As a general rule, I don’t put up much in the way of pictures of myself as a way to market my photography, but there was no way around it. My super genius ideas for the Hunt categories “What’s Your Sign” and “Lyric Quotograph” required my participation.
I enlisted the help of a good friend, and fellow photographer for the 5 minute shoot. I told her the idea, we found a good place with the appropriate lighting and viola! Instant photo!
This particular image turned out exactly as I had envisioned it, and it gives a sense of what I wanted to convey about myself to the viewer. Photog, yes. But a photog who is willing to work for the photo. =)
What’s Your Sign
So why don’t I put up a whole lot of images of myself? Well, to be honest, I have thought about it. I’m definitely not a “look at me!!!!!” kind of person, but at this point in America, there is no doubt that marketing a woman’s…ummm…attributes will gain you fans. But obviously, since I don’t have photos of me taking scenic landscape shots in a bikini, you can tell I’ve hesitated to go that route.
The reason? First and foremost, it’s not who I am. I’m not opposed to spending time in front of a camera (in fact, I think it’s an essential learning step for anyone who wants to shoot portraits. You should have experience with the things you are asking a model to do!), and every girl likes to have a few purty photos of herself…but it’s not the side of the camera where I get the most out of the experience.
Second, I don’t want my photography to be all about me. To some extent, every photo you take has a piece of you in it. It’s the way you see the world, or the way you feel about a situation. But I want to do more than just express my vision of the world. I want to share those moments with you. I want you to feel the same sense of awe I do at a gorgeous sunset, the same sense of peace I feel at the top of a mountain, the same smile I get when I look at an adorable puppy/horse/child…
And finally…well…to put it bluntly, privacy matters to me. I know, I know…old fashioned thinking. But too many people – especially younger generations – forget that once something is out in the interwebs, it’s permanent. A hurtful comment, a thoughtless decision, a tasteless photo…they’re like a bad tattoo. It may not mean much when we’re young, but it’ll haunt us later in life.
So I wonder, has anyone else put any thought into this matter? Privacy vs Marketing your business? How personal you make your brand?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! =)
SeeingSpotsPhoto.com 
I definitely admire that you want to be recognized for your talents and not for being a pretty girl haha. I HATE having my pics taken and im not looking for comments on my appearance. Having said that, I do think it’s a good idea to have some nice photos of yourself for people to see so there’s a face to put to the brand. It lets them know there’s a real person on the other side of the interwebs.
Good point about giving potential clients some piece of mind! You heard it here first, I’m a real person, folks! 🙂
I, too, have been very hesitant to take/publish self photos on my blog, for some of the same reasons (not about me, but what I see, etc), though in my case, a photo of me in a swimsuit will drive away traffic! Lol
Yeah, men in bikinis never seem to elicit the same reaction as women in bikinis! 😉
It’s kind of foreign to me how the younger generation of today has no problem taking photos of themselves … like A LOT of photos of themselves. I am always intrigued by how my daughters will be taking “self-portraits” with their cell phones right out in public. We didn’t have that kind of access to computers and cameras to do that when I was younger so, I think we were kind of conditioned to “shyness” about showing ourselves to the world (I mean unless that was your line of work somehow). I personally hate (and I mean hate, despise, yuck, ewww) pictures of me. The camera doesn’t really like me so, I don’t really like to put my face anywhere. But, I think in this time, it’s almost a necessary thing if you’re putting out a product. It’s just the way the world is now. With all the social sites and such, people expect to see what you look like. I’ve taken the “app” route. I use all kinds of photo enhancers to enhance any photos I post of myself. LOL! 😀
I like the way you put that…conditioned to shyness. And today kids are conditioned to the exact opposite! So far, my niece hasn’t gotten a Facebook (etc) which, in my opinion, is a great thing. haha I’m not looking forward to the day when she feels like she has to take all sorts of cell phone snaps too!
LOL … it will come, I’m sure. I still hide if I decide to take a photo for my Facebook while the kids are right out there in the open pursing their lips like Zoolander. Haha.
hahaha “Blue steel! No no! This time, Magnum!”
Hahaha … awesome
Fiztrainer makes a valid point. With access to all these social sites on the internet people want, expect, to see the face behind the product. Maybe it’s a fine line between letting a prospective client see a real person or the real you but it’s a line that should be adhered to. In my business I was told that image is important and that a headshot on your business card is all important. And so I do it. The same photo that I use here. It’s strange that people here “know” more about me than in my professional capacity.
You know, I’ve actualy been thinking about doing the same thing – the one photo for all sites.
I think that’s kind of the nature of a blog – putting some of the real you out in the world for people to see. Most blogs are editorial in nature, so at the very least people get a sense of a person’s opinions. It seems most blogs reveal even more than that, I think, based on the writers comfort once a sense of community is established. So really, it doesn’t surprise me that your fellow creatives and blogging peers know more about you than in your professional capacity. =)
Great shots! Awesome site…
Thank you, Todd Ray. 🙂