When age-old self-deprecation met the modern phenomenon of the ‘selfie’, many of us crawled back into the shadows from whence we came, hoping it was just a phase.
The selfie was sadly not a passing trifle and is very much still here, clogging up social media feeds with an increasingly concerning lack of authenticity.
Cue photographer Rosie Hardy, who has written a very original book entitled Beyond the Selfie: The Art of Self Portraiture, which will be out on August 29.
At the age of 20, Hardy held the third most followed Flickr account worldwide, behind NASA and The White House, and has bravely learned how to harness the power of the self-portrait to cope with tragedy, health issues, and low self-esteem.
Self-portraiture is a tricky thing to do, both technically and mentally.
In her book, Hardy takes you through the history and influence of the self-portrait, a comprehensive kit list, technical skills, as well as chapters on storytelling, editing, putting your work out there, and how to turn your hobby into a career.
Her self-portrait work incorporates elements of fantasy and has an otherworldly aesthetic, with a strong focus on storytelling, and often surrealist themes.
After struggling with an eating disorder and waking up to alopecia areata (hair loss) as a young teenager, Hardy’s already fragile identity and small amount of self-esteem began to crumble even further into obscurity. However, this is when Hardy started to discover the power of the self-portrait.
When she looked in the mirror she saw acne, unflattering shadows, heavily applied makeup to distract from the hair loss, and a full round, teenage face.
In the introduction of her book Hardy writes:
“It seems paradoxical – the idea of taking pictures of yourself – when you already find it hard to stomach your own reflection. But my onset of alopecia was colliding with a new era. One that I found myself in, along with my peers – the world of social media and of course – the World Wide Web.”
Finding herself increasingly preoccupied with “perfect” models on glossy pages and what it was that made them so desirable, Hardy made it her mission to figure it out, including where she fitted into it all.
“It was here that my very imperfect journey into photography and self-portraiture (and self-love) began. I peered at myself through many different lenses over the years that followed – my internal reflection changing along with the physical,” she writes.
This journey of self-expression is now a full-time occupation for Hardy, who encourages everyone to get both behind and in front of the camera, potentially unlocking your expressive and creative potential.
Take a look at our guide to the best cameras for portrait photography, and the best cameras for beginners.
Why not take a look at the best tripod for photographers on the market while you're at it?
