Portraits

My friend Martha Millerhttp://marthamillerart.blogspot.com has asked on her blog for people to send digital portraits for her to post. She has received some wonderful offerings. I decided to see what I could come up with. I have a digital camera, have used it a fair amount yet I still feel as though I have so much to learn about its capabilities. And though my arms seem always to be too long for any blouse, dress or shirt I wear, they never seem long enough to get the camera to be as far away as I would like to have it be. But I am the holder. Ah, a new skill to learn.

In 2000, Martha made a charcoal portrait of me. In the background she included a labyrinth and a sailboat, both represent important parts of my life. For a digital portrait to send for Martha's blog, I stood cozy'd up to the charcoal portrait and took a bazillion shots to get something that captured the appropriate amounts of charcoal, flesh and flash. I've discovered it isn't easy to take "kind" photos of one's self while holding the camera and not being able to see the display. Practice has to help, even if it is frustrating.

Here is what I managed to create, by standing with Martha's creation. I've called it Portrait with a Portrait.