OK, I'll be the 1st !

[Nicolas Claris]

So, I'll give the example and start with myself!
I did this portrait as it was asked by a magazine writing a text about my work.
They asked for a portrait (not necessarly self portrait) in the "Harcourt" style (for newbies: B&W, Head and shoulders, done for movie stars in Paris in the fifties and sixties).
Not the kind of picture I use to do...

So I went in front of a mirror in my house, found that the yellow door made a good warm background and that the red flower vase was also nice for the composition.
Tried my best enigmatic smile and...
Shot 4 or 5 times

Here it is, they published it full page!

http://mnclaris.free.fr/forum/DSC_7333_self_portrait.jpg

Needless to say my old mother was very proud!

[Diane Fields]

So, I'll give the example and start with myself!
I did this portrait as it was asked by a magazine writing a text about my work.
They asked for a portrait (not necessarly self portrait) in the "Harcourt" style (for newbies: B&W, Head and shoulders, done for movie stars in Paris in the fifties and sixties).
Not the kind of picture I use to do...

So I went in front of a mirror in my house, found that the yellow door made a good warm background and that the red flower vase was also nice for the composition.
Tried my best enigmatic smile and...
Shot 4 or 5 times


Needless to say my old mother was very proud!

I, for one, really like it. I had you pictured differently (don't we almost always). I liked the style and I agree that the warm background--and esp. the red vase, were really nice additions---it would be quite different without them.

I will have to think seriously about shooting one myself. Last time I did it was a number of years ago--both myself and my style have changed--and both have 'matured' LOL.

Diane

[scott kirkpatrick]

So, I'll give the example ...
I went in front of a mirror in my house,
tried my best enigmatic smile and...
Shot 4 or 5 times


I used the mirror trick a little differently, for a thread on dpreview a while back. Held the camera a little low and to the side, and looked into it through the mirror. But I couldn't manage the enigmatic smile.

http://www.pbase.com/skirkp/image/61138899

scott

[Melanie Kipp]

How about using a cat's eye in place of the mirror?
http://www.pbase.com/melaniekipp/image/52075992

[Nicolas Claris]

We are all looking at ourselves in this exercise... any psychanalist around there? :-) + LOL

[Paul Romersa]

How about using a cat's eye in place of the mirror?
http://www.pbase.com/melaniekipp/image/52075992

Very cool Melanie! ;)

[Paul Romersa]

Nothing special about this shot....but it's a shot of my mug :cool:
http://www.digitaldome.net/picts/about6.jpg

[Josh Liechty]

This idea came to me today while shooting water on leaves in the yard after a storm, though I'm sure it's been done before (probably many times, and I'm just oblivious as usual).

http://www.joshliechty.com/external/DSC_0834_selfportrait.jpg

[Nicolas Claris]

Paul is leftside right
Josh upside down (nice effect BTW)

Seems that our world is getting mad ! :-)))

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Nicolas,

Is that large black growth on your eye susceptible to modern facial reconstructive surgery procedures?

Best regards,

Doug

[Jeff Donovan]

Josh, I love that picture. Well done!

[Asher Kelman]

Josh,

Are you going to patent this technic of the leaf tip water lens?

Asher

[Nill Toulme]

Is it still a "self-portrait" if you use your 11-year-old son to hold the camera and click the shutter? ;-)

http://www.toulme.net/misc/nill.jpg

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

[Josh Liechty]

Josh,

Are you going to patent this technic of the leaf tip water lens?

Asher
I think someone else must have a patent on the "right" way to do it... That is only because I've tried shooting other things (mostly flowers) through drops on leaves, and I can never get the wonderfully crisp image through the drop that one sees in professional (I assume) photos in magazines. My conspiratorial speculation is that they're using some non-water substance to make the drop bigger and better than a normal drop of plain H2O. ;)

[Faye White]

I'm a fan of high contrast B&W. :)

http://www.pbase.com/fayewhite/image/61931904.jpg

[Asher Kelman]

Faye,

Edgy!

I wonder if you intentionally looked to your right? Would looking at or past the viewer on your left be another thing worth trying?

Just a thought!

Anyway I like attitude and you have it. I also appreciate you wading in immediately and sharing with us. A picture of yourself is pretty good sharing! Is the rest of the picture share-able?

Asher

[Faye White]

Hello Asher,

The sideways glance was intentional - trying to convey (communicate? ;) ) a message of doubt as a reaction to someone's comment.

I try to do a self portrait once a week - I find it the most difficult assignment and a real challenge! The gallery can be viewed here: http://www.pbase.com/fayewhite/self

[Asher Kelman]

The picture "Pearls", is particularly impressive. Could you also post that and tell us how you learned about the accompanying poem quoted below.

You who never arrived
in my arms, Beloved, who were lost
from the start,
I don't even know what songs
would please you. I have given up trying
to recognize you in the surging wave of the next
moment. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Asher

[Faye White]

http://www.pbase.com/fayewhite/image/61079065.jpg

This is another self portrait, exploring natural light from a window. As for the poem, I am a fan of Rainer Maria Rilke's poetry and this poem was suited to my thoughts on that particular day. The image turned out as I had hoped! Thank you for your kind comments!

[Asher Kelman]

That was such a good shot! Love the girl and the pearls!

Asher