This was a hard one for me because I was struggling with trying to figure out what a self-portrait would look like, or even more, what story would it tell. As I thought about it, I caught a glimpse of the reflection of myself in my phone screen as it was leaning against my computer screen. That's when it dawned on me – how about a selfie of how I look the majority of the day … working on my computer while sitting with my chin in hand, other hand on the mouse, and my glasses filled with the light of the computer screen.
This shot was taken with my phone and edited with a VINTAGE filter to highlight my age – Lol.
The phone settings, which I did not control, were f/2.2, exposure 1/14 sec, ISO 1250, focal length 3mm.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas holiday season!
I wonder how a therapist would interpret the photograph?
Slant of the head: Unstable, insecure, possible mental imbalance.
Vintage editing: Trauma or aggression.
Hidden or closed eyes: Withdrawn.
About 40 Years ago I worked at an Court Mandated Alcohol/Drug rehab counseling place. One of the intake process a particular counselor used was having a client draw picture of a person and then draw another picture of the opposite sex of their first drawing.
Those drawings were quite informative.
I love how you used the reflection to prevent looking into the gateway of your soul.
Here is a snap I took with the laptop camera 10 years ago I use for some ID photo on websites.
Quite the common pose.
Wow Dean - what a fascinating insight. That's the last picture you'll see of me with any slanting head :-)
Perhaps as I'm no therapist myself, I read the pose totally differently - as one attentive to the data in front of them.
I'd love to hear what you make of my own offering - perhaps I'll discover new personal character traits I was not aware of!
I have to say that in your own pic you do actually look like a therapist (I wonder if our friend Chris Jablonski poses the same way), and feel ready to speak of my inner feelings......
Great to see your input on this.
Of course, the therapist had insight bias into the client for interpretation as everyone was was Court referred for one crime or another.
Those were the olden days long before Y2K was even on the drawing board. Since then I earned my Network Admin. and Cybersecurity degrees I am more like this:
Ha, funnily enough I was in IT before I retired. 25 years, working through Y2K and the strains of COVID.
At least you won't have to worry about 2038. 👍
Heehee! Mentailly imbalanced to a certain extent I'm sure. I guess we all are. Very stable though. Probably 50% insecure. No trauma or aggression in life - very good parents and childhood. Nothing extraordinary to report. I do love vintage photos though; so hence the vintage filter. Withdrawn, yes; but not the reason in this photo. My life has become screens it seems - computer, phones, camera, etc - the reason for screen eyes. Thanks for the input, Dean. That was a fun read.
There was so much more, such as:
If a person drew a person of the opposite sex first, that could represent a sexual identity crisis.
Pockets represent things a person is hiding.
Not drawing hands or the genital area can refer to sexual abuse.
Of course, there is Venus De Milo...perhaps he just couldn't do arms?
It's great that you captured an image of you actually being yourself. I think this tells the story perfectly and can imaging you in front of your PC.
The reflections in your glasses allow for the merest glimpse of your eyes, highlighting your attention to the screen.
I also like the vintage processing, hinting of a portrait from an earlier era.
I really like this image overall; it really displays your natural beauty and hints to a studious character.
Thanks, Alan. Wanted it to be totally natural except I usually lean on the arm of my chair rather than the desk, but it was harder to get the reflection right that way. I purposely did try to get a bit of my eyes looking at the screen as you mentioned; so glad that came through. As for studious, I'd say more like conscientious - that was on every report card growing up.