This is a self-portrait that I took in April, 2022. I think it is very reflective of how I feel. It is a close-up of me taken with a macro lens and a tripod in my studio. I got the idea by looking at similar images on line. I would like to take this kind of shot of a model, and hopefully I will, but for now I am my own model. Unlike many of the photographers I see posting on Facebook, I do not have a bevy of people waiting to get their portraits done. I guess if I make a request on FB for models, I should be able to get people to pose for me. I did get a few people and I love how those images came out (Beth, Susan, and Gerry). The black and white images of Gerry are, in my opinion, some of my best work. He was a good model. It would be super if I actually got paid for things. But, for now, I am happy just getting to apply my art to anyone who will model for me. They are actually doing me a favor, and if they want pics and will pay me, all the better.
Self-Portraits
It has been 7 months since I finished chemotherapy, in which I lost my nice hair. Now, after 7 months it is starting to look like an actual hairstyle, albeit not what I ultimately want. It is a work in progress. I thought I’d take some self-portraits to show I can still look pretty good, even after everything I’ve been through. I like to take my own photos because I know exactly how to pose to look good plus I can do editing to achieve the ultimate result I am looking for. The photos are similar but different due to different backdrops and different lighting.
Warrior
I decided to be brave and take self-portraits without my chemotherapy wig. As most everyone knows I had breast cancer (I say had because I was assured that it was taken out with surgery) but to make sure it is eradicated, I have had to undergo chemotherapy, which caused me to lose my hair. I have a beautiful wig but I just wanted everyone to know that I am a fighter. This is the reason I chose the warrior photo as the featured image. Me with my fists up. So, this is me in all my glory.
Chemotherapy – Marilyn with Wig 4/21
I am about to embark on a new journey, namely chemotherapy. I found out I had breast cancer yet again (first time was 34 years ago, when I was still young). This is not a recurrence, it is a new and improved cancer. It actually was about 3 tumors (and don’t ask me how the hell that happened) but that’s what did. I had two surgeries – one just a lumpectomy, and when the pathology report came in, the doctor told me, although the ca was only stage 1 (it had not spread) it was a very aggressive cancer (of course, only the best for me). So, I had to do something I never wanted to do–I had a mastectomy (boo-hoo). Now I am having chemo too on Tuesday. In trying to be proactive, I bought a wig and here are a couple of self-portraits of me wearing it. I had it over my hair. I decided to document this.
Self-Portraits Dec 2020
I decided to get some full body self-portraits of me sitting on a seat in my studio. I put the light source to the side and added a grid to achieve the low key effect. It took a while but I finally got the angles I wanted. Some are the same image, but one is in color, and one is black and white. Can’t decided which I like better. I lean toward the color. It took a long time to pose myself but I did it. I also added an old self-portrait of me with a painted face. That was not taken on the same day.
I was pleased with the results and people on Facebook seemed to like it too.
Sunflowers
I discovered some gorgeous sunflowers at Kroger recently. I thought they’d make some beautiful photos in the studio. I staged them on a white and then black background. On the white, I added in Photoshop, a texture. On the black background – no texture. I like how they came out. I tried several textures. I even took a self-portrait smelling the sunflower.
Wet Glass Portraits
I did some experimenting by taking my own portrait using the self-timer in the studio with strobe lights. I then edited the photos using Light Room, Photoshop, and NIK. I then applied a texture called Wet Glass on top and edited the image using the Blend Modes (Screen) in PS with lots of manipulation of the layer. Finally, I used NIK – Brilliance and Warmth, and NIK Center luminosity. After adjusting everything, here they are. The first one is me “trapped” behind wet glass. The next one is somewhere maybe in the shower trapped too.