Studio@Bush

"There have always been, and there still are, two themes in everything i do: freedom and pleasure," Man Ray.

...a self-portrait :o). Thanks for viewing.

was the tilt intentional? i would have gotten the whole mirror in the photo (see top) and i would have rotated the photo so the the mirror was square to the photo edge.

for noticing. I am not sure what it is, but recently my self-portraits are kind of tilted like that, and strangely...i feel fine with it. I think the tilted angle does reflect a stage of the mind, at least subconsciously.

 

 

I also noted the tilt, but if the feeling is a little aslant thats fine.

But I find the bookshelf to the left more disturbing. Without it there would have been a better contrast between "old", "baroque" furniture and "new", "cold" furniture in the mirror. And in between the natural photographer.

I do find the paradox of the environment when i stayed at this studio. Jurgen, thanks for commenting. Most of my self-portraits, recently, are taken as they are The bookshelf was there, and i had no intention to alter the environment. I guess you can call my self-portrait as "environment portraiture" since my surrounding is included as the whole of the composition.

 

I am sorry that the bookshelf bothers you, but it would bother me if it's not included :o).

A photographer has a vision both in space and time. If this was not so, then we would all take exactly the same photo. Presumably, if the author wanted this photo straightened, then she would do it as above, which took all of about 10 seconds to do. Since I did it hurriedly, part of the bookcase has gone, but it would take just another minute to replace it (the empty bookcase is probably significant).

 

Personally, I like it just as it is, not just because it challenges the mind but because it adds to the slightly surreal feeling provoked by the mass of information in the image. However much the eye roams around the room, it always comes back to rest on the model in the center. I think this is rather symbolic of the chaos in our lives and the need nevertheless to place ourselves at the center of events. There is no escape finally, we are the epicenter of our existence.

 

An interesting image Tanya. It must surely represent a particular moment in your life.

 

I like the concept Tanya but, the tilt is unfortunate

for understanding me well. I don't mind that it's you or anyone else has attempted to crop and fix the image so that it's not tilted any more. John! The above image that you helped to fix probably pleases a lot of viewers, but i still stand my point. The untilted image looks too sweet, too orderly for me which is not what i want to project here.

 

In fact, when i first thought of how to present this image, i thought of turning it upside down. I tried it, but the tilt works better. I thought: "Hey! If we place the model in certain ways (we tilt them, we toss them literally), why can't we tilt the environment to represent a mental stage or give it a certain effect?.

 

Like I mentioned elsewhere, i refuse to follow any photography rule. I don't work with rules in mind. Well, if a certain rule happens to make an image more striking, great, i will use it; otherwise, ..."what rule?!!!". Ultimately for me, if my image is able to convey a feel or a mood that i want to, i am happy with it.

 

Thanks again for all the input, gentlemen. I hold my ground, and i appreciate your point of view as well :o). There are other images in my gallery that is not tilted at all. I hope you find them as interesting :o).

But I agree with you entirely Tanya. What I pointed out is that if you had wanted to straighten the image, you could have done it in a moment (it took me just a few seconds). I also prefer the moment as you chose to capture it.

 

As for rules which some people love to cite on PN, until you face them with the question "what rules" (after which they remain silent!), there are no rules and if they were, anyone wanting to be a little innovative would break them. That's what stops work being a bore. There is nothing more dull than the predictable.

Just remain yourself, that's perfect.

I appreciate your understanding and support. Well! Just posing myself nude is "the scariest rule" to break in a culture that forbids "any decent woman" to pose naked. It's a challenge against established morality and rules.

 

One of my favorite quote is: "Show me the rules. I will show you how to break them." Like you have previously mentioned, i was in the center of this photo, very relaxed, in fact. I choose this one as my self-portrait, partly because it's ME-no make-up, messy hair, just waking up. More importantly, because it speaks what i want to say. I hold my ground (i choose nude as a medium in my photography), and i am comfortable with being who i am, i don't ask for acceptance. It's the people in my surrounding that are shaken by my nude photography (i challenge their belief system of one's values and their own comfort zone). The tilted, nude image is an indicative of the above statement.

 

 

My phylosophy to you...: "At the center of your being you have the answer;

You know who you are and you know what you want." (Lao Tzu)

 

That is very Zen, very Lao Tzu. You are right, i don't need to prove or disapprove anything. Ultimately, I am just doing what pleases me :o). It may be approved or disapproved by someone, but that's what art is all about.

 

Thanks for sharing your philosophy of "Being". It is the most beautiful state of "Being". Warmly, tanya.

I love it!!! Don't change a thing! the tilt works great with the colors (red in particular). There is almost nothing in this that is static, It all wants to move!

 

Jim Phelps

I love how you put it "it all wants to move" :O). Well-said. Life is a constant exchange of energy anyway (LoL! Hope i am not wrong. I learned that from my physics class in college ;)).

However tilted or twisted or whatever, you are still who you are and your photos are only the medium you want other people to see what you want them to see ( "something" is always kept hidden ! ). That might be the state of your mind, your mood, and sometimes also your beauty or the beauty of others you see thru your eyes and captured with your camera. For me, it is always interesting to see your photos and the controversy you often provoked. It is also interesting that most of the commentators are men, me included. That shows that you have created interesting art work attracting people with different views & opinions. In the end you are the POI anyway, what else should matter ?. Good work !. Just a question : Why the title "____@Bush" ?.

Tanya, at first, I must confess, i did not like this picture. I find many of your self-portraits absolutely spellbinding and I thought this one was not up to your usual standards. The ones I like the most are the ones with a black background, which are nudes but also non-nude, in the sense that they picture not body parts but nakedness itself. At a second look, I must say it has some remarkable features. Lighting, as always, is very carefully detailed and exposure very well controlled. colours are very natural and it conveys a sense of calmness. The slant is ok, it adds a personal touch. Overall, it's an enticing picture but my feeling is that somehow it is not a portrait, in the sense that the human figure is not enhanced as it should. the body is cut by the lower end of the mirror and the rest of the figure is half-hidden by the tripod. besides, the expression is necessarily not as intense as the ones in other pictures. I never took a nude picture, let alone a nude self-portrait, so I'm NOT an expert and I do not always appreciate someone telling me what to do but, what do you think of the same picture but with you and the camera side by side, standing together, as lifelong companions? The camera would be there and the human figure would stand out in its entirety (more or less nude, as you wish). marco

 

Tanya, are you sure that the kitchen is the best place for old, expensive furniture? What a beautiful model..she deserves bigger apartment..Mirror is a good idea but speakers, I am not so sure. Dont catch cold, Tanya..

Hi Tanya,

 

 

Apart from the comments in regards to the items of furniture or the tilt, I find its an image that stems from impulse as if you once again were opening up a certain part of yourself. In respect to the content in the image itself, I find you behind the camera to be at easy with your state and more concentrated on what you are about to undertake. There are millions of nudes on the site where in most cases the female body has been attended to before hand ( bikini line waxed etc..) but in your shot I see you in a state of complete concentration as if you just got out of bed and this image took shape in your mind whether it was because you were leaving the apartment or for some other reason. This shot may be considered a candid by some, but to me it reflects you in the most natural manner and if I can be a little naughty here, I feel it may be the way you wish to be seen, whether by the public in general or a lover.

 

Artur

 

I feel flattered and privileged of all these attention given to me and my artwork.

 

Beng, you've brought up a good point. I don't know why my gallery rarely has ever had the visits of female photographers. It's something i have to ponder upon. I should also mention that i don't often visit other galleries unless someone leaves a comment on one of my photos (as much as i would love to browse other galleries, i can't manage my limited free time to do that...yet :o(. I am not sure if this is one of the reasons. BTW, Bush is the name of the street this studio is on.

 

Marco, I would like to quote what you wrote: "Overall, it's an enticing picture but my feeling is that somehow it is NOT a portrait, in the sense that the human figure is not enhanced as it should...." Marco, i am not sure if you are familiar with the American photographer Lee Friedlander?!!!. One of his famous series is his self-portraits which mainly showed his shadow projecting on a certain subject or object. Soooo, i have to say that i don't agree with what you mentioned because i can totally identify myself with Lee Friedlander's style. In fact, a few months ago, i took a photo of my nephew with my shadow in it, and i totally loved it. I thought: "What a cool self-portrait!", and this was even before i was awared of Mr Friedlander's photography (2 weeks ago).

 

About the thought of me standing next to the camera as a lifetime companion, Marco, i like this idea a lot. I think i will do one in a future. In addition, i feel that standing behind my camera and taking my self-portrait is a way of showing my on-going, interactive, loving relationship with my companion-the camera, No?!!!.

 

Valdimir! Sorry about the speakers but they were... there. You are right, it was a tiny studio in San Francisco, though, very cozy. Well! I was there for only a short time, and i had a great time with photo sessions, so i am not complaining :o).

 

Artur! you read this photo very well. I am amazed at your analytical skill in assessing an artwork. Thanks for leaving a comment :o).

 

Thanks again everyone for having the interest in my artwork. Warmly, Tanya.

 

 

I like Friedlander a lot. In some ways his pictures were a scream about the industrial society overwhelming the single human being and thus even hisself-portraits were brought to the point of nearly not having depicted the main subject. His book "Factory Valleys" is astonishing. He can surely be a big inspiration. we'll wait for new pictures, maybe of you and the camera.

Marco

I won't disappoint you, but i won't promise when you will see a photo with me standing next to my camera...in nude :o). Two weeks ago, i visited San Francisco Museum of Mordern Art, and there was a phenomenon exhibit photography work of Lee Friedlander. There was 400 photographs with subjects ranging from nature to nudity. I felt in love with his photography right away-his sense of humor,wit, thoughts about life-everything illuminates through those photos. I felt like i met my lifetime bestfriend :o).