This week’s Sunday Stills Challenge was truly a challenge….mostly on a personal level. Self-Portraits and photographs of myself are just not my thing. I would much rather be BEHIND the camera. Taking fifty photos of myself and then going back through to weed out the 40+ scary ones, is horrible, especially if you’re as self-critical as I am.
Did you know that there is a website devoted entirely to folks who want to take a photo of themselves EVERY DAY FOR A YEAR?!
Yes there is! It’s a Flikr group called 365 Self Portraits. Such dedication and self-confidence these folks must possess to be able to photograph themselves, and then share the photos on the internet for everyone to see, every day for a year without fail. Heck, there are some days I don’t even want to go near a mirror, much less have a camera pointed at me!
Anyway, this Sunday Stills was a challenge for me because I’m Lithuanian. See?
Lithuanian women would probably be described as being “handsome”, often with very thin lips, and…….um……“challenging noses”. Especially as we grow older.
I’m 44. I’m guessing that I’ve got 34 more years until I look like this. (my poor husband)
So without further ado (or lamentation), here are my attempts at creating self-portraits.
Do you think my little dog may be Lithuanian, too?
I was going for the ‘little old Lithuanian woman wearing a scarf’ look from above.
And this from Halloween.
At first I was doing a terrific job keeping the ‘ol shnozzle wrapped in a cloak of mystery. And I discovered that black and white is much more forgiving and, well…..mysterious. (and leopard spots work well, too)
But I decided to take it to the next level and challenge myself a little more, so………..(eeek!)
See what I mean? I tried to warn you.
Yep. This Sunday Stills Challenge has just reaffirmed my reasoning of why I will never be participating in the Flickr 365 Self Portraits group.
Check out Sunday Stills to see how others have tackled this challenge…..and survived.
(Note: I took all of these photos myself, using my Canon PowerShot SX110 IS)
41 comments :
I really like your post. And I know it prob won't make any difference (like yourself I hate being in front of the camera) I think you look fantastic... not being nice either, as I don't do nice!
Love them all, but the one of you and Dobie is fantastic!! :-)
you have the most beautiful eyes lisa
Wonderful photos and great subject matter...you are a very beautiful woman.
I like the one with your hair blowing back. You look like Cybil Shepherd.
I'm with you. I never like pix of myself and would not be doing the 365 days of myself. Bad enough I have to look in the mirror every day.
You are actually very beautiful! I love the one of you in the navy blue t-shirt. Very flattering - movie star look!
But I do agree that being in front of the camera is much harder than being behind it. Photoshop has become my best friend - I've erased a LOT of wrinkles! My sister and I were laughing though that in 30-40 years nobody will know what anyone REALLY looked like since we'll have all photoshopped ourselves into new looks!
Hey, I'm a good part Russian, so I can empathize a bit (babushka, anyone?) BUT...I really, really like your first self-portrait and the fifth one. Your one visible eye in the first one is laughing...how do you do that? It really is a wonderful portrait.
The fifth one I like because it is different. And again, your eyes are showing a lot of personality.
You may be...America's Next Mom Model!! ♥
You're beautiful! Don't hide all that makes you who you are! Lithuanian nose and all!!! Love you!
Lisa you are a very beautiful woman!! I LOVE all of these pictures. They show the essence of who you are!
Have a wonderful day my friend.
~Jeni
I would say your Lithuanian genes have done you well, you are beautiful!! :)
Your post touched my heart.
I hurt for/with you as you shamefully tried to hide your nose. I understand the self loathing (at least physically) that lies behind the humor. Yet, you are truly beautiful! There is SO much more to you than just your Lithuwanian snoz. Without even knowing you, I would say that the 'whole package' is quite lovely!
Congratulations on overcoming your insecurity!! You set a good example for others...
Beautiful! I love your post, and how you embraced the challenge. Doesn't hurt that it looks like you might have actually had fun doing it too... :)
OMG stop with the being afraid of self portraits already! I don't get it? You have nothing to be embarrassed/nervous, etc... about! Love the one with your little dog! And the 2nd from the bottom!
Challenging though it may have been, I think you came up with some very nice shots! I don't think your nose is at all detrimental to your lovely, smiling face.
I rather like the second to last photo, in black: very alluring!
Lisa, go back and look at those pics as though they are someone else. You will see what we do. You are a lovely woman.Model pretty in those last two!
no, you won't look like the old woman. you'll still have your teeth! lol I love you and your dog shot.
Hey Lisa! Great post, love the first picture of you in black and white. Great face makeup for Halloween, good job!
Wow, in the next to last photo, you look like Glenn Close! Beautiful!!!
I too have a "challenging nose" so therefore I do not like having my picture taken too much either. That's why you see more picture of Big Gilly than me! LOL
hugs....
Jane
I think your self portraits are fantastic!
You are an absolutely gorgeous woman, Lisa. Physical beauty, yes, but, your inner beauty shines through also. Your husband is a very lucky man.
I didn't know you were Lithuanian! What amazes me is how you managed to make such artistic self-portraits. You truly are gifted with the camera, and you model well. You made the portraits interesting with your expressions.
I had Dorothy take some pictures of me in the studio yesterday since no one ever takes photos of me unless I ask. You took a couple of me, but beyond that all our family albums are mainly the kids with a few of my hubby. I set up the camera, backdrop and lights for the picture and all my daughter had to so was push the button. I don't know if that would count for a self-portrait, though.
Oh Lisa your beautiful! Especially your eyes. My mother has blue eyes like yours and my father has green. Green is a less genetically carried eye colour but both my sister and I ended up with green eyes. I am Ukranian/English so I have a very distinct crook in my nose (from before I broke it!) that you can see back over 100 years in family photo's. It must be a very dominant gene. Maybe you just have strong family genes.
Really well done Lisa. You have amazing eyes. Ditto the Glen Close comment, that's my favorite shot.
Thanks so much Lisa for your lovely comments :0
As for the tattoo meaning: The butterfly represents my oldest son who is a bit flighty, going from one to the next with never a destination in mind. The dragonfly is my youngest who is quick to decide and darts all over checking everything out. The flowers are me...blooming into who I was supposed to be.
I love your self portraits and you have very beautiful eyes. Well DONE!
You did a great job, and you take a better picture than I do!
Everyone else said everything I was thinking.
Be proud.
Dan
Nice pics. You are absolutely gorgeous!!! Love the way the dog is looking at you ;)
You look great Lise and i have to say it's been fun seeing who every one is.
Hi Lisa, Glen Close definitely !
I think you look great. My step father was Lithuanian, my sister and brother are half. There's nothing wrong with your nose, you should see my Italian/German schnozzola. Anyway, I can't believe there are people who think so much of themselves they take a picture to post everyday. I recently had my daughter take some pics of me and Dusty and they are so horrible I won't put them up. Great pictures Lisa!
Great photos and darling...you look marvelous! Really. I also hated the challenge and started off hiding behind the camera and then just went for it and posted my face. LOL
Thankfully we have survived!
I agree with the majority here, you are beautiful.
My favorite photo of you is the last one.
Don't be so hard on yourself! Your beautiful! I'm German [great grandparents on both sides immigrated here] so I have REALLY dark eyebrows. And if I let them grow out, I'd look like Einstein. Or Groucho Marx. :D
I like your nose, so phhhpppphhttttt!
That first (real) shot is fantastic!
Nope, You are still beautiful, outside AND IN!
Love you!
Hey..Well done..the first two ladies made me laugh right out loud.
You are so funny..and you take a good photo too:)
For the love of God woman stand up and say "I'm Lithuanian and damn proud of it"! What woman wouldn't give their eye teeth for naturally blond hair and cornflower blue eyes? Get off that staircase that has one wobbly step and get on the one that has many sturdy ones. That woman you pictured? She's someone's Mom, grandmother and friend. I hope my eyes still look as kind as hers when I'm her age.
With the fear you've developed towards your paint mare- you might try reading "How to overcome the Fear of Riding" It helped me tremendously with my fear that at one time consumed me at least as much as your fear has enveloped you. I didn't have the help of a mentor. USE that resource. Move forward- 1/4 or 1/2 inches at first, but always, always make positive progress. When I tense up, quit breathing and am micromanaging a situation with my horses(or the rest of my life), I mentally step back and remember something an old horseman told me, and proves to be invaluable time and time again- you can't control nothin' 'cept how you react to it.
you're the one who'll make this a good situation or a bad one.
I missed this post until you mentioned it on Monday! Must have slipped by me on the feed. Great pictures. I can't imagine the challenge of not only getting flattering shots, but getting them by yourself! I think you did an amazing job :)
You have beautiful eyes and a sharp nose that any Chinese will kill for.
Did you act as that woman in the 100 dalmantians? I am sure you are more beautiful.
Wow! Ton of comments so I won't restate the obvious but just tell you a little nose humor. I come from a family of big Norwegian noses. One Thanksgiving we got out a ruler and measured to see who had the biggest nose. It was one of my brothers who argued that was because he was the tallest person in the family.
From one woman who hates being in front of the camera to another, I must tell you I have learned over the years we always look worse to ourselves than we do to others. I've learned with age to give myself a break. Pictures of me are not nearly as bad as they appear to me.
And I'd trade my nose for yours anyday of the week. LOL
Post a Comment