One of the project assignments as part of my NCFE photography course has been to create a self-portrait. Personally, I’m finding this to be a really difficult assignment, so I thought I’d write a bit about my thoughts on self-portraits.

First of all, I’m not a fan of self-portraits at all. I understand that they’re a form that makes use of a cheap model (oneself) who doesn’t charge by the hour, and who can sit for hundreds of photos (paintings, whatever) without complaint. Some self-portraits are fascinating – I’m thinking particularly of the M C Escher “Self Portrait in a Spherical Mirror” or the series done by Robert Mapplethorpe of himself every year as HIV and AIDS affected his body and face – but for the most part I just find them to be self-indulgent.  It’s fair to say they’re far from my favourite genre of artworks.

From a commercial point of view, I also don’t get self-portraits. If you want to sell photos, believe me, they’re not likely to be ones of yourself. Sure, they’re great to hang in a gallery once you’re dead – but they’re not going to sell while you’re still alive. (unless you’re particularly well thought-of and/or pretty)  In fact I’d say that commercially you’re going to be able to sell pretty much anything except self-portraits. Someone out there will like what you’ve done, but only friends and family might be interested in a picture of yourself.

The final problem is more to do with my own self-image – I don’t like being in photos, I don’t like the way I look, never have and likely never will. So for me a self-portrait is pretty much torture incarnate as well – and I’ll likely never find one that I’m happy with. Which makes for a further issue when it comes to the assignment.

So I don’t know, I just have a problem with self-portraits.

As I said in the previous post, I went out on Friday to Bussey’s Loke, near Hempnall in Norfolk, to take some photos of a burned-out Transit Van in a field.

I don’t know why the van was there, whether it was stolen (or not), why it was burned out, how long it’s been there, or anything else about it. But it does make for some interesting photos.

I’ve plonked the ones I’m pleased with in the Norfolk category, but I’m particularly pleased (for no good, or explainable reason) with this one of the engine block and this one of the door and interior of the van.

A few days ago, a friend made me aware of a burned-out van out in the wilds of Norfolk (and fortuitously close to where I’m currently working) which was of interest to me for some photo ideas.

I was going to go over there this weekend, but changed plans this morning, loaded the camera into the car along with the satnav (in order to find the bloody place at all) and took the opportunity while it was there – the local council usually being vaguely efficient when it comes to vehicle removal.

The road that it’s on is – interesting, I think it’s fair to say. Distinctly rural, single-track, and covered in mud for the first mile, deep ditches on either side – I’m just glad I wasn’t going with the initial evening/night-shots plan. (Now I know where it is, I might give that a go next week if it’s still there)

All told, I’m quite pleased with the photos I’ve managed to get – or at least, I’m pleased with how they looked through the lens, and on the screen on the back of the camera. I’ll only get the chance to see them on the big monitor tonight, and see what I think then.

I’ll post some of them up here when I’ve checked them out, always assuming they’ve worked at all.