Self Portraits with Camera

Is it just me, or does anyone else cringe when they see yet another mystery

self portrait with camera in the critique forum ? You know the ones.. taken in

a mirror and all you can see is the camera two hands and a mouth. It could be

Charles Manson or Osama Bin Laden for all we can tell. What is the point of

these things other than to tell us that the photographer just got a new camera?

I can't figure out why people are still posting them and merrily asking for a

critique when they are cliched, overdone and invariably lacking in originality

and technical merit. I've resisted so far but the temptation to start giving

1's and 2's is getting stronger.

People have the right to self-expression. You have the right to rate as you see fit. Probably, this should have been posted in a different forum...

Why would you find <i>that particular cliche</i> more worthed of a 1 and 2 than <b>all the other cliches</b> that you can find in PN?</p><p>

My contribution to that:</p><center>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/3881267-lg.jpg" /></center>

That's actually a great self-portrait and I like it. At least you are showing your face which is the whole point of a portrait. If you re-read my words it's the ones with the camera held to the face that I find without merit. Your version has been well thought out and shows effort and creativity.

I hate cliches being used by anyone but me.

Cliches are a dime a dozen, that's their tragedy.

At least the website hasn't yet been flooded with those teenage cell phone and point & shoot self portraits that flood Xanga and Myspace.

I wonder if cell phone cameras might be regarded as the modern day version of the pinhole camera.

But they do provide some clued to the security forces.<div></div>

Was just jocking, Milo.

 

I happen to believe that all those photographic cliches, including beautiful sunsets (most of them are beautiful if you were there with your girlfriend, but not at all in the picture), should have a low rate. But, then again, other people may think that all my images fall in that kind of category... At the end, I am anyway completelly disapointed by the rating system, specially by the anonimous ratings.

Excelent Peter :-D

 

Milo, pinhole cameras produce very high quality images. Wish I could say the same about those mobile phones.

I'm bound and determined to quit using clichés.

Peter, that's hilarious.

 

My two cents? In what has become a tense standoff of epidemic proportions, photographers spark controversy every time they do that - regardless of the outpouring support of the poster-children for mediocrity. I'm hereby voicing concern for the shocked and saddened thousands who may have to go back to square one to find a new and interesting approach to this heated debate.

It's about time someone did something funny around here :) Since I just recently posted a self-portrait with a mirror & camera involved, I had to laugh out loud. Now mind you, I never posted it to critique. But... I guarantee you, this image was a much better way of capturing myself at that exact moment than any other, especially since I had really nasty "helmet hair" :) I was trying NOT to break the camera :)

 

Peter- way, way too funny. Did you happen to capture that with your cell phone? :) I may have to get one of those, pretty good image ;)

It's astounding what you can see in Miami. I was just standing in front of this mirror when...

Peter- :) So funny. We need some levity, things around here have been so.... serious:)