The Important Thing Is Not To Win is a photobook about the intimate journey of male subjects within the vulnerable confines of a photographic studio. Challenging societal expectations and stereotypes surrounding masculinity, the images depict the self-discovery of the subjects through their journey of stepping into the photographic studio, offering a fresh perspective that celebrates vulnerability as strength. The essence of this project is encapsulated within the title, ‘the important thing is not to win’, it is about being present and taking part in something outside of your comfort zone and being open with your true self. The most important part of this project was gaining the trust of the subjects to show off their vulnerability and their confidence throughout the process of our shoots.

This project was originally inspired by some of my previous work recreating portrait paintings; I looked to 17th-century Dutch painting and techniques used by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt, analyzing their mastery of lighting and posing in their work. While the images I have made for this project do not directly imitate theirs, my process heavily relies on the way they sat, posed, and lit their subjects. The images I drew the most inspiration from have been included in a grid towards the end of this book.