I’ve been taking more self-portraits lately. I hated it at first but I’m starting to enjoy it now. There’s a growing sense of self awareness that has come with it, and once the awkwardness of photographing myself started to go away, more of the real me started to emerge in the photos.
I sometimes forget how old I am, but these details come through in a photo and I’ve had to confront the realities of aging. I’ve been tempted to wear makeup for these shots, but I typically don’t wear makeup so it seems inauthentic to wear makeup for a photo, especially a self-portrait which should aim to capture the essence of the person.
Instead of trying to hide the wrinkles and imperfections, I’m focusing on bringing out the real me, which is characteristically a natural look. I’m a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, more of a Mary Ann than a Ginger. And frankly, I don’t want to look like everybody else, which is what today’s beauty trends encourage.
I’ve found self-portraits to be a surprisingly good way to get to know myself better and become more comfortable in my own skin. It’s been worth it to work through the awkwardness to get to the self awareness and acceptance. ❤️
