Alter Ego Self Portrait

I am a teenage photographer. I come from a great and loving family, who are a great encouragement for me and inspire me to try my hardest at everything that I do, even if it is a great challenge. I have been blessed with many gifts and talents, and I want to use all of them, no matter how odd or unique, to better myself and others. Most of my daily life consists of school, sports, family, and friends, all of which are places to create my photography. It is important for me to take my camera in my purse everywhere I go because a photograph may be waiting to be taken in places I may not expect.

 

My philosophy for photography is that any object can make a great photograph. Photography is a way to capture one, single, unique moment of time in a picture that will remain for years and years. I like using different techniques with lighting, angling, and positioning to create distinct photos. I also like when photos do not look completely edited, but rather natural and appealing. I wish that everyone who views my photos will be able to relate to some object or aspect in my photo, creating a unique emotion. I take photos to create memories, capture scenes of significance, and simply to have fun.

 

I took my traditional self portrait to express some important elements in my life. I absolutely love playing sports and being outdoors, represented through the objects surrounding me in the photo. I am also a bright, happy person, which is shown through the vibrant colors in my photo. Looking ‘good’ is not necessary in my life, so it was appropriate for me to lie in the dirt in my running shorts and hoodie. This photo adheres to my philosophy of using distinct lighting, a unique low angle, not using much editing, and hopefully allowing the viewers to feel some emotion while looking at the details in the photo.

 

I took my alter ego self portrait to represent the fact that my life does not revolve around looking good and “dressing to impress.” I think it is more important to have a great personality and have fun rather than worrying about my clothes, heels, shoes, and makeup. The photo is black and white because I feel that the person represented in the photo lives a serious, boring, and unnatural life without the fun of sports, goofiness, and laughter. There is no vibrancy or happiness. Even though this photo does not represent my life, it represents several aspects of my philosophy. There was little editing, direct lighting, and clear themes and emotions that can be pulled out of the photo. My self portraits are both strong examples of my philosophy as well as important to understanding my personality and style.

Done