing and overdone.