We live in an age of image proliferation. We are all concerned with appearances, whether we like it or not. We all sensor representations of ourselves and our lives (maybe all is a stretch, I don't think my man does?!). But it is time to get real. I'm not saying you have to go and put all your "ugly" photos on Facebook (I don't, I'm extremely "un-photogenic"... roll your eyes); we just have to recognise that every image we see has been chosen for us to see.
Like this one:
It is not necessarily a "false representation". More likely, it is just a small facet of a bigger picture and it is the bigger picture that interests me. Now, I am, of course a classic example of the above; as most people who work in a "creative", aesthetic oriented business are. I make things pretty, I always have. It is in my nature to create hopeful, joyous and beautiful objects and images. We shan't get on the couch and look at all the deep-seated emotional reasons as to why that is. Suffice to say, simply, I do it because it makes me happy.
So, here's another pretty picture ...
Now, I'm going to give you some of my bigger picture. My life isn't all pretty flowers, gardens and sunshine. What? Really? Gasp!
My flip-side is a stupid chronic, all-encompassing pain condition called Fibromyalgia - click for Wikipedia, if you want to know more; I just spent 10 minutes trying to find a decent, informative to link to, this will have to do!
I don't think it is "un-professional" for me to tell you that. I think it's honest. It's not like it stops me from doing what I do, I just "manage" how I go about things. I might work a bit less often than some but I work just as hard. Writing here that I have Fibro' won't change the world but it might mean that one or two people get a more balanced view into my life and that is a good thing.
Imagine if, for one week, every image posted, sent and printed, all over the world had a "dose of reality" caption; a little subscript telling you something real (read: less than perfect) about the subject. Wow, what we would learn!
I took this photo of the cosmos because the zinnias next to them are totally snail eaten.
An image tells you as much by what it excludes, as by what it includes.
And close.