My World

Wed, Feb 18 2010 1:51am

Tonight I had the pleasure of meeting up with an old friend that I had worked with about a year and a half ago when she styled one of my shoots. We always kept in touch but haven’t been able to meet up because of our hectic schedules.

Anywho Raji and I went out for a drink and had about a 3 hour conversation about everything and anything that came to mind. I found many things that we talked about quite interesting and also eye opening and refreshing. One of the many things we discussed that I found relevant to my work as a photographer and interesting enough to open a conversation with other photographers is “How much photographers put/give a part of themselves into their photographs”.

I have a great friend named Sai that told me “Erlinda you need to put more of yourself into your photographs, your story; who you are” and I pondered that statement for a few months thinking to myself. “Why? why must I share myself with others that don’t know my face let alone my name.” Raji and I began to question this, thinking; why do some photographers open themselves up to those that do not know them nor their life story. What makes those faceless people so important enough for you to allow them to view you not only as a photographer but also as a human being that breathes, feels, loves, hurts etc.

Raji began to state that she believed most photographers don’t give themselves completely but instead give little fragments of themselves. Tiny Little pieces here and there that only one day if you bring all those photos together can create their story.

As a photographer I’m behind the lens not to tell my story but to tell the story of others or a story I created in my mind. Why tell my story? What makes my story worth hearing about than any other persons story out there? Why share my sorrow, my tears and my fears about my life? Why go in depth about the pain I feel?

Most artist would say there is no other way to go about creating something if you don’t give a part of yourself to it and I say sure you might be right about that but how much is too much? I start to wonder if one day I go down that road where I give those pieces of me to my work, to my photographs will there be anymore of me left for myself?

Self-Portrait