Thursday 26 October 2006

The Self


Oh how I wish I had a full time assistant with me so that when I decide to do stupid treks like this - four hour return wander along the coast - I could have someone else helping lug the gear around. And it'll be good if they knew how to work the gear too - so I could take stupid photos like this one. Even if it was just a girlfriend I could cajoule into coming along.

Hell, screw the camera help, I just wish I had a girlfriend.

But as much as I like to moan about my pitiful life, what I really like about this shot is that is a true self-portrait. I guessed the focus and then stood in the wrong place. That softness is quietly flattering, covering up all my ancient wrinkles. The side lighting's quite nice too. That sun of ours is a pretty good light source really.

At the moment I'm in the process of sorting out all my negatives and trannies - again. Well the 4x5 ones really (cos the others are pretty well organised), pulling out bodies of work so that they are all together and not randomly scattered. That kind of thing.

In going through the folders, I've come across a few nice shots which will be appearing here in time. This is one of them. It's what happens when you get a bored me, a night time, an awol flatmate, and a 60watt bulb hung from the ceiling. Again I guessed the focus I think, then stood remarkably still for one second even while releasing the shutter. Christ I'm just so talented.


Again that assistant and/or girlfriend could have helped, but then the result wouldn't have been quite the same, and not so ME.

So maybe on second thoughts, screw the assistant, and screw the girlfriend. They're both just too much trouble. Give me lonely and bitter anyday.

2 comments:

a camera in the world said...

You did that Photoshop didn't ya! Everyone knows that the auto focus would have got ya sharp. You can't fool me ya know.

And what plugin did ya use for the bottom one, I like the funky border

microphen said...

okay, yes you got me. it's all photoshopped - the softness, the under-exposed neg look, the border made from scratch (none of these easy plugins for me).

and while i'm at it i might as well admit that i've never owned a film camera in my life (let alone twenty three) and only started taking photos when the industry finally caught up with modern technology.