Behind or In Front of the Camera

[wlotus]

Writers' Block asks if we prefer being behind the camera or in front of it. I prefer being behind it...unless I am operating the camera. It's because I don't trust how people view me through the lens. But when I am operating the camera, I have complete control over how I look in the final draft...and no one ever need see the outtakes, if I don't want that.

That's a surface commentary on how little trust I have in how society at large portrays me and how much I resent their justifications for the less-than-flattering presentations. But those thoughts are too deep to put here.

Comments

[silveringridd.livejournal.com]

i agree with you 100%. you'll rarely ever see a photo here that i've posted of myself that has not been taken myself. photos taken by others never represent me as i see me. wow. it's funny you mention this. i was just thinking abou tit.

also. when i'm taking the photos myself, i sit, stand, kneel, pose the way i want to be seen. if i don't want anyone to see anything other than my face, i don't have to. other people get behind the camera and capture me looking like a monster i've never seen. it's so weird.

i used to think i have issues. now i feel better. i'm not the only one :)

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

You certainly are not the only one. :-)

I am getting better at relaxing in front of the camera so at least my face looks normal. But I don't like or trust other people to photograph my body. "Monster" is a pretty accurate way to describe how they usually make me come out. It's horrifying to think that is how people view me day in and out!

[silveringridd.livejournal.com]

yeah. my body...ugh. i'm not too fond of it. but at least if i'm the one taking the picture, i can so it the way i want it to be seen. i often wonder what other people are seeing when i'm walking around. you could drive yourself crazy wondering these things. it's hard not to though.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Life is stressful enough without thinking of that, hon. :-) The nice thing about self-potraits is you can keep *that* image of yourself in your head, rather than carrying the images others have made of you. It's the ultimate form of self-definition.

[silveringridd.livejournal.com]

you are absolutely right. :)

[phenomenull.livejournal.com]

I agree. I prefer to be behind the camera too.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

I like being behind the camera too.

One of the assignments for one of my photojournalism classes was to submit a picture of yourself, at work as a photographer, but taken by someone else. It had to be a candid shot, and had to be good. And it was the person who took the photograph who would select it.

The teacher said the reason he included this assignment was so we would understand the effect we had on people when we pointed a camera at them.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I bet that gave folks pause. That was a good one.

In that regard I was fortunate: I grew up in a snap-happy family. I remember being a child and *loving* to pose for pictures. I lost my love for posing around the age most girls suffer tremendous decreases in their self-esteem. So I am very aware of the intimidating effect a camera lens has on people. That's why I prefer unposed shots, too. I'm more likely to capture the person's natural, relaxed expression when they don't know I'm photographing them.

That's another nice thing about taking my own portraits: I know the photographer is eyeing me with love and respect and will do everything in her power to get exactly the shot of me *I* want.

Which reminds me...I did The Child's annual portrait on Saturday. He has a mole he doesn't like. I need to give him a print with the mole edited out. Just like knowing my photographer will do everything to get the shot I want, I need to do the same for him.

[rockbirthedme.livejournal.com]

I'd always prefer to be behind the camera. But I also prefer to take shots of things, rather than people. There's a trick to taking flattering photographs (or at least not taking *unflattering* photographs) and I've never learned it. I don't like pictures of myself (I can think of maybe four photos of myself that I've liked in my whole lifetime), so I prefer not to be responsible for pictures of other people.

You know what I hate about photos? In the mirror I look *fine*. I really do. I'm happy about how I look. Something about a camera takes that and skews it all over the place. I know it's the camera, not me, but I don't feel like looking at it.