I am so happy to bring you the second interview in our {
In The Picture} series. Today you will meet Deb...or "Deb Did It" as she is known on flickr. Deb is one of the most self-confident, brave and beautiful souls I have "met" on the interwebs and I hope you will take a moment to read about her and feast your eyes on her amazing work...
1. Was there ever a time when you couldn't imagine taking self-portraits or have you always been comfortable in front of the camera? Do you remember when the self-portrait "bug" bit you?
I have always been comfortable on either side of a camera. As a portrait photographer, it helps when I am working with a client because I create a playful, nurturing, safe environment to really capture the true spirit of a person. Once they trust me, we let go, get wild and free.
The self-portrait bug bit me hard during an online class with
Misty Mawn and then it really went wild with e-courses I have taken this past year with
Vivienne McMaster. I had no idea how much I could learn from self-portrait challenges and prompts. I never dreamt of layering, double exposing or shooting into the sun while twirling like a girl. Flickr groups also keep me on my toes with inspiration for self-portraiture, as the challenges continue to “raise the bar” for me.
My passion is to photograph people. The human spirit is so interesting and alive, telling a story with facial expressions, body postures or even with costumes and props. If I can capture that moment with a click, I have a story in print. Someone commented recently about the way I post on my blog… “how many photos does one need of herself?”
My answer to that question is this… I happen to always be the person available for a photo session. So when I want to create art with my camera, I grab my tripod, best friend remote and take myself on a playdate. So if my photos inspire, ignite and invigorate someone else to experiment with self-portraiture, then the ripple effect has been worth it. Besides, I am documenting my own life, visually, all along the way.
2. You exude such confidence and positive energy in your self-portraits--how much planning goes in to your shots, and where does your inspiration come from?
I am completely random and spur of the moment. Recently on the way to a photo shoot I was early, and as I passed by an old abandoned barn, the morning light was soft and inviting, so I pulled into the field, stripped down bare and in 5 minutes created
this shot. It's one of my favorites, because I was giggling on the inside, listening to the cars pass by!
So many of my selfies occur in moments right after I pass by an interesting location on the side of a country road. I live in a rural Texas area, so privacy is rarely an issue. Because I am warm natured, always shooting outdoors the weather certainly is my inspiration, hand in hand of course with all different types of light during the day. I NEVER shoot with a flash.
3. Do you have a favorite self-portrait or series of self-portraits?
My
You Are Your Own Muse set on my flickr site is a collection of self-portraits that represent my playfulness, my pain, my joy, my stories in photos, and glimpses of my life. I live my life large, in vibrant color, always reinventing myself and willing to risk new adventures. Self-portraits for me, are like creating my very own visual diary, documenting this wild journey that I am living and loving.
4. Do you feel that you have discovered anything new about yourself through your self-portraiture?
Well, I was asked that recently by another photographer, and my answer was simple…"I discovered that I look pretty in purple silk” because I am an odd mixture of Tomboy-Hippie Chick-Bohemian-Twirly Girl. But deeper than that I will say this…
I don’t wear a bra, make-up or proper shoes with dresses. I no longer shave anything, eat meat, own a TV or read newspapers. My teeth are crooked, not white. My skin is dry and sun damaged. My butt is dimply and my tummy curvy. I am skinny, hyper and fidgety. I talk loud, cuss like a sailor and drink red wine. I am beautiful, different and bold. Naturist, spontaneous, curious, wild and free. She is me, I love me.
5. What advice do you have for someone who is just beginning their journey into self-portraiture?
Shoot Shoot Shoot. Lots of photos. Be home alone. Sip a bit of wine. Play some music. Silence that inner critic. Whether you capture the sad and lonely mood or twirly happy silly. It matters not. It is YOU. Beautiful YOU. And you do not have to share those photos with anyone else but beautiful YOU. Go ahead, fall in love with yourself. Self-portraiture can be very healing, nurturing and liberating.
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Deb lives in Texas, where she owns and operates Happy Belly, her 27 foot Airstream commercial kitchen serving healthy sandwiches, salads, soups, sweets and her famous Green Smoothies. She is a passionate health foodie, photographer and blogger at What's Deb Doing. You can see more of Deb and her work in her flickr stream, on facebook and at instagram where her handle is @debdidit.
Thank you Deb for your honesty and for allowing me to share your artistry here at {In The Picture}! It was great to get a taste of what you do on those sparsely populated roadsides in Texas. I am personally inspired by your bold, brave, beautiful style and it was fun to learn more about you, your inspirations and how you use self-portraiture as a means to document your wild and wonderful life.
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Hey all ~ don't forget to stop back here on Friday, February 24 for our next self-portrait linky party! Almost 100 people linked up last month (wow) and I hope to see you all here again. I can't wait to see you {In The Picture}.
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