The FInal Gang

Photography/Model/Art Direction: Jonathan “Jonny” Alves

These portraits are an inspiration from classic horror films and horror genre tropes. I was interested in the character tropes of the Final Girl, the Stoner, the Jock, the Cheerleader—but what if they all made it to the end? Or what if they could all be the killer, garnishing a bloody murder weapon? I wanted to showcase the resilience of a Final Person, reimagined into a campy sort of school photo; what happens if these characters go back to school, or normal life, and have to pose for a school photo for the yearbook?

The series is a kind of a homage to my interest in the horror genre and an excuse to wear a wig I just bought. I’ve also always really loved the intro for the TV show Freaks & Geeks because school pictures are always such a permanent image, circulated throughout school and with so much pressure riding on them. So, blending the two motifs together, I created school pictures for Final Girls and Guys.