Multiplicity Photography Ideas

Photography Tips

Forming identity and finding individual definition is a lifelong process that’s rarely discussed. Yet fine artist Johnny Tang has few hesitations when it comes to tackling the subject head on. Through a series titled World of One, he addresses the multiple identities he’s adopted over the years as an Asian American quite literally. Stitching self portraits together, Tang interacts with himself in ways that are both playful and poignant:

The process the photographer utilizes is surprisingly simple. With the help of a willing assistant, a tripod, and a 35mm film camera, Tang places himself in different positions across a single scene. Each time he switches his pose, an exposure is created. At the end of the shoot, each frame is composited into a single image. The results are truly unique, ranging from grandeur snowball fights to quiet moments of reflection. Every image peers into a different corner of the artist’s mind, challenging viewers to thoughtfully consider their own inner lives and to search for who they are among a throng of different selves.

“In this country, whenever I meet someone new—even another Asian—I inevitably always have the same conversation about just what kind of Asian I am. Because when I’m in America, people see me as emphatically Asian. However, when I’m in Asia, people can only see me as an American.”