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I’ve noticed not many people smile in self-portraits… at least not in a true self-portrait. I think that’s because, deep deep down inside, none of us feel like we’re worth smiling for. Each of us are broken and when there’s no one around except ourselves holding a camera towards our Self it’s safe for us to express… wait… oh, that is me smiling. Oh.
Technical Stuff: There is actually some motion in this photo. I’m moving my body forward as I snap the shot, so that’s why I’m slightly out of focus. The reason there seems to be a significant chunk of my skull missing around my left eye is the shot is just slightly overexposed because my neighbour left his 100W bulb turned on and the tiny hallway is all white and reflective. Which was the point of me doing this… that and ‘the incident’.
As long as you aren’t taking them in public self portraits are the easiest photos to take, but they’re also the hardest to explain. And where are we supposed to put them once they’re developed? It’s not like we can fill our living room walls up with self portraits and not use the word “narcissist” when visitors ask “WTF’s up with the self loving?”… turns out that’s what walk-in closets are for.
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0_o
cultural sn:afu 
I know someone who takes a self portrait every.single.day. And then puts it everywhere. It’s actually grating, and has strained my view of our friendship because that level of vanity makes me weird. I like being around other people to take pictures of me when I’m not necessarily aware-I have a few like that, and they capture ME. It’s awesome. Mostly I hate having them taken because of the chins I’ve had since I was 8 or so. Sigh.
You look pretty awesome here though. Hair is begging to be ruffled.
Looking good dude. I love self portrait–especially my own narcissistic views… :)
I’ve always been a fan of your self-portraits Clare, especially the one I have of you in my sidebars.
There was a guy who took his photo everyday for like a jillion years then posted it as a five minute video on YouTube, he was one of the first real viral videos… that’s a level of commitment I’d never be able to attain. I don’t even wake up everyday.
Thanks for the ruffling offer Thor, if you’re ever back in the neighbourhood… I do look pretty young here don’t I? Generally in my straight-up self portraits I end up looking like I’m about to cry because I have to go to school tomorrow or I’m in the process of stealing your car.
Thor, if that’s a self-portrait of you I usually have in my sidebar that’s the kind of atypical self-portrait I try to get but mostly screw up.
By the way… that white stuff on my beard, I have no idea what that is. Seriously, it looks like I just scarfed down a loaf of month old bread…
That’s why beards are evil and wrong.
And yeah, the sidebar one was taken quickly at work one day, and one of the few I like. :P