A sense if his soul


  • Photographer
    Dennis Hodges
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention
  • Date of Photograph
    2012
  • Technical Info
    Digital image

President George W. Bush, after his first meeting with President Vladimir Putin, said he “looked the man in the eye… [and] was able to get a sense of his soul.” In Central Europe, where politics are relatively unvarnished, political candidates use posters that include portraits of themselves to sway voters in elections. Posters that, presumably, the candidates choose the portrait for; portraits the candidates feel best represent how they want to be perceived by the voting populace. This series sheds light on the thoughts of politicians that run today’s countries by focusing only on their eyes from their political posters. Look, then, into their eyes and get a sense of their souls.

Story

A sense of his soul

U.S. President George W. Bush, after his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, remarked that he “looked the man in the eye… [and] was able to get a sense of his soul.”

In Central Europe, where politics are still relatively unvarnished and few if any “handlers” exist, political candidates use posters that include portraits of themselves to generate interest and, hopefully, votes in the coming election. Posters that, presumably, the candidates personally choose the portrait for. Portraits that the candidates feel best represent how they want to be seen and perceived by the voting populace.

This conceptual series, shot during recent elections in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia, attempts to give us a glimpse into the mind of the politicians that run today’s countries by focusing only on their eyes in the portraits from their political posters.

Look, then, into the eyes of these politicians from around Central Europe and get a sense of their souls.

Vote for me.

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