Greetings From…

Last year I did a rather challenging project. The idea was to take a self-portrait every week throughout the entire year. I had done the same sort of thing in 2008 and really enjoy looking back on it. It’s a reminder of what happened at certain times in my life, even more so since I wrote a little note for every photo, journalling my week. It ranged from big decisions to small events, from moving house to realising just how many times I wear that same dress.

To make it a little easier on myself this time around I decided on a theme for 2010. It was meant to be series of postcards. Postcards capturing my life each week, written to my future self. In giving it a certain style I thought I’d get rid of the problem on how to pose differently each week. I simply had to take a postcard-worthy shot with me in it. Sort of like a holiday snap shot but much more mundane. Well, in theory this may be easier but I had to go and make it complicated by doing it all on my Hasselblad. This entails not only shooting on comparatively expensive medium format film, taking it to the lab to have it developed and then scanning it only to find out that my exposure was completely off; it also means setting up the camera on a tripod with a bulb release on a cable in public places. And then standing a few metres away from it, hoping the focus is still right and ignoring staring (or worse: commenting) strangers as I smile and pose. Every single week. Come rain or sunshine, hair freshly washed or not. Feeling like an idiot on a regular basis.

But I did it. I finished it and in retrospect I am very proud of it. It is indeed a great thing to have and some of the shots I am really quite fond of, even though not all moments portrayed were good moments. But that’s life, isn’t it?

And no, I won’t do it again this year. And hopefully not in 2012, either. Then again, I fell for it twice already, so who knows…

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8 Comments. Leave new

I will miss seeing these. What a wonderful collection from the year…pain in the arse or not, it really is worth doing in the end. Love this!

(2014 en masse)

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Thanks Steph!
The one thing that did help throughout was the continuous support I got. And yes, so worth it when I look back.

(2014 sounds far away and safe!)

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You should be proud of yourself – a self-portrait project on film is no mean feat.

Conrgats and well done. And if you could talk me out of doing it again this year, I’d be really grateful.

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Wow, I’m really impressed that you’ve done 2 of these. I’ve just started my first one (a few weeks behind schedule, but whose counting?).
I really like your self-portrait “postcards.” I used to do photo booth pictures of myself every birthday, but it stopped being the same once they changed out the old style pictures for the new digital ones.

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Hey Deb – I am afraid I am a little late now to talk you out of it? You will be fine! And I am already looking forward to seeing your photo each week.

Thanks, Skye! I do think it helps to force yourself to do a regular project. Keeps you on your toes. I’ve seen your blog post about it and can’t wait to see what you come up with.

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So, so, so well done miss!

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both of your years were absolutely favourites of mine. does that make me creepy? YAY YOU!

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Thanks, you two!

I am a fan of being someone’s favourite, so no, not creepy at all Claire. :)

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