saving my face
March 11th, 2008
For over 2 years I have used the most clichéd self-portrait of a photographer ever as my avatar for most sites online; my blog, myspace, facebook (until just recently), bebo, lastfm and a few others. Yeah that one with the camera at my face, taking a photograph of myself in the mirror. The first was used from May 2005 – April 2007, the second from then until today.
It isn’t the most original photograph of a photographer, I know, though I didn’t want to risk taking one of me any other way. Since having that photo a few people have said that it’s a bit crap, and that as a photographer I should show some more ‘imagination’ by either using a photograph that I’m proud of, and also change the picture occasionally – or just use a better picture of me.
There is another photograph I use occasionally, though not sure entirely how much I like it, so it’s use will remain minimal:
To answer this, I want a picture that can be easily recognised through all the masses of avatars, to be static. I am not the photographs I take, or the people I shoot. It will be a photograph of me. Just a decent one, if that’s possible.
Recently, however, my friend Miriam took a a photograph of me from half way up Cave Hill that I quite like, and so this photograph will be me new avatar throughout the web for the next few months. Me, with my camera, and North Belfast and Belfast Lough in the background.
For those wondering why the hell I have just posted four photographs of myself (I’m beginning to doubt myself whether I should hit that ‘publish’ button), I am in the process of putting some thought into my online identities and how to make best use of them. The plan is the get a photo blog going again when I get a spare moment, as well as a redesign of icedcoffee words.
These identities are important to me and so I want the content to be clearer, to readers and myself. It is a process I’m working through.
Why do you use your current avatar(s)?
