Reece Smith

My initial inspiration for this project comes from my personal experience as an identical twin and the challenges I faced in developing my individuality. Growing up, people—whether friends, family, or strangers—often saw my brother and me as a single entity, simply ‘the twins.’ We received the same gifts, wore the same clothes, and were frequently mistaken for one another. While these actions were generally harmless and sometimes out of convenience, it was difficult to feel like an individual when the world didn’t see you that way. As I got older, began dressing differently, and developed my own interests, this feeling became increasingly frustrating, and it’s something I still grapple with today. However, over time, I’ve developed a more forgiving perspective.

This internal struggle, particularly common among twins, to carve out a sense of self is what I aim to explore in this project. My goal is to provide the twins I photograph with a platform to showcase their unique identities, focusing on their individual styles through fashion and documenting elements that contribute to their sense of self. I hope to create a series of images that challenge the typical stereotypes of twins, as most people tend to emphasize the similarities between them rather than celebrating their differences.