Suffering for my art: new self-portrait...

[Asylum Steve]

Well, like a lot of photographers, I'm not very comfortable being in front of the camera myself... :cryin:

And while I work very hard to get to know my subjects, make them feel at ease, and assure them it's the shooter that makes the pic, not the subject, when it comes to my own image I don't believe a word of it.

So, when a local magazine I shoot for actually wanted a recent photo of me so they could run a blurb on the Create Awards I won (old news, but if you want details check my blog), it was one of my greatest fears come to life.

Now, my two choices were to have someone I trusted take a shot of me, or do it myself. In my mind that was not much of a choice, and the severe lack of trust in others meant I had to come up with a new self-portrait.

If nothing else, at least I could make sure they got the best of the worst and be in control of how bad I looked (with no surprises). And so I made it a weekend project.

Well, despite on and off rain (I used a softbox outside), and the challenge of lighting, composing, and posing (time release) without any help, I proved the old axiom that if you shoot enough frames, something's gotta come out decent.

And so, despite the incredible stress and anxiety of the event, I'm actually pleased with this shot that I ended up giving them. Something kind of moody and thoughful about it that I like.

BTW, I think my one saving grace is that I've lost about 30 lbs. this past year. Still a ways from my eventual goal, but thin enough that I feel pretty good about myself.

I know from experience that kind of thing comes through in a photo...

Oh, and a tip of the cap to our old friend photoshop...

[another view]

BTW, I think my one saving grace is that I've lost about 30 lbs. this past year.

Congrats to you! Creative and stylized - it's you. I'm the one that doesn't belong in front of a camera!

[Asylum Steve]

Congrats to you! Creative and stylized - it's you. I'm the one that doesn't belong in front of a camera!

Yeah, but I'm looking at my batting average: one shot I think is cool, FORTY bad ones. Scary...

[adina]

one out of 40 is a pretty good average!

I really like this one. The only tiny nitpicky thing that is barely worth mentioning is that I'd like your head to be just a bit less turned, so your nose didn't cross over the line of your head.

But like I said, that's a tiny nit picky thing. I really like this.


btw...I always thought that was you in your av?!!?

[Asylum Steve]

btw...I always thought that was you in your av?!!?

It is. It's just that I'm in my Kabuki makeup...

Speaking of which, what's with yours? Since when did you become a glamazonian?

[Speed]

How much did Canon pay you to use their camera in your self-portrait?

It looks like a Canon ad. Canon camera with a big @$$ lens (is that the 85mm f1.2 that they use in their ads?)

All kidding aside, I really like this shot Steve. It is moody, it is thoughtful, and best of all, it is quintessentially you. As such, it is a very successful self-portrait. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Asylum Steve]

How much did Canon pay you to use their camera in your self-portrait?...

Funny...

But trust me Speed, if this were an actual ad for Canon, their logos would clearer, sharper, and much LARGER...

Actually, there's a story behind that. My main camera is a 1D mkII, and whether it would be noticible or not, that's the body I originally wanted in the shot.

Well, I've been shooting a lot lately with my 5D, primarily when I need a full-frame fisheye shot (which btw, is the lens in the pic - hey, I can't afford the 85 f/1.2!).

Unfortunately, the week before I shot this, I broke the mirror on the 5D. The camera still works fine, but (obviously) composing and focusing are much trickier.

And so, while I wanted to shoot this shot with the 5D so I could be holding the 1D, it would have been too difficult (adding to an already difficult shoot).

So I decided to shoot using the 1D on a tripod and holding the 5D attached to my monopod...

And that's the rest of the story...

[Speed]

It was suppose to be.

;-)

"But trust me Speed, if this were an actual ad for Canon, their logos would clearer, sharper, and much LARGER"...

I hear ya!

"hey, I can't afford the 85 f/1.2!."

I know what you mean there too! I WANT an 85mm f1.4. I don't NEED it, and I certainly don't have the money for it.

"So I decided to shoot using the 1D on a tripod and holding the 5D attached to my monopod...

And that's the rest of the story"...


Interesting story. Sorry to hear about the mirror on your 5D. How much is fixing that going to set you back?

I feel your pain. If anything happened to my D200, I'd cry a river that would end North Carolina's drought!!!

[Liz]

Congratulations - you're really doing great these days, Steve! You deserve it. It's a pleasure reading about your adventures......

Nice portrait.......

Liz

[Asylum Steve]

Congratulations - you're really doing great these days, Steve! You deserve it. It's a pleasure reading about your adventures......

Nice portrait.......

Liz

Thanks, Liz!

[MJS]

Great shot Steve, you should be teaching more.

[Asylum Steve]

Great shot Steve, you should be teaching more.

Thanks, Michael. Teaching what? How to take self-portraits?!?

Are you crazy? That would put me out of business...

[adina]

It is. It's just that I'm in my Kabuki makeup...

Speaking of which, what's with yours? Since when did you become a glamazonian?

I'm conducting an experiemnt. I believe the amount of clothing I have on in my av directly reflects the number of replys I get. (there was a discussion about this on another forum)

So, over the course of the next few months, I will be changing my av on a regular basis, and keeping track of the results.

[SmartWombat]

I'm conducting an experiemnt ... I will be changing my av on a regular basis, and keeping track of the results.

But now you've told the experimental mice the result you expect, won't we all reply more to less clothing?
Or do you expect us to be awkward little critters and attempt to mess up your experiment?

[Asylum Steve]

I believe the amount of clothing I have on in my av directly reflects the number of replys I get...

My brother suggests you begin with one with no clothing on, and use that as your control avitar to measure the others by. I myself would never be so bold (to suggest that), as I know you're a happily married woman...

Still, in the pursuit of pure scientific inquiry, that's not a bad idea...

[MJS]

What Steve said, I'd type more but my glasses are steaming up.

[tink]

ROFL, sounds all like too much trouble! I hate the lens. I'm sure it would break if I sat in front of it!

You did well!