Self Portrait Week 7: Let Me Speak

It took me a long time to find my voice. I take exception to being silenced.

With endless gratitude to my classmate Kim Barnes who, through word and example, reminded me that my story is sacred.

And to the guy in a bear suit who is my inspiration.

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Here's a sillier photo from the session that expresses my rebellion:

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Photo Lessons I Learned:

I used my Canon EOS 60D with the camera's self-timer and a remote shutter. I used a combination of natural sunlight and some indoor flood lights, both to the left. 

It took a bit of trial and error to get the light to fall mainly on the filthy zipper. The photo was very noisy, so I removed some of it in editing. I sort of like the noise that is left because it adds to the mood of the photo. 

I placed myself in the lower lefthand corner of the photo with the brick background to add a feeling of being suppressed. The dark clothing is a throwback to my childhood when some of the nuns were pretty strict about talking in class. (The nuns I know and love now are much more fun).

The zipper is held in place with some glue dots. I'm wearing a black t-shirt. The hood is a black scarf. It took some manipulation and pins to get it to cover my head without blocking the light on my face.

F1.8 ... 1/125 sec ... ISO 6400 ... 50mm