Elle on an airplane...

On the flight back from Denver last week, I wished I had noise canceling headphones, between the guy behind us telling his life story, and the constant movement of the busy-body stewards, I was more than annoyed in my aisle seat. But one good thing did come of the flight, and that was the article I stumbled upon in Elle magazine. I don't usually read magazines, I get them to take to the beach or on flights and that's about it. I should read them more. But I was glad I snagged this one, it was a relevant article! I looked for it everywhere, but I couldn't find it to tag to, so I'll describe it!

The author, Candice Rainey who is a street-style blog 'addict', so the article says, wrote about how dreadful she thinks she looks in all of the pictures she has of herself. She comments on her over-smiling and even in an idyllic location how her hair still makes her look less than appealing. She states that shes always felt she looks better in real life than in photos.

This is genius. Especially in this age where every single photo you take is posted to twitter and facebook immediately, its like every posted image is one step closer to reaching the unattainable goal of getting the 'perfect' shot of yourself, standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, or driving down the street. Don't deny it, I do it too.

She goes on to quote John Steinbeck, "I hate cameras. They are so much more sure than I am about everything." And that looking at yourself in photos is like hearing your voice on the answer machine; not what you expected. She states that part of the displeasure of hating images of yourself if because the camera sees you, as others see you. Not how you see yourself in the mirror.

Another new age phenom, is that, and she mentions this as well about a friend of hers, that people retouch and edit their portraits before posting them to facebook, because for single people, facebook is like an ever changing personal ad. She says, which I disagree with, that social media has stripped away the notion that a photograph is a moment captured in time. I disagree. A good photograph that captures emotions, in raw form, is still as meaningful has it ever was. But she says that now a photo is more used as an ad meant to sell a certain idea of you to others, to the popular girl from high school, or to the cute boy at work, or to those friends of friends that you think are cool but have never actually hung out with. So, what does this mean for photographers? That we'll start doing more portrait shoots, styled, and used for personal use on social media networks! Then, rock on!!

Rainey points out that any time a lens is pointed in her direction, she gets all -oh-someone's-watching-me-awkward, and "I better act cool-ish" She said she puffs up her chest like a peacock, and attempts to avoid the double-chin roll by straining her neck out. I feel like clients could take some notes from her actions, and NOT do that. You've got to feel comfortable in front of the lens, that way it sees you exactly as you really are not something you're trying to be.

So, long story short...she goes on to quote a few books, and other photographers in basically saying that its our own fear and suspicion that keep us from enjoying the way we look in images. As soon as the camera is on you, you fear that you'll look fat, or fear that your hair is a mess, and you suspect that the person behind the lens is seeing all of those flaws. When you're so worried about trying to pose, and control how others see you, you end up getting inauthentic photographs. You don't look yourself. 

The last thing a photographer wants, and she mentions this as she describes a photograph of her parent's wedding, is for the subject to be "aping" for the camera. I like that word. It makes me think of the way the apes and monkeys at the zoo perform for the viewers, they act ridiculous. We don't want that. 

She says she has a prized possession in her office, and its the photo of herself dancing with her father at her wedding. She describes herself as looking "pretty and unaffected", her eyes are closed, but shes smiling, and her dad is laughing. She said looking at it mid-day makes her want to pick of the phone and call him. Now, that's magic, a moment, one tiny little moment in time, captures a life-time worth of nostalgia and love!

So a recap, for your reading pleasure: don't stress over making yourself look a certain way, just be yourself, own it, rock it. Don't worry about what others will think,the camera doesn't lie, it doesn't fake it! Be comfortable with what you've got and confidence rather than a lack of authenticity will shine through!!!!

Reads:
Camera Lucida, Reflections on Photography
Camera Ready, How to Shoot Your Kids
Photographers mentioned:
Scott Schuman