I suppose my life has become one big self-portrait photo shoot (and I like that it has).
But every so often there will be a project that needs some unseen images and this past month there were actually a few things like that, so I went out on two separate self-portrait photo shoots in my favourite red summer dress and a few props to get some images for secret-special projects!
While of course I’m holding those photos back for the article and book a couple are going to be included in (there, I spilled the beans but more on that soon) but I thought I might share some of the outtakes with you.
It was right after the Vancouver Folk Festival and I had spent much of the weekend in my bare feet dancing on the grass to gorgeous world music, so I was feeling really free and craving movement. Movement has always been a big part of my self-portraiture and a vital tool for finding my way to a feeling of home in my body, so these photos really felt like they were me in that feeling of ‘home’.
Something happens sometimes when I can find a rare quiet space within the city. On this day I felt like this wide openness invited my inner modern dancer out to play. Moving in our photos in a way is a claiming of space….not just standing still in a photo but inviting ourselves to move and play. Taking self-portraits with movement has always felt so powerful to me, as its not just the feeling of posing, but rather being in motion and letting the camera be a witness to that playfulness!
Perhaps if you decided to take a self-portrait today, ponder adding a little bit of movement to your photo!
Here are some outtakes for you!
