Self-portrait

Alright, personally this post scares me more than any other I've done. Mainly because I'm turning the camera around and having it pointed at me.

Which is something that photographers often forget to do. When you travel you get to see and experience all these amazing things and (hopefully) photograph them. And you often photograph your travel companions and family as you go along.

But how many of you remember to photograph yourself? We all go through these changes in life. Different looks, clothing. Groovy hairstyles. Even the act of travel itself changes us from within, which then affects how we look on the outside, how we carry ourselves.

Capturing this in a photograph is a great way to explore portrait photography because nobody knows more than you what you look like and how you want to be portrayed. Turning the camera on yourself (use the self-timer) will give you a great insight into how you can work with people to capture an image that really gives an insight into their personality.

I have to thank my good friend Wolfram Titze for the above display of public humiliation. This is me in my Africa heyday. I saw this hairstyle everywhere I went in central Africa and when I got to the outpost town of Kisangani I got one of the local women to give me a 'do'. Little did I know that only women wear their hair like this and everywhere I went I was either assumed to be really stupid or gay. I had lots of offers that definitely didn't interest me and the plaits came out within a few days!

But this photo is a prized reminder of an amazing (albeit slightly embarrassing) experience. Not forgetting that I suddenly realised how dirty I really was, how many more freckles I had developed and how yellow my Beaver Tequila t-shirt was! But being film I only realised 9 months later! Viva travel.