On the Nest is an ongoing photographic series of work surrounding the adaption of space to make way for new life. It is how parents have prepared their ‘nest’ for their unborn child. The settings are of the baby’s room; their critical decision making for how they would like their child to see the world.
Schwartz has both parents of the unborn child formally stood in this space. However, it is interesting to see the nuances between the poses: whether they are stood apart; whether the mother/father/neither are touching the bump; whether the father has his arm around the mother. Between the families different bonds and personalities are portrayed: the two soliders standing in a military fashion to honour their country and also the mother whom has her arm around the father which indicates a mothering nature between their sexual relationship.
The rooms themselves also indicate aspects of the parents’ personalities and their values which will be passed onto the offspring.
In response, Schwartz has also explored ‘Empty Nesters’ when the children leave the nest for the real world. Not only do we see older couples in these images, but how the space s have turned from bedrooms to storage and gyms. Some rooms seem to indicate more of a sense of preparedness for this change than others, which is interesting. Not only this, but some parents are now alone; whether this is from separation or death, it is an interesting dynamic of how two people prepare for new life, but we are left to deal with other leaving the nest alone.
I feel that with my photography I would like to use space like this to my benefit; having enough for context; yet not too much so that there is less response to the sitters. At the same time, I feel that maybe it would be appropriate for the sitters to be more free with how they pose; what seems natural for them.