Self Portrait Attempt

Self portraits are HARD.  And yet I feel compelled to try and do some.  I think this is really more about body image for me than photography.  I feel like I've started taking good pictures of other people, and yet I always feel like pictures of me are terrible.  But I know that's not really true... I know it's that when I look at my image I choose to focus on the (too many) imperfections.  So in a way I think that taking self portraits may help me get over that.  I'm not so convinced that will happen, but I'm willing to give it a try.  So here we go.

I decided to start with the hardest and my least favorite aspect of my body......... my skin-- so these are close up portraits.  I still have high school-ish oily skin.  Nothing really helps it.  I've heard that the benefit of oily skin is that you don't winkle as much, but for some reason I don't think I'm seeing that benefit either as I already have some decent forehead and eye wrinkles.  Wow, it's really easy to talk about my imperfections...  Anyway.  I took these using some (not much) evening light from our big breakfast nook window.  A lot of the pictures are really close up.  Because I like taking close up pictures of my kids... or Matt... and I think they look great.  But not me... the further away, the better.   I'm not wearing any make-up (I hope that's obvious) and I didn't really like any of the pictures.  I actually think the problem is that it's not candid.  I know I'm posing and I just didn't feel comfortable, and it shows.  Not quite sure how I can do a candid extreme close up though.  But maybe that would have turned out better.  I'll have to think about solving that problem.  Anyway, here we go....






Comments

Jenn said…
This post proves you are not a narcissist. (As if there were ever a doubt!) I think you're doing a good job and I would agree that spontaneity is part of the problem. I think that's an issue with most selfies, not yours specifically. Maybe you should try thinking about something your really love or pretend the camera is Aaron or Dylan so you get a more natural reaction. Maybe...