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You’re Not Your Photos
The more you try to possess your photos, the more they possess you.
What prevents us from being more objective with our photos? The problem is that we tie too much of our personal ego with our photos. But let us remember: we are not our photos (our photos are separate from us).
Do we ‘own’ our “image”?
If someone took a photo of me — some questions:
- Is that photo me?
- Do I have a ‘right’ to own my own image?
First of all, photos of us aren’t us. I am the molecules in my body, and my ego is separate from photographs of me.
For example, when I look at older photos of myself (from 2+ years ago), I physically look different. The older photos of me do not reflect how I look right now/today. But why do we care so much about our own photos of ourselves?
My idea:
When we try to control our self-image too much, it means we lack self-confidence in ourselves. We don’t want others to misconstrue our own ideal notion of ourselves.
We do not have a right to our image
I personally don’t believe we have a “right” to our own image. This is why:
- Our own self-conception of ourselves and how we look in reality is different.
- A camera will never perfectly portray you: Your image of yourself will be distorted depending on the camera, lens, focal length you use, and how you post-process the photo.
- Once you take a photo, it is immediately ‘outdated’. Even if I shot a selfie of myself 10 seconds ago, that is a photo of a ’10 second-older Eric Kim’. Thus there is no such thing as a ‘real-time’ accurate photo of myself. We are constantly aging, decaying, and changing every moment.
Why I like to shoot selfies of myself
The great thing about shooting selfies of yourself:
You don’t need your own permission to shoot your own photo.
If you shoot a selfie of yourself, you don’t risk offending yourself. Because you’re in control 100%! You can control how you photograph yourself, and of course– you are your own ultimate subject.
Why I like it when Cindy photographs me
I actually like it when Cindy photographs me (#ericproject) — because it always fascinates me to see myself seen through the lens of someone else.
Shoot selfies of yourself (with someone else you love)
It is always fascinating for me to look at photos I shot of myself with Cindy. There is another layer in the photo — the intimacy of our relationship together, as captured by the lens.
Thus as a tip:
Shoot more selfies with yourself and your loved one (both of you in the same photo).
When someone insults your photos, they’re not insulting you.
This is the problem:
When others critique or criticize our photos, we get offended– because we think they’re critiquing US as human beings!
No. You are not your photos. When someone criticizes your photos, they’re criticizing the photos you shot. But your photos are a SEPARATE entity from you!
I think separating yourself and your own ego from your photos is essential. Why? If you separate your ego from your photos (you recognize that you aren’t your photos), then you can more objectively judge your photos, and you can better critique your own photos (treating yourself as an objective judge of your own photos).
Objectively judging your own photos
There is no such thing as an objectively ‘good’ or ‘bad’ photo. You must judge your own photos according to your own standards.
At this point, I really don’t care whether others like or dislike my own photos. I’m only interested on whether I like my own photos or not.
Furthermore, I am interested in pushing myself to the next level– to advance my own visual artistry to something beyond.
Strive to make photos YOU like to look at!
What is my personal definition of a ‘good’ photo? A photo that I like to look at!
Simple:
If you like the photo, it is a good photo!
Strive to impress yourself with your own photos.
Conclusion: Disconnect your ego from your own photos
You are not your photos.
If you disconnect your ego from your photos, then you can more objectively judge them, critique them, and kill the weaker photos.
Of course they’re still your photos — but the more we try to possess our photos, the more they possess us.
Disconnect.
ERIC