Another self portrait

With uninspiring skies outside I looked indoors today for a photo. I still need some self portraits for my camera group meeting next week, so I decided to try again at getting some shots after I deleted all the ones I attempted yesterday.

A self portrait is probably one of the most difficult photos to take. First of all, you have to get beyond feeling like a twit posing in front of your own camera. Then you cannot see the composition and so have to take a shot, get up, check the composition, adjust your position and try again. Of course getting the focusing right is almost impossible. I try placing an object where I think my eyes will be in the frame, focus on the object, rush back, move the object out the way and get myself in position all in the 20 seconds it takes for the self timer to go off. It is quite a challenge. I read today that if you are feeling a little bored and uninspired with your photos, set yourself a challenge. So perhaps I should set a self portrait challenge to all blippers - perhaps on 1 December you all have a go, see what it is like?

A portrait blip ties in with my visit tonight with our camera group to the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize exhibition at the NPG. I can't say I like the winning portrait, to my inexperienced eye that composition has many flaws, but then I find at most photo exhibitions these days I often come away only liking about half the images. I really like the one that came second - Gavin joked that I like second-best!