Self Portrait Altered States Las Vegas 2015
by Thomas Carroll
Title
Self Portrait Altered States Las Vegas 2015
Artist
Thomas Carroll
Medium
Photograph
Description
I made these pictures at night in my hotel room.To get the abstract lighting I placed two table lamps behind me. I worked with the reflections in the hotel window. The glass was tinted on the outside to deflect the desert sun. At night it was like a one way mirror...a view to the outside with a reflection inside. I could see the possibility to make an abstract image...a selfie. With my clothes on it was not an interesting photograph. So be it...Since the male nude is classical and timeless through all the ages of art...I thought why not try it.
Question: Why do I make abstract selfies? Is it because of vanity, narcissism, the history of self portraiture, the current popularity of the selfie genre? Probably a little bit of all these but mainly for another reason. I am an experimental filmmaker/photographer. So when I discover an abstract reflection or get an idea to create an image it sometimes requires that I be in the shot. So the "selfie" becomes a means to capture something that I can see...or imagine that I can see. I think it is akin to being a movie director acting in his/her own movie.
I don't usually explain what I do or how I do it unless I feel it ads to your appreciation. In this case I think it does.
Uploaded
March 14th, 2015
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Comments (15)
Thomas Carroll
VIVA, as you know I like to experiment. With this I was thinking of the male nude in paintings from the middle ages... and then adding surreal distortions...maybe something like Lucien Freud's paintings. It was fun to do. I don't get many comments on my selfies.. they are somewhat strange compared to most work seen on FAA. People either don't like them or don't know how to comment. So I especially appreciate your thoughts. Gratefully, Thomas
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