In our workshops, we love to hand out challenges. These are designed to pique the imaginations and creativity of our participants and push them beyond what they might normally do. After all, as photographers, if we are going to continue to grow — something that Arnie and I hope we never stop doing — we have to keep pushing and challenging ourselves.
In Summertime on the Maine Coast, we asked everyone to do a self-portrait that would let the rest of the group know who it was.
In our workshops, we get to know one another pretty quickly. After all, we are living, eating, doing, and sharing photography with one another! The joking and camaraderie starts on the first afternoon.
We got a big kick out of the breadth of approaches, and when we shared them in class, quite a few of them elicited a chuckle.
Unfortunately, not everyone did the exercise (their loss, as it was fun), but one of our participants did two showing a great sense of humor!
Several other people used shadows, too.
Each carries the copyright notice of its owner, and those of us who were there could pretty much figure out who the subject was. In this case, the participant displayed a feature we all recognized!
Others used reflective surfaces for their self-portraits.
One person even managed to hold his arm out and get a self-portrait where we could actually see who he was.
So, get those creative juices flowing. Don’t copy these, but challenge yourself to do your own take on your own self-portrait, and if you would like, come over to our Barefoot Contessa Photo Adventures group page on Facebook and post a direct link to it there. No cheating, though. Do a new one if you already have one. Make it fun! Meanwhile, take a look at what these participants did in Maine!
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These were fun! I tried one in the same window as Joanie’s, but didn’t get a good image, so I defaulted to the mirror shot…not as creative as some of the others. I like the shadows best, but the leg from the Port-a-John was the most creative! Fun assignment!
Mike,
I think most people think that shot was the most imaginative. It was fun to watch that participant set up and execute that shot. It involved some scurrying back and forth!
I wonder what Provence will bring? Or Paris?
Thanks for writing,
TBC
This was a hard challenge; but at the end, when we got a chance to review everyone’s creativity, it was fun! Hhmmm….self-portrait 2012….
Benita,
Arnie and I smiled when we saw the deer-in-the-headlights look on all your faces, but you all got into it and really used your imaginations. As you said, everyone had fun once they got over the shock of the assignment!
Too funny!
Take care,
TBC