Looking Glass
explores Charles Horton Cooley’s sociological theory of the “Looking Glass Self,” which proposes that identity is formed through our perception of how others see us. Cooley describes social interaction as a mirror through which we evaluate our worth, behavior, and values. While his framework offers an accurate foundation for understanding self-perception, my research led me to question its depth and limitations, particularly the passive acceptance of external judgment as formative truth.

Through photography, this project challenges the notion that self-worth should be constructed from the reflections of others. Instead, it considers how reliance on external validation can distort identity, and how reclaiming self-perception requires distance from those projections.


The images feature three models acting as surrogates for myself, embodying personal experiences of measuring self-worth against others’ opinions. I employ water distortion to obscure and warp facial features, symbolizing the instability that occurs when identity is filtered through external judgment. In contrast, mirror reflections present moments of clarity, representing the image that emerges when approval is no longer sought as a measure of value.

The book alternates between sections of distortion and reflection, each composed of 30–50 sequential images. Designed to be flipped through rapidly, the pacing mirrors the speed at which we form snap judgments in everyday interactions. The physical act of viewing becomes a parallel to the psychological process under examination.



Originally produced as a 500-plus-page, single-sided volume printed on 8.5 × 11-inch paper and bound with zip ties beneath a plexiglass reflective cover, the first edition emphasized scale and immediacy. However, its format ultimately conflicted with the conceptual clarity of the work. The project has since been restructured into three separate, perfect-bound volumes with Stonehenge covers, allowing the materiality of the object to more intentionally support its themes.

Modeling by Julianna Garcia, Nadia Essad, and Mia Blumberg.

Printed on 8x8 Hammermill 60# paper, printed at the VCU Creative Print Bureau. Cover text pressed at the Bauhaus Press.

Other Work.
margaretjjohnsonn@gmail.com