The Self Portrait

Cindy Sherman :: film still project

Self portraiture is one of the most important things to explore as an artist. Yes, it is difficult but it also can be really enlightening to put yourself in front of the camera—especially for those of us photographers who always  want to hide behind the lens. In this project you will explore the idea of self portrait and how you want to convey yourself to your audience. You can play with ideas of dressing differently, hiding your face, describing yourself without your face in the image, and becoming part of an environment. This is for fun and for play and for experimenting!

Artists to consider: Francesca Woodman, Cindy Sherman, Kyle Thompson, Torrance Hall 

Assignment:

You are to shoot 50 digital frames (yes 50) of self portraits. Remember to experiment and play with the idea of what a self portrait is and what it means. I do not want to see really "pretty" portraits, these should explore the idea of portrait and be an expressive image of who you are as a person

-You must photograph at least one close up image of yourself
-You will pass in a contact sheet of 10 images, 3 main images, and print 1 8x10.

Things to think about:

• No "pretty" portraits and NO SELFIES!!!
• You can hide your face for some of the images if you want
• Consider angles, colors, and spaces around you...maybe you even blend into your environment
• You can either use the self-timer, a remote, or have someone "take" the photo after you set it up
• These can be photographed indoors or outdoors, at night or during the day