For these particular projects, I've really enjoyed shooting these girls that I already have some sort of relationship with, and trying to express an aspect of them, subtle or not, through the photos... or maybe something that just I see in them.
Because I'm exposing these girls in a way that they normally aren't, I have felt both with "Alexander Girls" and this currently untitled project, that I have to expose myself as well. Ok yes, I'm "exposing myself" just by taking the photos and putting them out there, but I mean actually putting me in the sometimes uncomfortable position of taking, editing, and showing pictures of my physical self. I think it's harder to do this for two main reasons... 1, editing photos that you have an attachment to is hard enough, but editing photos of yourself and not only picking the "prettiest" ones, but ones that express something more are even more difficult. 2, they aren't simply snapshots that I was sitting there taking waiting to go to a party or something. They were planned, and they were set up. I'm also limited on the angles, compositions, etc. I can get with these, so I wonder if they're really good photos at all.
I've always felt weird about publishing self portraits. Usually I take them not to take self-portraits, but because I'm testing some new equipment, or lighting technique, and I'm the only one around to test it on.
With all of that being said, I'm posting a few of my round two self-portraits for my current (post-Alexander Girls) project....
