CHEAP CAMERA/10 SECOND TIMER SELF-PORTRAITURE

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Switchin' It Up


(All pics. snapped on 2/27/12)

It gives me great pleasure to announce, that I've recently taken a renewed interest in traversing this great and wide countryside, for the sole purpose of capturing images with my iPhone. Those of you out there who have ever visited The Big Ugly's baby sister - Little Pretties, are probably well aware of my former addiction to snapping random, everyday things with my phone (as well as with my even more neglected toy cameras: Diana & Holga)...and you may have also noticed that over these past few months, I have (for the most part) totally dropped that ball.


In my last post, I griped about having been astonishingly busy over recent weeks - which in retrospect, is somewhat amusing - taking into account the fact that I am newly unemployed and all. And to be perfectly honest, it was wrong of me to try and vie for your sympathy. Why? Because I've brought all of the chaos upon myself. How? Welllllll.........one of the biggest contributing factors to these hectic days of late - is that I've consistently put off more pressing obligations, to instead run around takin' pics. wif mah phone...(and to sneak in a few self-portraits along the way).


Now I realize that such irresponsible behavior might lead you to believe that I've reverted back to my gadabout ways (and rightfully so!) but I've no regrets for being such a self-indulgent flake these days. Because, while prioritizing photography over the things that I should be doing - does have me at times suffering from a mild case of buyer's remorse (so to speak), I feel that the added daily stress has been absolutely worth it. Ya' see, by shirking my duties in favor of bleeding the pressure valves on months and months of built-up, creative urges - the sense of satisfaction that's been coloring my world, is far more intense than that which I might've felt - had I stayed home and done laundry or mopped the floor (like I shoulda).


For me, one of the best parts about iPhonography (if that's a word) is the terribly addicting ritual of uploading and embellishing my candid snaps on Instagram...


...and up until...ohhh...I dunno. Maybe a month ago? (during that period when my Mac was so sickly that it was practically useless, and the only way that I could share pics. was to post 'em on Instagram...remember?) I had never before "Instagrammed" my self-portraits, for two reasons: 1.) The majority of my selfpics could easily be categorized as NSFW, and Instagram ain't cool with nudity on the site...and 2.) I am something of a purist in that - I believe that Instagram should be for iPhone photography only. And since I shoot my selfpics with a Sony Cybershot, well then - shouldn't that disqualify them from inclusion in all the fun?


Clearly I am not a person who is very strong in their convictions, because last week (without hesitation or remorse) I acted on the impulse to gussy up a select few from my newest batch of self shots - with the kickass filters on...(you guessed it) INSTAGRAM! I edited, and posted them - and once I saw that they'd been added to the camera roll on my phone, I deleted them off of Instagram. That way, I would have them at my disposal to publish on The Big Ugly, while still keeping in Instagram's good graces.


...and here they are...

Ok, so now - I'm counting on YOU - my highly esteemed and trusted readers, to cast the deciding votes as to whether the bells and whistles work here? Or do not...And don't dare hold back, cuz I wanna know the truth. I promise that my feelings won't get hurt...




MAJOR Thanks, btw - to the fabulous family that allowed me to make not one, but two trips out to their property - so that I could take the self-portraits seen in this post, as well as gobs and gobs of neat-o Instagram pics. - some of which I shared on Little Pretties...

7 comments:

  1. I kinda have a secret rage against Instagram. Because I shoot real cross-processed film and use real funky film cameras and even scan to the edges of the film and get film edges..... and Instagram has this vague approximation of the real stuff, but it gets it glaringly wrong at the same time. Glaring to me.

    So, for me, it's kinda fun to see you taking pictures with crappy digital cameras. Which is otherwise nicely unexplored.

    You said honest. I mean, your funky twisted style comes through either way, so it's not like I'm suddenly going to hate your work if everybody else loves da Instagrammage.

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    1. @wireheadarts - This is exACTly the type of thing that I wanna hear!!! I really appreciate your honesty, I MEAN that! Not gonna lie, I have a ton of fun with Instagram...but for whatever reason - trying to get this particular entry posted - was an absolute freaking nightmare! And it's kinda funny because I think I'm secretly blaming the derned Instagram pics., haha!

      On a side note, you've got me wanting to dust off my Holga - so, Thanks for that too!

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  2. Your work has inspired me! Don't have a clue about the iphone stuff but the tones in low light that your Cyber-shot does blows me away. I knew the Canon's have been promoting their snap-shot cameras being capable to do this.

    This man's self portraits have always been my favorites : http://www.arno-rafael-minkkinen.com/

    I'm really past the age of doing these but have a ton from the 70's I'll have to take a look at.

    http://otway.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/my-first-nikon/

    I have problems with Blogger so here is another in case the first didn't work???

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  3. @Otway - Yeah, for as much as I bust on my Cybershots (I think I'm on my 6th one by now?) - they've really never disappointed me...matter of fact, more times than not - they surprise the crap outta me! Tough little cameras that can do a helluva lot more than I ever give 'em credit...

    I am so glad that you shared the link to Rafael Minkkinen's work...I am mind-boggled, to say the least...He's a damned contortionist, he is! Very inspiring, so Thank You for that!

    Also, I don't think anyone is EVer too old to mess around with self-portraiture! (I say that, and yet I could barely get outta bed this morning cuz my knees hurt so badly, and I have a horrible splinter in my left ass cheek, that I can't reach on my own to tweeze out - thanks to the shoot that I did yesterday)...but whatever...give it another try! It's so much fun that it quickly becomes addicting (I'm probably not telling you anything that you don't already know, though)

    Anyway, Thanks for coming here...I hope you'll be back!

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  4. Wanted to add support because there is no warrant for your content warning on your site when the number 1 shows on television we watch autopsies. Really hope you contact Minkkien he appears to be teaching and your work is way beyond just good. Really looking forward to following!

    “Art Is Risk Made Visible.”
    — Arno Rafael Minkkien

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    1. @Otway - I hear what you're sayin', I do...the way I look at it though - the content warning is a way to cover my ass - so that no one out there can chew me a new one, cuz they pulled up my blog in front of their kids (or whatever) having not been forewarned there'd be nudity (which does legitimately make my stuff NSFW)

      It didn't even cross my mind to contact Minkkinen...I guess I always just assume that artists like him (who have "made it") don't have time or the desire to be bothered by peons like me...Maybe I SHOULD give it a try though...he might write me back - ya' never know!

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    2. I haven't had time to read his whole site but from what I read he is accessible and a engaging human, you can tell by his passion. You show him your work and I'm sure he will offer advice of all kinds. I've made a point in getting to know artists I admire all over the world whether famous or not and it has been rewarding. What your doing is not run of the mill nudes or tease, Minkkinen would be better at explaining. I rather children see artistic nudes than an autopsies but of late our society seems pretty bent on what is deemed correct.

      Glad I took the time to comment and thanks of reminding me of this great photographer.

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