there is probably not a photographer alive who has not taken a stab at self portraiture…Cindy Sherman and Arno Minkkinen aside, most of us have at least “played” at taking our own photograph…
with our community here growing stronger by the day, i think it would just be fun to see what everyone “looks like”..some of us were able to put a “face with a name” at Look3…but not all of you could be there…and some of you have assignments right now, but not all of you…so, why not “kill two birds with one stone” and have everyone take a self portrait this week?? this way we “see” each other and this also becomes an egalitarian “assignment” for all…..
ok, to give you some incentive , i will give three “prizes” for the three “best” self portraits…
(1) signed open edition archival print (8×10) from me
(2) signed Cuba book
(3) signed used camera bag (the prize you really want!!)
self portraits must be made this week….you must post HERE and only here by midnight sunday june 22nd, New York time…please post ONE picture only…..i will only look at links with one picture and posted as a comment here..
so step away from your keyboard…take out your cellphone or your 8×10 and shoot a picture in your bathroom mirror or on the edge of the Grand Canyon or whatever…i will enlist one or two of my colleagues to help judge this little “for fun only contest”….
have you ever taken self portraiture seriously or is it something you have just done as “play” ???
Panos, Aga,
…blush blush……cough cough
Hello David… no, i am back in Poland since almost 3 weeks.. I didn’t have much time to check internet because my sweet dog (14 years old Tajra) got ill (here are both of us, long time ago http://free.of.pl/t/tajra/zdjeciapsa/tajra/image028.jpg )
and here is my self portrait…
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/2592282417_ebcfd743b3_o.jpg
… I am not into awards because I already have your signed book and signed bad (jupppiii!!!!) :-) but I am publishing here my self non artistic portrait… i just thought it’s real me taking photographs.. two eyes open and smile
PATRICIA…
Just now caught up with some of your work. The slideshow…hmmmm, well to call it “moving” is too understated. It touched me. I won’t go on about courageous this or full of strength that, that’s obvious. But damn!… what a nice body of work.
Congrats.
MK
* bag not bad
Also…just joking about the “do over” David. It is what it is.
…as a play :) but it is also really interesting to watch people taking their own photos in their mobiles. since i work at a place where i can watch many people most of the time, it has become a interesting pasttime for me (by elder brother is a greatest addict of this self-portraits :)). i think this self-portrait thing is more of a search ‘the way one wants to look’ rather than mere recording ‘the way he/she is looking’ at that particular time. while taking self-portraits, i have seen people making funny faces, making ‘mafia-style’ stern looks (this i do :P), making out a smile when there is no smile otherwise, but generally, they all try to look “cool” in their own way!
cool assignment David. will try.
Subhrajit
Patricia,
photography is a powerfull way of comunication (learn and tell) and my english is not good enough to express my self to you and your work, except: Go for IT with Love.
all the best,
nelson
Patricia,
photography is a powerfull way of comunication (learn and tell) and my english is not good enough to express my self to you and your work, except: Go for IT with Love.
all the best,
nelson
Patricia,
photography is a powerfull way of comunication (learn and tell) and my english is not good enough to express my self to you and your work, except: Go for IT with Love.
all the best,
nelson
Patricia,
photography is a powerfull way of comunication (learn and tell) and my english is not good enough to express my self to you and your work, except: Go for IT with Love.
all the best,
nelson
Patricia,
photography is a powerfull way of comunication (learn and tell) and my english is not good enough to express my self to you and your work, except: Go for IT with Love.
all the best,
nelson
Patricia,
photography is a powerfull way of comunication (learn and tell) and my english is not good enough to express my self to you and your work, except: Go for IT with Love.
all the best,
nelson
Patricia,
photography is a powerfull way of comunication (learn and tell) and my english is not good enough to express my self to you and your work, except: Go for IT with Love.
all the best,
nelson
David,
“PATRICIA….
ok, my dear, you can do and should do a book….”
…
could you maybe talk more about that sooner or later ?
cheers,
Katharina
Bob,
what a lovely surprise when i read Fernando Pessoa words in here!!!
if i where in lisbon at this moment i would have gone to the down town to make a photo to you :)
cheers with eye sparkles,
nelson
Bob,
what a lovely surprise when i read Fernando Pessoa words in here!!!
if i where in lisbon at this moment i would have gone to the down town to make a photo to you :)
cheers with eye sparkles,
nelson
Bob,
what a lovely surprise when i read Fernando Pessoa words in here!!!
if i where in lisbon at this moment i would have gone to the down town to make a photo to you :)
cheers with eye sparkles,
nelson
Bob,
what a lovely surprise when i read Fernando Pessoa words in here!!!
if i where in lisbon at this moment i would have gone to the down town to make a photo to you :)
cheers with eye sparkles,
nelson
Bob,
what a lovely surprise when i read Fernando Pessoa words in here!!!
if i where in lisbon at this moment i would have gone to the down town to make a photo to you :)
cheers with eye sparkles,
nelson
Bob,
what a lovely surprise when i read Fernando Pessoa words in here!!!
if i where in lisbon at this moment i would have gone to the down town to make a photo to you :)
cheers with eye sparkles,
nelson
Bob,
what a lovely surprise when i read Fernando Pessoa words in here!!!
if i where in lisbon at this moment i would have gone to the down town to make a photo to you :)
cheers with eye sparkles,
nelson
Good idea David, I am not particularly fond of being on pictures neither taking self portraits but why not for once… A quickly one made a few minutes ago…
http://www.yanseiler.com/i/self.jpg
me
http://noushin.noushinography.com/me.htm
Following the contest “rules” here is mine.
http://alexreshuan.com/lsphotos/Photo%20274.jpg
And just to make a point about men not being able to be “over exposed”
http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v169/93/67/732152125/n732152125_536753_2204.jpg
Here’s mine…
http://bp1.blogger.com/_d-l72iXjdjs/SFqHVFCB1lI/AAAAAAAAAFI/kf2UkTu4n-8/s1600-h/ANNA_B.jpg
I took it by my macbook’s photo booth
Alex,
finally !
DAVID
Well. You could knock me over with a feather. Hell, I was just hoping for some feedback & an edit, and now you’re talking about a book. A BOOK??? Of course I’ll take on this challenge. Of course I’ll give it my all. Of course I’ll see it as an assignment.
I like your suggestion about my finding ways to show the view both from the IN- & OUTside; not putting myself physically in every image. I very much like the idea that folks wouldn’t see what you call “my special place in the world” at first. Let them settle into seeing it as simply one woman’s view of life before we hit them with the scooter/shower chair/stair lift/etc. I probably already have a good number of possible photos for this project, but we won’t go there yet. I’ll start from scratch and make new stuff for the assignment.
In terms of timing, I’ve just started a brand new photo essay project at a Senior Learning Center in Detroit. Actually it was THAT project that I’d considered might possibly become a book, but hey, no one says I can’t be working on two projects at the same time! Especially since one of them is simply the view from/of my life. But I can already tell which one will require the most thought/originality. Taking photos of amazing African-American elders is a piece of cake compared to creating something totally new, totally my own in the way of photographing my life. But, as you say, I’m used to challenges. I can do this.
David, I live in metro Detroit and Ed and I would be happy for you to stay with us when you stop here on your cross-country journey. I’ve already got one Lebanese American Muslim family who have agreed to be part of your project, and currently have calls in to a lesbian family with two kids, and a single man who fosters refugee boys from countries like the Sudan, Iraq and Somalia. You and I can work face-to-face on my book project then.
Here is the first image for this assignment. I took it as I read your message on the blog. I call it “paint me blue in wonder.”
http://www.pbase.com/windchimewalker/image/98918872
PASSWORD: patricia
“Thank you” is too small to say what I want to say, but isn’t that exactly why we make images, to say what we can’t in words???
Patricia
All right, since Panos is demanding that I show myself:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/akaky/
There. Happy now?
Hi David;
Thanks for the comments. The Timor Leste story was a rough first edit. I didn’t edit down any more because I was interested to see which images you think worked & which didn’t. This work was the most fulfilling work I have ever undertaken.
I’m already planning my return. Actually, I tried to extend my stay, but my el cheapo airfares didn’t allow any change… There’s lots of dodgy stuff happening over there regarding the IDP repatriation that needs documenting. Not that the Timor Task Force Police were happy to see me there on a couple of the days……
Once the IDP camps are gone the worry is that since such a highly visible problem has “disappeared” people will think that everything is ok there…..
I am also undertaking a series of lectures to highlight the problems in Timor Leste, and have bank acct details for an orphanage (Dominican Sister’s Orphanage) in Dili where those attending the lectures can donate funds (if they wish to) to those that are providing direct aid. I am also donating a percentage of any money made through my articles, images etc.
I may be a bit naive with these ideals but at least I can be certain that there will be some direct benefit received by those that need it most.
Cheers everyone.
organic self portrait:
http://www.libertypictures.blogspot.com
ross nolly: nice work in Timor !!
Robert.. i see you are following Lisa’s style ;-)
Robert;
Thanks for the kind words, I can’t wait to get back there!!!
Cheers
Michael K – that’s nice. Lisa Hogben – holy leggy!
If I must cut through the smoke and step over the beer cans of the festival to admit learning something, its that shooting loosely isn’t so much about what you produce (that comes after) but more about how you behave and interact. If that’s the case, and if I get to shoot Panos, Sean, David, whoever again, I plan on breaking into dance when I’m ready to fire. I was nearly there.
Anyway, this is “F22 And Waiting.” It’s a single exposure:
http://www.humanfiles.com/self.htm
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2593637840_87cf7ab97d_o.jpg
(I realized I do care for prize … I don’t have Cuba book ;-) and I don’t have a signed print! :-) )
Panos…i agree… VIVA OVER EXPOSURE!… and a question – when we will see your over exposured photo? ;-)
ps.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/2592832599_a082db6934_o.jpg
What is this genetic connection between beauty and an interest in photography? Nasha, Aga, Patricia, Cristina, Lisa, Lara, Sofia, Jenny, etc (if I missed any…) These women are all so attractive. I sense a new project coming on…
fliker and facebook are filtered here and I’m not able to see some of you posting your pictures there :(
David I would like to know if it is possible to have your comment about rooms project I am working on
http://noushin.noushinography.com/my_free_space.htm
aga luczakowska: i suspect your beautiful, please a portrait of yourself straight on.. no more pieces of you..+
david McGowan: nice self partrait good picture
Oh Anna too. ;)
Ross, please forgive my delay in responding to your request for feedback on your East Timor project. I wanted to wait until I had a block of time to devote to it as I suspected this was going to touch me deeply. I was right.
You have taken me, not only inside the lives of the people who live in this IDP camp, but inside their hearts as well. I’m sorry if that sounds like a cliche but I don’t know any other way to put it. Because you allowed yourself to feel their suffering in the deepest part of yourself, that is where you take your viewers. In a way I’m glad the nun had to go to Australia because it meant you were focusing where you should, on the people themselves. It is THEIR story that needs to be told, and tell it you are.
Please continue with your work there. As you say, it will be even more important to show what life is like for the refugees AFTER they have been repatriated. That’s when they will become totally invisible, that is unless someone like you shines a light on their truth.
Thank you for your compassionate, artistic eye. Thank you for going where you need to go and doing what you need to do.
Patricia
P.S. To me, the b&w are strongest. At least for this story. You are an excellent photographer.
nasha: are you from iran ? i really love your work project on iranian youth, super interesting. what camera do you use as i noticed some of the same pictures are both b/w and color ? also if your not familiar with the french photographer lise sarfati then check her out under photographers @ http://www.magnum.com > her whole methodology revolves around teenagers from all over in their own personal landscapes. she really explores thoroughly themes involving identity and self in regards to youth. can hardly wait to see more of your work in the future preferably with text as well.
David McG…
Cool shot. One of the best so far.
NASHA :)))
do you know the great Iranian photographer Sadegh Tirafkan??….He is a friend of mine and my wifes…he is a great photographer…lives here in Toronto, but travels alot to Tehran and Berlin and Paris….he is a great photographer, great artist and kind and gentle man…
you might want to look at his work
http://www.tirafkan.com/
enjoy! :)))
bob
Thanks Nasha. I took a quick look at your project, then I went back to it later and read—wow, I think it’s a great story. Are there ever any problems with the authorities showing shots like that? I know very little about the culture in Iran…
AWE, THANKS McG :) :) :)
¡VIVA OVEREXPOSURE!
NELSON :))))
I LOVE PESSOA! :))))…book of disquiet!!!!…and as a poet, of course, i adore him too:
this is probably my belief in my own work/life as a photographer/writer:
Não sou nada.
Nunca serei nada.
Não posso querer ser nada.
À parte isso, tenho em mim todos os sonhos do mundo.
and
Não tenho ambições nem desejos,
Ser poeta não é a minha ambição,
É apenas a minha maneira de estar só
by the way, MY FAVORITE PORTUGESE WRITER IS MY BELOVED ANTONIO LOBO ANTUNES! :)))..i’ve read everything available in English…and i have a long essay (photos and poems) that i’ve done on portugal…and i love almost allt hings portugese (yes, even christiano renaldo ;)) )…on my my favorite photographers, my friend Idalina Pedrossa,…Pedro Costa, one of my favorite filmmakers…Porto, one of my favorite wines…if i could, i would live in portugal:
the light, the silence, the dirt, the dust, the ocean, the insanity, the quiet, the melancholy…the orange dust on the hills of the Algarve, the sound of the ocean, the drip, everywhere, of time…
hugs
running
b
Nasha, yours is an inspired project! I know from having stayed for ten days with Muslim friends in Beirut that their teenage daughter, who chose to be TOTALLY covered when she’d leave the apartment, had a COMPLETELY different persona/lifestyle in her own space. As did her girlfriends.
You are showing the world that young people are young people whatever their religion/culture/national origin. Please keep going with this, and get as intimate with your subjects as possible. We want to see ALL that you can manage to show us! I was particularly struck by the images of scarved mothers and uncovered girls. They are very strong.
Patricia