Seven Days of Self

Self Portraiture is a perfect way of reflecting on yourself. It is therapeutic spending time with yourself and creating art work that is just for you. How often have we avoided getting in the photograph because we don’t feel good? How often do we regret not being in the images more, being captured in the memories with your family or just documenting yourself? I am betting that many of us don’t have a lot of photographs taken because we are usually the ones taking them for others. This is why I take on self portrait projects so I can solely focus on myself for once.

I regularly pick a week where I will just focus on myself, where I have a creative project in mind or just go with the flow. Taking a week to focus on you in your photographs is a great way to experiment with self portraiture, whether you are a beginner or have been taking them for a while. I name this project “Seven Days of Self”, a project to help explore and embrace who you are today.

I believe by doing a project like this, you will find more love for yourself and all that makes you unique. Here I am giving you permission to love yourself fiercely and to embrace all that you are because you deserve to be documented. You will never get these days back and I promise you in years to come, you will look back on these images with different eyes.

I swore to myself years ago that I would love myself more and accept whatever my body was going through at the time. I knew that one day I would see it differently, even if I didn’t see it right now. Coming to terms with my postpartum acne has been a struggle. Acne, pregnancy weight, stretch marks are all part of what I have documented for a while in my journey of self acceptance. I truly believe that everyone should go on a self portraiture journey, whether it’s for your family or simply just for you.

Learn more about creative self portraiture with Pieces of Me!

Here are my top tips to guide you on your own Seven Days of Self.

Plan Your Images

Plan your Seven Days of Self in advance and what you would like to capture each day. I find planning relieves so much stress and you can focus on getting creative rather than feeling frustrated about what you want to create. It’s also good to have several backup ideas just in case some do not go to plan. Being able to visualize a goal is one step towards actually achieving it, so create digital or physical mood boards to keep you inspired for the week.

Be Brave

Is there something you really don’t like about yourself? How can you document this part of you to create something that you see as beautiful, or highlight what you don’t like about it. I always used to dislike my acne, so I avoided the camera full stop. But I finally had enough as I missed getting in the photographs with my kids, so I started taking really empowering images of myself. For me, it felt like if I put it out there then I wouldn’t be afraid of it anymore, and now I don’t feel so restricted to get in the photographs. There is something quite liberating about sharing your vulnerabilities and suddenly having a world of other people say ‘me too’. Be brave, but also know your limitations.

Be Objective

We can all be our own worst critics. But imagine that this was a family member or friend taking these images. What would you say to them? How would you guide and encourage them? Look at your images, critique the composition, the lighting, the colours etc. What emotions does it evoke? That is what you should focus on and not get too hung up on what you don’t personally like about yourself. Objectivity is key to getting past those hurdles that hold you back from creating your art.

 

Be Openminded

You may expect to feel a certain way about yourself in the photographs. Now is the time to throw that out of the window as you may just surprise yourself. When I first captured my acne, I expected to hate the photographs. However, once I was comfortable doing an empowering pose, they are now some of my favourite images I have ever taken. If you do take a photograph that you don’t like, don’t dismiss it completely. Instead, consider what you can do to change it. If you experiment more with positions or locations that make you feel comfortable, you may find a way of documenting yourself in a completely new way.

See from a Different Perspective

Changing the perspective of your photograph may change how you look at yourself. Think about how you would usually capture yourself. Then try mix it up with a completely different angle. I used to think looking down at my feet was quite boring in photographs. But now I have created a regular series of what I see from above! I also find photographing myself in mirrors or other reflections creates wonderful abstract images. This is helpful on days I don’t really want to show my face. Abstract images allow me to still capture part of who I was that day. You don’t have to take a photograph with you fully in the frame to be considered a self-portrait.

Learn more about composition with Composition for Storytellers!

Tell Your Story

What is your story? What is it about you that is so unique that nobody else can share. We can spend our lives looking up to so many people on social media and never really see our own amazing stories and the impact it might make by sharing them. For me, sharing my journey with acne has had this beautiful knock-on effect. Now, other women are now sharing their vulnerability and embracing their natural beauty. Something I never would have imagined and would never happened if I didn’t share my own story. Own it! We have only one life! Tell your wonderful and unique stories because guaranteed someone will feel inspired by yours.

So, I urge you to stop what you are doing, go get that camera and get snapping away on your Seven Days of Self. Simply start by picking out a week that is just for you. And remember, see and love yourself with the eyes of your older self. Be brave and go get in the photographs.

If you fancy taking on this ‘Seven Days of Self’ challenge, use the hashtag #hs_sevendaysofself and tag @hellostoryteller.

For more inspiration, follow Zephy on Instagram!