Hello You!

Anyone who has been through a difficult time can appreciate how healing (and thought-provoking) taking self-portraits can be.  Sometimes you just need to face yourself in the mirror.  Sometimes you need to be willing to see exactly what you look like in order to silence the constant critic who can't stop exaggerating your worst faults. 

The truth is, we are all more tender, more fragile, more strong and more beautiful than we can bear to imagine--but it gets one step easier if we're willing to pick up the camera (or the iPhone) and take in all of who we are, through a more forgiving lens.

I've been doing this everyday for the last few weeks.  I think it's helping me get grounded and remember who I am, after all I've seen and been through over the last year.

Do you need a nudge to turn that camera back around on your beautiful self?

Hello Contest!

It’s time for a June Mini Photo Contest. That means it’s time to share your best image that fits our theme this week. Today, it’s Hello You! So show us YOU in all your self-portrait glory between now and Sunday night at midnight PST over in our OWP Flickr pool and leave a comment here with a link to your shot. Only one image per person please and only those images shared through links in the comments here will be considered. There will be one “Grand Hello” winner that will receive a 36X24 canvas (Hello!) and 2 runners up will win a 20X24 canvas compliments of Hello Canvas, of course!

So hurry, hurry--don't be shy.  We're eager to see your sweet face--exactly as you are right now.

Comments

[Heather Pedersen]

What a fun contest. Love the idea!

[Stephanie]

I've taken quite a few self-portraits lately. I was surprised by this one. I'd already washed my face, put on a robe, and was about to go to bed. I thought I'd hate whatever came out. And then... there I was.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30355882@N04/4711308956/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[Jennifer]

Love the idea because I love self-portraits. Not because I'm vain (I hope) but because who else can show who I truly am but me? Anyway. This is me:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jr_moon/4710694339/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[Petchy]

Here's me :) http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4711396920_8668e5e0e5_b.jpg

[stephanie]

Here is mine. I am having trouble adding it to the pool, but I will keep trying.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47241442@N04/4711623946/

[erika]

I feel like my entire 52 Weeks of Bam project is me saying Hello to my family, my friends & of course myself.


Hello Shutter Sisters!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/onemoreplease/4702788425/

[erika]

And I just noticed you picked it for the OWP!
Thanks, ladies!

[tanya Sharkey]

Cool idea:-)
Being a photographer, I sometimes get itch's to do self-portraits. This is one I took driving my dogs out to the doggie park one day.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsharkey/4711105327/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[Abby]

My self-portrait. It's a fascinating experience being on both sides of the lens. And I apologize for my neglected Flikr stream, I'm not very active on the site. In any case, the link to my self-portrait is below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22434080@N04/4711204419/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[life in eden]

Yes, 52 weeks of Bam is helping me try to see myself differently. Seeing in whole new ways
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32837589@N07/4709025401/in/set-72157624219450480/

[Lu]

wow...it has been a minute since I took a self-portrait. so much going on...

[Anne]

I never thought of self-portraits being therapeutic. That's a really interesting idea - I'm going to try it this weekend.

Cheers,
Anne

[Jayne Bramley]

I have just completed a self portrait series in my photography class and it wasn't until the last week (of a 9 week course) that I was brave enough to express my true feelings of where I am in my life right now.

I picked the one photo that speaks to me the most, the frustration and the lost feeling that I am fighting and which is keeping me awake at night.

The quote is Mary Oliver. http://www.flickr.com/photos/14261878@N08/4662249016/

[Jayne Bramley]

Oops.....I didn't have it in the one word pool....here is the correct link http://www.flickr.com/photos/14261878@N08/4662249016/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

Sorry, Jayne.xoxo

[Aia]

i don't really like selfies but i force myself to o them. no one else takes pics of me, and i know i'll regret it ten or twenty years down the road. 52 weeks of BAM helps big time overcoming this challenge!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aclamp/4707746953/

[camerashymomma ~ meredith winn]

jen, this is exactly why it became so important to turn that camera around on myself. like i knew i existed after coming through something awful, i knew i existed because i had an image of myself. i might not have recognized myself but i knew i wasn't disappearing.

thank you for this.

"Anyone who has been through a difficult time can appreciate how healing (and thought-provoking) taking self-portraits can be. Sometimes you just need to face yourself in the mirror. Sometimes you need to be willing to see exactly what you look like in order to silence the constant critic who can't stop exaggerating your worst faults. "

[Hannah]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4672682339/in/photostream/

[xanthe]

i'm getting braver in front of the camera... it's hard not to feel "hey, look at me" but you're right it's important to remember who we are. thank you for the prompt today. x.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xantheberkeley/4711128615/

[Jolie]

Here I am: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jolieguillebeau/4541472849/

[stacie]

What a wonderful prompt! I am realizing if we want to believe that other people can be angels in our life, we have to believe we can be too. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4712242356_14536fe796_b.jpg

[Meg]

I haven't been doing a lot of self portraits, but here is one i did for fPOE last week :) I am happy with it. Hello to the max :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/teaandbrie/4697512462/in/photostream/

[Mrs Soup]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrssoup/4711512879/

Rocking out at work, where I'm having a half day and leaving at noon to make it up for my first wedding shoot! So excited!

[Jen]

Polaroid self-portraits in the bathroom always make life look 1000 times better than it is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32172714@N02/4711730639/

[Vanessa]

hello sisters! http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanessa_r/4712454376/

[Jennifer]

Why is it that self-portraits are always the hardest to take? I LOVE taking photos yet find it difficult to take one or look at one of myself. Something I need to work on!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23134155@N07/4712576252/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[Sandie]

I've started to take photos of me on my birthday to mark the passing years ...

http://dancingonabladeofgrass.wordpress.com/about-me/

[Diane]

It's nice reading that so many are willing to do a selfie. I really dislike most of them so I'm not inclined to do one, I'm so sorry to say. I do love the notion that it can be rewarding and helpful and I'm so pleased for every one who finds it healing. I really admire that, a lot.

Besides doing one using a mirror I haven't a clue how on earth to get the image to focus. I'll happily go visit some of these brave women to see what remarkable work they're doing with their own self portraits.

[jenica]

with no "cleaning up" the moustache, zits, grease, and emotion are all very much me in that moment. i also see someone brave and raw, someone i forget is there sometimes. i like her.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/onelittleone/4712631166/

[casie b.]

here is me while playing with the light in my living room... lovely photos ladies!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kaooavdpa/4580449118/

[CherryPie]

I always find taking self portraits very therapeutic and funnily enough I had taken one just yesterday so I have added it to the pool:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/-cherrypie-/4711659031/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

If you prefer you can see it in context on my blog:

http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2010/06/18/meetings-shopping-and-high-court-rulings/

[GroovyGrapevine (Kate)]

In or around the ocean is where my soul shines its brightest. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8711768@N03/4712729910/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject/

[giftsofthejourney (Elizabeth Harper)]

It's late, I'm tired, but here I am ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64505666@N00/4712891276/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[Vanessa]

I began a journey of 365 selfies last fall, but by mid Jan I was in full swing morning sickness and exhaustion mode I had to stop. Then I was invited to join in on a 52 weeks project. I jumped and I am so glad to be picking up where I left off and documenting a big year of my life.

Here is my photo for the week, along with some words: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glitch_nitch/4712207796/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

thanks!

[spread your wings]

here i am... reflecting
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4712987302/

[bridge]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ridethewavesoflife/4705457848/

Me in all my make-up less glory. With grass and a girl I love.

[Brian Miller]

Me. Showing my dark, moody, and grungy side!

[Brian Miller]

Oops, forgot to post the link, so here goes.
Me with my dark moody grungy side: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brian-ana/2074884269/in/set-72157603781747527/

[carly]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93483329@N00/4713288188/

still waiting for my hair to grow back after chemo... I'm rather impatient... I did not do a true 365 project because I have been through surgeries, etc... but there are 30 in my set from various points in the course of my treatment so far.

[Marianne LoMonaco]

This is from a few months ago, this is me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mariannelomonaco/4443294862/in/set-72157622682613725/

[Heather]

Just last week I asked my husband to take a picture of me (with me getting everything set up for him, of course). It took us a couple of tries to get one that I was okay with.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4713387060_fdb89b1ce3_m.jpg

I never used to mind pictures of myself but now I hate them. Every time I see a photograph of myself all I can see is how much weight I've put on and how my face has aged since I had kids.. I wish I could feel as comfortable in front of the camera as I do behind it. And I wish I had better appreciated those days when I didn't hate every single picture of me. I'm trying to see myself in a more positive light...but it's hard.

[Heather]

Umm...here's the link I *meant* to give. Oops!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hezro/4713387060/

[Michelle]

Self portraits are tough for me. Probably easier if I figured out how to use my timer. Doh!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26029966@N02/4712990623/in/photostream/

[Leslie]

Here I am pondering...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51243753@N02/4712999425/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[mosey]

Sometimes it's like pulling teeth, and sometimes not...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7687752@N03/4713714660/in/photostream/

[Sammie]

Here's mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32606361@N04/4714282132/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[Alison]

It has been a tough few years...yet seeing myself through the lens I can see that I have survived intact, imperfections and all.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4713739058_9ec1224a38_b.jpg

[Alison]

Yikes! I goofed on the link...here it is... : )

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45491005@N03/4713739058/

[spencercasa]

here i am, playing around on the kitchen bar.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23196640@N03/4541674885/

[Kelly Langner Sauer]

Hello. :-) Thanks for the excuse to play. I'd been doing an SP project, and then dropped it when I revamped my site. It's fun to have a reason to do it again!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kellylangnersauer/4715351742/in/pool-shuttersistersonewordproject

[Meggie(68beats)]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34288115@N03/4462844376/in/set-72157620316822119/

xoxo