the invisible photographer

The revelation with a new wide-angle (wider than my beloved nifty fifty) lens? The previously elusive arm's-length portrait. Note the absence of the word 'self' because it's not just about capturing photos of me, but of noting my presence in the midst of a captured day. And the crapshoot nature of a manual exposure that shoots into unknown light behind our heads, the best-guess aim and the dubious focusing? Just fun stuff.

Mama: present! (raises hand)

This monday, show us you're here. Show us your arm's-length portraits, and tell us what about that moment had you turn the camera that way.

Comments

[Alicia]

There is something intimate and fun about having a camera turned arm's length from you shooting a portrait... When my husband and I are out on an adventure, we are often shooting these pictures. (usually multiple times because I cut heads off often!) http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/05/yankees-baseball-game.html

And there are also the ones I shoot of myself, alone... Usually cutting off something...
http://aliandsethinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/04/blue.html

[Vanessa]

"'here. you better put this on."
she throws me her 8yo's pink motorcycle helmet and i put it straight on. it fits like a tight leather glove and i can't stop grinning.
"hop on", she urges as the misters rev up and speed off ahead of us.
"just a sec! i need to do something first..."
arms out, focus (hope for the best), shoot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/3506058304/in/set-72157607454198345/
then i fling my leg over, hop on the back of her vespa and... we're off.
i *was* there. see?

[renee @ FIMBY]

Turning the camera on myself to capture my contentment in a perfect mother's day.

http://fimby.tougas.net/Mothers-day-self-portrait

[shelli - mama of letters]

It's been awhile since I've done that because my DSLR is heavier and harder to hold that way! But this is my favorite self-portrait. Taken with my little point 'n shoot, way back when.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spabis/2484140984/in/set-72157605050278706/

[elk]

there is a fleeting time in each sunny day when it comes thru the blinds across the desk...usually a nice time to close my eyes for just a moment:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammymom/3536243153/

[Heather]

Arm's-length portraits are the only way I'll get a picture of myself. Either alone or with my family... : )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/3523064013/
...documentation of the beginning of one of the best nights...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/3542559008/
...documentation of an incredible day at the Great Wolf Lodge...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/strawberrygoldie/3495353757/
...documentation of the Bedtime Follies...

[jag]

I have a love-hate relationship with arms-length sp's... probably because I only have a point & shoot and the photos are usually less than flattering. :-) However, some moments just call for taking the risk. This was one of them... I was on a solo walk during a meditation retreat in Monte Oliveto, Italy. I had a view of the Tuscan Hills revealing itself before me and knew that, in the future, I would want "proof" that it wasn't all a dream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jagspace/3541805681/in/set-72157603913313770/

(I managed to salvage this shot thanks to the magic of Picnik :-))

[Georgia]

such a fun post!

i really hate arm's length self-portrait shots of me. i just look funny in them, as they do not flatter me. but i still had to do it while walking around the woods one snowy spring day. i wanted to remember the elation and thrill i had to be outside and taking pictures. so i took these.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2009/03/self-portrait-and-playing-tag.html

[Lori]

Some days I have to remind myself that I really do enjoy being with my kids.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=2966314&id=691911320

[brittany]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/3520815596/

me and my son at the beach on mother's day. he has become such a curious beach-goer, and i wanted to capture the feel of that evening.

[Kathleen O.]

Not arm's length...but reflected in a mirror that was left by a dumpster. The day of his four-year-old check up, which meant four shots (and lots of tears). On our way to the beach to scramble on the rocks and forget about the soccer-ball band aids on both arms. It didn't take long!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ko2008/3501938935/in/set-72157605477870466/

[Charlane]

beautiful shot - I don't like SPs of myself so I don't take them.

[heatherf]

I love taking the arm's-length self-portrait. It is a bit of a challenge for me to make it look as non-arm's-lengthy as possible. I was recently lucky enough to go to Tel Aviv and had to take a minute to photograph myself on the beach.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/swandive00/3486776293/

(If nothing else, the arm's-length portrait always ensures a consistency you can't get by handing a kindly stranger your camera and having them click the shutter)

[Lecia]

Yesterday at the beach I found a heart-shaped rock and took an arm's length photo of it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_day_that_is_dessert/3543288410/

[Mrs Soup]

I love this photo, taken at arm's length:

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd98/katarianna/Aviendha/week%20021609/DSCN0756.jpg

My daughter was just about a month old, taking a nap. I love the feeling of her snuggled into my chest. It is so peaceful.

[DJBEAT]

taking arms length photos with my fifty has become a running family joke - i literally do not have long enough arms to get far enough away & when i do manage - it takes 5-10 shots to get what i want in the photo (usually my bb boy on my lap)...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3474614384/

so when we do arm's length - is usually by husband who does the honours - capturing our family moments (this on the first hike with bb boy to the mountain lodge where we had our second date & 2 years later where i told my hub we were pregnant... )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/djbeat/3369214861/?reuploaded=1

[Andrea Scher]

This photo is SO incredible Kate.

[abby]

Days spent outside with my son are the best!

http://littlesaysaton.synthasite.com/blog/stretching

[The Waterhole]

Sometimes I need to check in with who I am because my life doesn't always reflect the 'me' I would like to be, so selfies help me affirm my identity. This one, doubly so, because it captures my newly pierced nose which was a statement of identity as well, I guess:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/waterhole/1153242201/in/set-72157600981126103/

[Bebe]

These were both taken in the car. I seem to like the in car sps. I LOVE what the comment above says, she describes it perfectly.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mydailypic/3505382955/in/set-72157603828284890/

For this one, I was feeling sad and nostalgic since we were getting ready to move away from Austin and I didn't really want to go.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mydailypic/3443389336/

[sandra]

This is me...I took this one today ;)


http://www.flickr.com/photos/myinspiredheart/3543472291/

[Rosa]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89546210@N00/3459916288/

I was in an "I'm turning 35 and what does my life mean" moment when I took this arm's length picture. I love how simple I look--no makeup, no jewelry, and I didn't even pluck my brows. That was a rough, but reflective day.

[Dani]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36197392@N06/3498385398/in/set-72157617651117564/

Typically, I am the wedding photographer. This day, I was my best friends maid of honor.

[Liz]

this is SOOC, one of the first arms-length self-portraits i took with my first digital camera, back in April 2006. i was in one of the most beautiful places imaginable, and i wanted to be IN the photos--but i was hiking/hobbling alone that day (four blisters per foot). photographer: present!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilybeth29/528598084/in/set-72157594587515983/

i take these kinds of shots all the time! thanks for the challenge to look back on them. i probably would have taken one today...but it's night now and my camera's not actually that great.

[Anne]

I finished with a 365 in November, since then, I've taken exactly one picture of myself, but I've begin to get the itch to do a little more SP work.

Until then, here's a picture of me from our friends' wedding last year---it was taken in a moment of total happiness---the wedding party left to enjoy the sunset on the lake where the reception was held.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/superbella/2427420133/in/set-72157602898335288/

[Jaana]

Sooo many goofy self-portraits of hubby and I.

http://photographybyjaana.blogspot.com/2009/05/self-portraits.html

[Katie]

We were in Hawaii right after my husband got back from Kuwait. He had been gone 3 and a half months and we hadn't even been married a full year yet. We celebrated his home coming with a trip to Hawaii. I wanted a picture of us kissing and no one was around. I held up my camera and by some miracle got this shot! I instantly fell in love with it!

http://roundyclan.blogspot.com/2009/05/looking-back-some-more.html

[summer]

sometimes I wanna remember how it felt to hold little hands and a picture helps:)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sufferingsummer/3550211930/

[Jennifer]

I have lots of arms length portraits from when I participated in Ali Edward's "A Week in the Life" challenge, but this one was taken quite simply because I needed a new profile pic for fb, and flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gardenymph/3493027902/

[Monna]

I like this arms-length self-portrait I took in the Tuileries in Paris. It captures the way I felt that day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26884240@N06/3557569952/

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