The Power of Glass and Mirrors

 

There is a belief shared by some cultures that photography has the power to steal a soul... imprisoning it within its amalgam of polyester, celluloid, salts and gelatin.

What do you believe?

For me, what used to be camera shy, still is. But I'm finding over the years it has evolved from the worry of soul stealing into the peace of soul searching. The more I put myself in front of my own lens, the more I see the layers peeling away to reveal something I had long forgotten. It's me. The less I realize it's being stolen, the more I realize I am giving it freely. There is beauty in that.

Are we really the projections we put out into the world? Sometimes I joke that people might not recognize me in real life if they only know me through images or words. There might be truth to that. Can photography catch those collective bits of me to make me whole? I only know that I hope to become the person I can {sometimes} catch on film.

Tell me, how do you see yourself? Is it hard for you to step in front of the camera? Be brave and show your self. In truthiness, in art, in mystique... whatever your comfort. The self you put out there might be the one you most want to be. Today you might be the peace before the storm or the rage after the rain. You might be humbled, blessed, joyous, tired, overwhelmed, or bored beyond belief. Discover something about yourself by peering into your own lens. There are alot of stunning self portrait photographs in the Shutter Sister's collection. Have a peek... and know this:

We are powerful, those of us who wield a camera. We can pull emotion through glass and mirrors.

Comments

[kosenrufu mama]

you are right, lovely post, i think we can really pull emotion through a glass!!!!
http://esterdaphne.blogspot.com/2009/11/cuccioli.html

[renee @ FIMBY]

Love that - pulling emotion through glass mirrors.

[beth]

I have never liked photos of myself...but when I did a self portrait awhile back, I did like this one....I like my arms better than my crooked nose....



http://www.flickr.com/photos/29291473@N04/4072044158/

[cindy]

the images you've featured are wonderful. self portraits are super hard for me. technically and otherwise, but here's one i tried - http://www.flickr.com/photos/71443419@N00/4043577043/

[Elizabeth Harper]

I can't see images of myself without being critical, but I can see clearly who I am in things like this....

http://giftsofthejourney.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/tell-me-a-story-tuesdays-–-minnies-mephisto/

[Dani]

This is such a powerful post. I'm going to take some time to wrap my head around what you've said. But know that every time I come here you challenge me to grow a little more.

[Stacy]

Wonderful post. I think it is important to get some shots of yourself, especially those of us who are moms and never get pictures with our families because we are always taking their pictures. I have tried to do that this year. It's also a great creative outlet for me. :) Here's one of my shots:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kraft/4018604564/

[ToniM]

I too am very critical of images of myself. There are very few that I truly like. Here is the most recent one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michel92/4059037223/

[freegal1000]

Photography is my life, my heart, my soul. A very honest medium, I believe. But I still have a difficult time looking at snaps of me...

[jakki]

My family will not have a lot of photo's of me. I tend to be LOVE being behind the camera, documenting memories and capturing the moment. The picture of me that I use for a lot of my icons is one where my camera is obscuring a quarter of my face while almost half of it is loped off the side, LOL..kinda shows you I do not like having my picture taken...

I dont think its because of a physical dislike...I just think I am most critical of my self than any other person. I think, just speaking honestly here...when I start to be more at peace with myself, maybe I will let more of my self be shown

[bekkah]

I've never really been comfortable being photographed, but recently I realized that over the past year or so I had not one picture of myself with our daughter (she's three). Years from now I didn't want to look back to this time and feel regret that I never stepped out from behind the camera long enough to capture us together.

I absolutely adore this picture. I already cherish it and I'm so happy that I did it :)

http://photophoenix.aminus3.com/image/2009-10-23.html

[sarah]

ok, you inspired me to get up right now and snap a self-portrait. not sure that i love this, but here's to spontaneous SP!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/4072764654/

also:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/4017795586/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradleysofaustin/3333928521/

[leaca]

I have one selfie that was taken last year that I just love. You can see my wrinkles, my hair was it's unruly self, my eyebrows are hard to manage and you can see that too, and I just love it. For the first time I could see all my imperfections and embrace them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/leacayoung/2967561211/in/set-72157603612977770/

[camerashymomma]

wow, thanks for sharing yourselves this morning! i love seeing you all.

and what is it that makes us not take more self portraits? is it because we are the eye of the photographer? is it just human experience to be critical of oneself (especially a female?)

jakki, what you said really rings true for me. i have done way more self portraits in this past year (of huge changes, huge growth) than ever before while holding a camera.

"when I start to be more at peace with myself, maybe I will let more of my self be shown"

[Trude]

At my favorite local Irish pub-style bar (unfortunately closed down a few years back), the proprietor was this amazing grey-haired Irish woman named Rose. She had the power to throw drunk grown men out of her bar without lifting a finger! Amazing personality. But she refused to let me take photos while in her bar. Why? Because "they'll steal your soul, Trude. Steal it." It was tough, because the place had so much personality and character, but I respected her wishes. :)

[Danielle]

Like many others, I love taking pictures of others. Of myself, not so much. But here's a couple:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielleayersjones/2605402432/in/set-72157605645028770/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielleayersjones/3151769786/

[Stacey]

OMG - I've just stumbled onto your site from Simply Hue's blog and I love it! I just wanted to say keep up the good work! I remember getting into photography years ago and then drifting away from it. Thank you for reinspiring me to pick up my camera!

[spread your wings]

i took this one of myself on Sunday - hidden
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4068603480/in/set-72157622333249454/

[georgia]

your self-portrait here is one of the more unique i've seen in a while. i saw it on your blog yesterday and was so taken with it. such a neat perspective and different approach. LOVE it! and i am just as affected by your words here.

i am new to the self-portrait thing. i really don't like the results usually. but i took some about a month or two ago that i was actually not too ashamed of. so i hung on to them.

http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2009/10/take-look-at-yourself.html

[Julie Alvarez]

I love taking my pictures, I don't feel shy. But then, somehow I don't like the result that much.
But it doesn't bother me, I still take a lot of selfportraits. Because I see them as a journey, and at the same time as the journal.
A quick one before leaving the house today:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/4074312840/
The daily me, the one you can find in any given moment:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3909773579/
There's something about the braids...:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3529037904/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3501854932/
Not completely a SP, but I feel very represented by the bit you can see of me here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/2832253450/
This is so how I am!:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3924267569/
Another bit of the real mama in me:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/97194242/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/233039564/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/49462581/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/96529423/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/96522696/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliealvarez/3118898395/
(Sorry for the overload!! But I am thinking a lot these days about what the SPs mean...)

[Dannie]

i, too, was inspired by this post. so inspired that i dropped what i was doing and decided i needed to do this. and, just like most of you, i feel incredibly vulnerable in front of the camera. i posted about this on my blog and came to the conclusion that i'm not used to seeing myself. in my photography i try to show how beautiful things are: the people, the children, families, nature... so, it not only seems strange to see myself in that place, but it's difficult to treat myself with that same respect. but i do think it's true, that we should get used to seeing the crows feet, the messy hair, all of it, as something beautiful and representative of the full lives we lead. we can see it in others. we need to get used to seeing it in ourselves.

http://www.honeysweetphotography.com/2009/11/shutter-sisters-self-portrait-yuck.html

[Tracy]

I rarely take self portraits and usually cringe at photos of myself taken by others. However, I LOVE seeing other photographer's self portraits. There's something intimate and honest about them. I was feeling brave and inspired by your post so here's my shot. Hastily executed but it's something. And it's probably best not to try too hard anyway in order to be authentic.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31417716@N00/4073747629/

[Emily]

Turning the camera on ourselves is so hard. We are so quick to find the best in other people we shoot but when it comes to ourselves, we hone in on every little flaw and wrinkle. I've always hated having my photo taken because I didn't like what I saw, but I decided I wanted pictures of me with my babies and I was going to get over my issue! I got creative with the self portraits, some are not so great but I'm glad I did it because it shows that "mommy was there too!"

[claudia]

I recently stepped in front againhttp://gnubee.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/what-matters/ not crazy about getting old and what the nerve damage from having Scleroderma has done to one side of my face. But this is who I am. I'm thankful to alive and really shouldn't complain about anything, much less getting old and gray hair ;)

[Liz]

i've never been photogenic, and most of the pictures of me that i like were taken by me--because i know how to use the camera to emphasize what i like about myself. even so...i wish other people could capture these things about me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2450793830/in/set-72157594587515983/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/2886614042/in/set-72157594587515983/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/3700614040/in/set-72157594587515983/

[strawberrygoldie]

Taking self portraits has boosted my confidence. Tremendously. And made me more comfortable in front of the camera when the camera is in someone else's hands.

I wonder why? I'd love to know the psychology behind that.

[daniela]

oh man meredith. i'm always so enchanted by the way you weave your thoughts and words. this is my most difficult year ever, and i am very uncomfortable in front of a camera. i always need a prop to hide behind.....i suppose the most freeing thing would be to drop all the props and just be. i hope i can find that place of comfort soon.

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