2013 Self Portrait Project

LoganH

I decided to do a 52 week self portrait project. Each week I am trying for a meaning behind the photo or just an all around theme.

Here is this week portrait. Took this out behind my house. The name of this photo is "Contradiction".



You can view this photo on my Flickr account

anonymouscuban

Image says "Constipated" to me?

LoganH

This is a fine art series, so it's not going to be all nice and pretty like the typical portraits.

jarboedoggart

LoganH wrote: »

This is a fine art series, so it's not going to be all nice and pretty like the typical portraits.

I don't get it at all, but am intrigued. Interested to see more as the weeks go by.

anonymouscuban

LoganH wrote: »

This is a fine art series, so it's not going to be all nice and pretty like the typical portraits.

My comment had nothing to do with technicals or anything. I don't get the message "Conflicted" at all from this scene. I get the sense that you're having bowel problems. Like you were out in the woods on your quad and got struck by a bad case of stomach cramps. Hence the fact that you're squatting behind the trees in your skivvies.

Just saying. Am interested in seeing more of this project as it unfolds. I've tried doing 365's or 52's in the past and have never follow through with them so good luck.

divamum

I'm mostly confused by the goggles.

OP, I think you're onto something interesting in that you clearly have some kind of message you want to get across and you have stimulated people to explore the image (those are both great things). However, I'm not sure your "message" is making it to your audience without added info to clarify the title and the eccentricities in the image people have mentioned.

This image is skating close to my feelings about "director's theater/opera": if the production needs a program note to explain the choices made, then it isn't clear (and like is not serving the piece, the audience or the performers). There's something interesting going on here, but since I have work out what it is I have no response other than to scratch me head.

puzzledpaul

Whether what I 'see' and what you're trying to get across (re title) are probably somewhat different.

Someone squatting, as if intent on observing / seeing something interesting ... but wearing goggles.
Someone squatting ... having been 'caught short' and thus in need of rectifying said situation ... but wearing the single item of clothing that'd have to be removed.

From an 'artistic' / shape pov I'd suggest that not wearing pants (uk speak) would be worth considering, because of the way the bodyline is interrupted by their presence - assuming I'm nowhere close with 2 above.

pp

PhilD41

So it almost made sense to me. Then I realized I had "seen" the wrong image. I originally thought you have swimming goggles on. Someone in swimming gear would certainly contradict the woodland environment. Then I realized you have ski goggles on with mittens. I guess I still see the contradiction of being in a cold environment in your undies, but the mittens are really the only thing that says "cold" to me and the goggles and pose doesn't really help. Anyway... like the others, I am curious for future images though. I have never gotten up the nerve to do a 52 or 365 project. Keep it up!

anonymouscuban

PhilD41 wrote: »

So it almost made sense to me. Then I realized I had "seen" the wrong image. I originally thought you have swimming goggles on. Someone in swimming gear would certainly contradict the woodland environment. Then I realized you have ski goggles on with mittens. I guess I still see the contradiction of being in a cold environment in your undies, but the mittens are really the only thing that says "cold" to me and the goggles and pose doesn't really help. Anyway... like the others, I am curious for future images though. I have never gotten up the nerve to do a 52 or 365 project. Keep it up!

OH... those are mittens! I thought it was a cast on his hand/arm. Makes a little more sense now. Just a little though.

LoganH

Yes they are ski goggles and ski gloves. The name "Contradiction" was meant to portray the feeling of coldness with the pose and goggles/gloves. Yet nothing on but my undergarments. As I said, first attempt at a real self portrait with some kind of meaning behind it. Hopefully they get better throughout the year!

PhilD41

That is the point of a year project, looking forward to see how you improve!

karloznz

Nice work dude - I am back at school this year for some study of Photography - we are going to be working on self portraits - I think I am looking forward to it ..lol

LoganH

Thank Karl!

Here is my newest one. I am one week behind already(was loving snowboarding to much to worry about a self portrait). I will catch up with an extra in the coming weeks. You can view it on my Flickr page if you like HERE and see my meaning behind the photo.

PhilD41

I like this one much better than the first one. Then again, I am a big fan of the Odyssey! I really like the lighting and the shadow on the wall. Reminds me some of my own stint in college. Well done!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

LoganH

Thanks PhilD! I am 78 pages into the Odyssey at the moment for class and freaking love it. Then again, I love all things from the reign of Greece era. Looking forward to the rest of it!

Also, the shadow on the wall, I was trying to get rid of it at first. But then I realized that it added to the effect of stories and imaginations, with peter pans shadow and all.

Lightsearcher

I like the second picture, nice lighting.

Marcelo

anonymouscuban

Nice. Like this one much, much better. And I'm glad you left the shadow. I think it wouldn't be the same photo without it.

Hackbone

I'm late to this thread sorry.

The first one has no general impact on me. I can overlook technical details, color details etc if the photograph grabs my attention but this one doesn't for me. After my eye traveling to the brightest spot, his back, it then is drawn to all the vertical lines in contradiction to the one horizontal tree line.

On the second one I do like the color and lighting, nice job. Don't like the crotch shot and leg distortion.

LoganH

Thanks for the comments and critiques! Definitely more satisfied with the second self portrait.

Hackbone, I actually put in a tiny bit of extra distortion in post for the legs. I felt it added to the meaning of magical, adventure, creatures, and all around odd things that stories can portray.

Hackbone

LoganH wrote: »

Thanks for the comments and critiques! Definitely more satisfied with the second self portrait.

Hackbone, I actually put in a tiny bit of extra distortion in post for the legs. I felt it added to the meaning of magical, adventure, creatures, and all around odd things that stories can portray.

Then you met you idea!!

Mike J

The 2nd one is much better. It stands on its own and doesn't need a lengthy explaination. I didn't fully get the 1st until there were a lot of words put around it. Good luck with the project and am looking forward to seeing these...

LoganH

Here is another self portrait. I am of course behind on the weekly schedule but I will keep them coming!

This one doesnt really have a story or theme behind it. I assisted an awesome photographer last weekend that prefers harsh direct lighting on the subjects for some major harsh shadows. He mainly deals with black & white portraits. And man do I love them. I thought I would give it a shot myself. I wish I had more room to get a little wider and more of the shadow, but had to crop it because of furniture right there(small dorms are small!)

Let me know what you think of this one!

LoganH

Here is another from tonight. My first attempt at a composite image! Got my intuos5 in the other day and freaking loving it!