Pretty awesome stuff, huh? Here is a link to this weeks self portraits that had the theme: Masks
The internet is an amazing playground. A way to connect to others unlike ever before. A way to show yourself in ways that you could not otherwise. However the irony of it all is it also provides cover while doing so, ways to hide while reaching out. And that is what masks represent to me as well. A way to hide while participating. A way to be brave enough to be your true self, while obscuring part of yourself at the same time.
I find I tend to merge the sharing/hiding thing when it comes to blog writing. I am showing and telling, but there is the control. The angles I choose to share. The right lighting, the hiding of the cluttered corners, perfection in chaos sort of stuff. Not done with any kind of deceit in mind at all. In fact, in 'real life' I often see in the macro. I'm just a person who tends to notice the pretty details in the not so pretty whole - and that is what I like to share on my blog: How I see. But the truth is, there is still some hiding of self involved, even if I am hiding it all from myself as well. On the net we all tend to wear masks.
I stumbled upon this link party a little late in the game. It is the last day of the first week, it is dark out already and I am in my pjs and not feeling the ability to get my artistic self awake enough for new photos. But I wanted to play so I searched through my past computer-taken self portraits. And oh... did I ever find my mask. I stumbled upon some glaringly obvious habits that my eyes were clear enough to see tonight since I have this thinky sort of hat on right now.
The internet is an amazing playground. A way to connect to others unlike ever before. A way to show yourself in ways that you could not otherwise. However the irony of it all is it also provides cover while doing so, ways to hide while reaching out. And that is what masks represent to me as well. A way to hide while participating. A way to be brave enough to be your true self, while obscuring part of yourself at the same time.
I find I tend to merge the sharing/hiding thing when it comes to blog writing. I am showing and telling, but there is the control. The angles I choose to share. The right lighting, the hiding of the cluttered corners, perfection in chaos sort of stuff. Not done with any kind of deceit in mind at all. In fact, in 'real life' I often see in the macro. I'm just a person who tends to notice the pretty details in the not so pretty whole - and that is what I like to share on my blog: How I see. But the truth is, there is still some hiding of self involved, even if I am hiding it all from myself as well. On the net we all tend to wear masks.
I stumbled upon this link party a little late in the game. It is the last day of the first week, it is dark out already and I am in my pjs and not feeling the ability to get my artistic self awake enough for new photos. But I wanted to play so I searched through my past computer-taken self portraits. And oh... did I ever find my mask. I stumbled upon some glaringly obvious habits that my eyes were clear enough to see tonight since I have this thinky sort of hat on right now.
My Mask Self Portraits...
Lighting set in such a way to blow out my face. Obscure the clutter in the background.
Focus on just my eyes, maybe a hint of mouth. No features that I dislike in presence at all. No blotchy skin. No wrinkles starting to form.
It is embarrassing in a way to finally notice it. A sort hiding myself while sharing myself sort of thing going on. A mask of lighting. A mask of hair hiding my cheeks that have always felt too round.
Me. And not me.