A VISUAL snapshot of visitors has been created from dozens of portraits taken at the National Media Museum.

The project was part of the Bradford museum’s In Your Face experience, running until October 30, which explores the most photographed, examined, and expressive part of the human body - the face - with activities, displays and experiments.

Richard Stanley, who photographs under the name The Portrait Sideshow, set up in the museum’s In Your Face galleries every Thursday and Sunday over the summer, taking portrait shots of groups, families and individuals who visited. He has photographed hundreds of visitors, encompassing a range of ages, backgrounds and nationalities, including people from Australia, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia.

Rather than taking a simple ‘head and shoulders’ shot, Mr Stanley aimed to capture the personality or ‘soul’ of his subject, fitting in with the theme of the exhibition which explores how our faces reveal far more information than we realise.

Exhibition manager John O’Shea said: “We asked Richard to be part of In Your Face as one of the many interactive elements of our exhibition. He has created a wonderful series of portraits reflecting what a diverse range of visitors we have.”

Mr Stanley said: “It’s a fascinating project. As well as attempting to capture people’s personalities in a photograph, it gives a very interesting insight into the many different people who come along to the National Media Museum.

“Some brought in an object that is special to them, and we asked others to come along dressed in their ‘Sunday Best’. But it is their faces, and how they express the interaction, which tells the real story.”

Examples can be viewed in the In Your Face galleries and on the museum’s Flickr page, flickr.com/photos/mediamuseumfamilies and The Portrait Sideshow will be back at the museum on Thursday, taking photographs at the next ‘Lates’ evening opening for adult visitors.

In Your Face looks at people’s fascination with faces and portraits, and gives visitors the chance to experience a range of exhibits exploring the theme.

Visitors can see what their own faces look like when heading a ball in the Hit It installation by artist Leo Schatzl, find out about the latest facial recognition technology being deployed by police, and enjoy plenty of opportunities for selfies.

For more about In Your Face visit nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/inyourface or theportraitsideshow.wordpress.com or tweet #yourfaceisace

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