Manchot uses photography to challenge socially and culturally constructed ideas about beauty, aging, sexuality, and fantasy. Her series of photographs of couples kissing explores ideas about intimacy and personal space, with ironic captions often adding to the subtle humor of her photographs. Manchot "s best-known work - nude photographs of her mother - are considered beautiful by some and unsettling by others. While her images can be disturbing, they are also often gentle and affectionate. "
