Taking a self-portrait means that you have to look at yourself. Really look at yourself. The honest, raw, and vulnerable parts of who you are. As a portrait photographer as well, I strive to make every person, no matter how they fit into society's " ideal beauty" standards, making them feel like they are the most beautiful person, if only in that moment. While I have a great appreciation of other people's beauty, I had a hard time recognizing my own beauty.
When I first started taking self-portraits, I was willed with self-criticism and insecurities. When I would go through the images I had taken, I would fixate on the shots that were unflattering and use those to justify that I was "not beautiful". The more I grew as a self-portrait photographer I learned not to label the images as "beautiful" or "ugly", but to label them as art. Art is not always supposed to look pretty; It is supposed to make you feel something.
Start Accepting Yourself as You Naturally Are
This can be the hardest and most demanding step in the process of creating art through your self-portraiture. When you look in the mirror, how are you viewing yourself? What are the first thoughts that come racing through your mind? Acknowledge the positives you see in yourself, hold those tight, those are the thoughts that reflect your natural beauty. Now comes the hard part. Reflect over the negative thoughts and deconstruct why you think that way about yourself. This process can take some time. It is important not to focus on how long it is taking, focus instead on the progress you are making.
For me, this is still an ongoing process. It has taken me years until I was able to look in the mirror and smile at myself. Without critiquing myself. Fully accepting the beauty of my body.
A big part of this journey was taking self-portraits. It helped me to see the beautiful sides of myself and it helped me come to the place where I can appreciate the wonder that is the female body, my body. I went from the girl who desperately wanted to be society's definition of beautiful to the woman that realized that I already was my unique brand of beauty.
Release Your Emotion in Front of the Camera
Emotional expression has always been difficult for me. I have always been a thinker rather than a feeler; I valued the rationality of my thoughts but was not able to validate my feelings. That's not to say I didn't experience emotion, it was rather, I didn't know how to deal with them.
Stepping in front of the camera creates a safe space, away from the eyes of others, that allows you to explore how you are feeling in that moment. The greatest photographs ever captured are very closely tied to the expression of emotion. When allowing yourself to be completely vulnerable in front of the camera, the emotion of the photograph is often felt even more.
There have been times I have broken down in the middle of a shoot because my body has been taken over by the emotion that I was trying to express for that image. Other times, I have been so filled with release and joy that I am able to convey the thoughts that had been weight so heavily on my soul.
Taking self-portraits can also be a healing experience by sharing those photographs. By sharing your deepest self: to connect with others on a deeply human level. Often times the art that stems from the most vulnerable of places, is the art that touches us the most. It gives one the opportunity to see themselves in another's work.
In the end. art is a way of letting other people know: you aren't alone.
Utilize Your Self-Portrait as a Way to Explore Your Identity
When Taking conceptual photographs, self-portraits can be a way of escaping from yourself by replacing you with a character. You can create an alternate reality where you can exist in a fantasy world or fight your biggest demons. At least in a visual sense.
Through conceptual self-portraiture, a wonderful process unfolds that gives way to crafted places where you can disappear to. The possibilities are as endless as the creative mind. And with the advancements of Photoshop there is nothing that can't be done to bring that world to fruition.
Not all conceptual self-portraits have to be centered around a fantasy. The beauty of conceptual work is that by taking on different roles you are able to freely and safely explore the different parts of your own identity. Again, there is no one watching you.
Identity is something we craft ourselves and I think self-portraiture is a great tool to show us how many different directions we can go. If you let go of the limitations that have been placed on you, you can become anything you want to be. Being able to be this open and free with yourself, is a great step in building a strong base of self-confidence and self-love.
If you're a photographer, chances are you have never taken a self-portrait before. But I encourage you to try it! Don't shy away from the ideas because it sounds too intense. Just allow yourself to be, to do what feels comfortable for you. See what happens. You never have to show anyone - just do it for yourself. You might even like it!
Self-portraiture has definitely helped me grow as a photographer. It basically dragged me kick and screaming (at times) to uncover who I am as a photographer. But, most of all, it is helping me grow into a better, stronger person. More than I could have ever been if I wasn't creating art from within.
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