CHEAP CAMERA/10 SECOND TIMER SELF-PORTRAITURE

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Butterface


(All pics. snapped on 7/08/11)

Right, soooo...in order for this entry to make any sense at all - ya' gotta go HERE first, and then read the "Anonymous" comment immediately following the entry.   


I'd be lyin' if I said that being referred to as "Butterface" (by a group of folks who've visited my blog) didn't sting just a leetle bit, at first. But rather than bury my head in the sand, I put a bag over top of it (per one reader's clever recommendation)...and set about squeezing somethin' sweet outta their sourpuss opinions of my face.


I spent the better part of yesterday, in a self pic.-snappin' frenzy - my objectives? To produce images that might appease the critical commenter (and his or her cronies), but that would (hopefully) give everyone else a long overdue chuckle (lord knows the humorous posts on here - are few and far between, lately). And finally - it seemed relevant and timely to juxtapose total body shots, with the pictures from my recent "About Face" bonanza. 


 I'm sure that some of you out there, might consider this group of self-portraits to be demeaning, degrading, perhaps even demoralizing - but I really do wish that you wouldn't. My take on it goes something like this: it's not so much that I acquiesced to an asinine suggestion from a mean-spirited reader - but rather that I seized an opportunity to capitalize on something derogatory. And I mean, let's face it - I could've spared myself humiliation, by choosing not to post the comment - but to me that just seemed like the chicken shit thing to do (plus, I never would've taken these pictures...so there's that

Ultimately I reasoned, "Mightn't jumping on the bandwagon by poking fun at myself - dilute the impact of the reader's passive aggression?" Made sense to me...


When all was said and done though, what stood out to me the most - was how much easier it was to get pictures that worked, when my face wasn't in the equation (ruh roh)...

Nevertheless, the "Butterface" pics. are a novelty, a farce...and my face will reappear in my pictures, without a doubt. 


I'm not sure that I've ever owed this many "Thank You's" to so many people at one time...jiminy! The goodwill that's been showered upon me these last couple of days, is positively astonishing...and so...



Thank You - to the obliging folks at the local, gourmet grocery - for donating the brown, paper bags to my cause...and for not batting an eyelash when next I asked - if I could take pictures of myself wearing one, while "reading the paper" and "drinking a coffee" at a table out in front of the store. 

To the man from Quebec who came out of his shop (as I photographed myself walking my dog while wearing nothing but a bikini and heels - oh yeah! And the bag!) and then offered his storefront as a possible backdrop - je dis, "Merci beaucoup, Monsieur! Vous etes trop bon!"

Thanks to my good girlfriend and her family, for not only feeding me the yummiest meal that I've had in forever - but also for allowing me to help myself to their woods and their barnyard - for several sets of "paper bag" self pics..

Thank You, Good Samaritan at the bar - who (in the absence of a real bouncer) offered to play the part, so that I could get one last picture to round out the "Butterface" bunch. (He did an awesome job...Much better than I, to be sure!)

It would be remiss of me not to thank "Anonymous" - for sending the comment that inspired this entire entry - Thank You.

But most of all, a giGUNdo THANKS - to those of you who went to bat for me - via comments and email, and face to face convo...you've all helped me feel a bit better about bein' a butterface :)

16 comments:

  1. Brava BRAVA
    the best revenge is a smile and a job well done

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  2. @The Old Kr0W - Oh, I'm SO glad to hear that you're not disappointed in me...you were actually one of my readers who I worried might be...

    (Thanks for putting me in an even BETTer mood!)

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  3. brilliant! who's to say what is beautiful? you're an artist. your entire body is part of the art - and your face is extrordinarily expressive and i think that's part of the tale!

    finding the giggle. that's magic! rock on, gorgeous sister!

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  4. @daisyfae - Ooooh! I LOVE that you FOUND me! Particularly because it led me to YOUR blog...(you a VEDDY smart, LAdy - fo' SHO'!)

    Yep...beauty, art - pretty much eEVerything it seems - is subjective and subject to scrutiny. And that's exactly why I try not to let personal opinions derail this thing that I love DOing so much.

    I'm really glad that you came here (THANK You!) I look forward to crossing virtual paths, often...

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  5. I didn't comment on the previous post because those comments kinda got dragged down early, but here's the central question... are you primarily an artist who happens to have a really hot bod at this time, or are you primarily a hot chick with a thing for self-portraits? I can't answer that for you, nor can anyone else, but I hope it's the former.

    If not, then I hate to tell you, but you're towards the end of the ultra-hot years. I'm 51, and physical stuff doesn't get better between your age and mine.

    If you're primarily an artist, however, then you could be creating great self-portrait work for many years. I really hope that's where you're going with this.

    The one exception to what I said is the fact that great angst is known for fueling creativity... so maybe you go out with a blaze of glory in the next couple years. But I hope not. There's much more to be done, long after hotness has faded to grey.

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  6. @Steve Mouzon - I guess the best way that I can describe my take on things - would be: I've always chased artistic pursuits, but none have captivated me the way that self-portraiture has. It's almost like some sort of divining rod has finally led me to the thing that I'm actually supposed to be doing...and at this point, I don't think there's ANYthing could make me wanna quit.

    I've spent lots of time thinking about my future as a self-portraiture artist, and I guess I kinda tell myself - if I keep doing it with as much regularity as I do, maybe the aging process won't be so glaringly apparent from picture to picture. But even when I do begin to look scary old, and saggy and soft or whatever - I picture myself adapting to all of that. Might not do the nakey stuff, but I'll definitely figure out SOMEthing to do. Plus, I have entertained the idea of taking pics. of other people...so who knows...maybe THAT could be the thing that carries me through my golden years...

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  7. Awsome!!! That's all I can say....

    AMC 7/11/11

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  8. @Anonymous - YEA! Glad you LIKED it!

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  9. Lauralyn, you're definitely not a butterface. THIS would be a butterface...

    Enjoy :)

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  10. @A Redditor - Ha-HAAAA!!! I LOVE it! TOO freaking hilarious...Thank you so MUCH for the uproarious, spontaneous laughter...you genius, you...

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  11. Hey Lauralyn. You need to stop with your own self mockery (not these pics, but when you make lame comments about your face in other posts). I'm 25, tall, fit, have access to all the women—and I think you're stupendously beautiful. Not just beautiful looking, but you seem to have a beautiful soul. Yeah, yeah, call it bullshit, call it pansytalk—whatever. For you to be so dedicated and so passionate about your art, to take risks shooting the picks and the even bigger risk of sharing them, I applaud you.

    In American society the common belief is that men get better looking as they age and women the opposite. I disagree. If a person continually endeavors to better him/herself and spends life being creative, beauty blooms. As yours does. Your face is more attractive than the majority of pigtitted girls my age who don't have an original though in their brains. Your photos are majestic, your writing is phenomenal. Beautiful stuff.

    PS: Don't let this shit go to your head, negative OR positive.

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  12. *cracks up* Those pics are awesome, hon!

    Personally I find your face beautiful. But faces with character (be it expression, wrinkles, lines, or symmetry) are always more interesting to me than plastic-doll alikeness.

    xx Dee

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  13. @Anonymous - WOWzers! Now, if THAT comment couldn't give me a jolt of self-confidence, I dare say I'm a hopeless case!

    I truly do appreciate ALL that you said...believe it or not - it is sinking in, and to show my gratitude - I vow to STOP cutting myself down (at least on the pages of my blog - Ha!)

    Thanks so much for going to the trouble of setting things straight for me...I'm positively BEAMing, at the moment!

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  14. @Curvaceous Dee - THANK You, Dee! I had a MESS of fun staging the shoots for these pics., as well as writing the entry to go along with 'em...'twas an all-around positive experience!

    Thanks to all of the wonderful readers (like YOU) who have put things in perspective for me - I'm happy to report that I'm beginning to warm up to the things about my face that used to bug me before.

    Thanks again, Dee!

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  15. I am in awe of your blog!!! You have inspired me to try my hand at this as well. I think I may try tonight... Thank you for putting your (whole) self out there for all of us to admire and be inspired by.

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  16. @Meagan - You're WELcome! And thank YOU for takin' a look at my blog! I'm excited that it motivated you to take a stab at self-portraiture :) I hope you'll let me know how it goes...Have FUN!!!

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