Mirror Self-Portraits

Mirrors. We had originally created a group of ladies to work on photography isolation projects during the shelter in place orders of Covid19. We were excited that upon seeing that work there were others who wanted to join us. With our bigger group, we decided to be very introspective with this challenge and use mirrors as a space for self-reflection. As you can see from the different artists even a straightforward object has the ability to tell very different stories and it is interesting to see how each person created their story.” -Julie Ormonde (Group Leader)

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Julie Ormonde
Auburn, CA, USA
Instagram | Website

“We had originally created a group of ladies to work on photography isolation projects during the shelter in place orders of Covid19. We were excited that upon seeing some of that work others who wanted to join us. With our bigger group, we decided to be very introspective with this challenge and use mirrors as a space for self-reflection. As you can see from the different artists even a straightforward object has the ability to tell very different stories and it is interesting to see how each person created their story. I personally decided that I wanted to shoot directly into the mirror, which was a small handheld mirror. This was logistically an exceptional challenge for me and had me very frustrated. I had a strong desire to give up, thankfully I pushed through and was proud I ended up with images that I liked and felt true. I think it is safe to say that there is not one person who has not been deeply affected by this year. However, for me, it started to unravel in January when I was diagnosed with a progressive disease and then subsequently two more autoimmune diseases. Things I had been really looking forward to were instantly canceled and thus began a year of where I have felt that I am spiraling. It has been a dark time inside my head and heart. I am trying to make the best of it and my children and husband have been nothing short of amazing and give me the light I need. However, these photos are not about the light, because that is what I still have to walk into, that is the next part of the story, the place I aspire to get, I see it in the distance. Right now these images are from my dark place.”

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Amy Shire
Melbourne, Australia
Instagram | Website

"Often we look to mirrors to reflect on who we really are, a journey into our consciousness. Do mirrors offer us this knowledge of self, or is their primary role to deliver the truth of how we appear to others? Many of us confess that as we age and deal with unexpected life events that we no longer recognise the person reflected back at us. I explored these concepts in my series of three self-portraits. The first portrays the non-linear path of consciousness as we deepen our knowledge of self and our relationship with others. Moods are temporary, desires and ambitions evolve, life events change our trajectory altogether. The second portrait tells a more whimsical story of a woman’s relationship with her mirror, an assurance of beauty and character! And the third portrait explores the idea of Phosphorescence: Luminescence that is caused by the absorption of light energy, persisting as an afterglow after the source is removed. The mirror reflects the light onto us, and we choose how we accept this energy. Will we absorb the light and go forth reflecting that energy around us, or will we allow the light to fade and remain ignorant of the beauty in this life?"

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Anouk B Godbout
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Instagram | Website

"The isolation and distancing we are going through is forcing many of us to look inside and reflect on who we are, what matters, and what we want for the future. So when we decided to do our second project as a self-portrait with a mirror, being in the middle of the Black Lives Matter recent wave, I felt compelled to do something on that subject with a bit more distance than right in the middle of the intense mediatic wave. I also was more silent than anything during that intense time. Being a social worker I fight for other people's rights pretty much every day and I am well aware of the injustices in our world. But I still have so many many things to learn and understand and wanted to take the time to do it as right as possible. So I thought about something more personal to me. My grandmother was born in Haiti so a big part of my family from my dad's side is from there or still there today. We also have the larger Haitien diaspora in the world here. I never went to Haiti and I am not sure I will ever go and I know very little about my ancestors there (or any of my ancestors for that matter). So I thought that one way for me to learn should be to open my eyes about them and their story, and about Haiti history, I know too little about and do the same with my kids so they know about that part of their story going forward. The beautiful and the ugly alike. Those photos were taken with a little round mirror and our family tree. I also used double exposure to incorporate myself in that tree that ends with my father for now."

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Daphne Lamontagne
Ottowa, Canada
Instagram

"When I first heard about the TDC project about a year ago, I thought: Oh wow, this is amazing, I would love to participate in a project like this! So when one of my friends invited me to join an Isolation Traveling Dress group, I was very excited and honored! Then I received the assignment: Self-portraits with a mirror. That was certainly not what I had envisioned. But in the same way, I thought it was perfect. That was our way to pause and reflect on the last months spent in isolation. Self-portraits always require time, they force us to stop and really think about what we want to capture and why. It was important for me that all my images be captured inside: When the pandemic hit Canada, in March, we didn’t know that we still had two more months of winter ahead of us. From March to May the weather revolved around snow, ice, cold, and darkness. We spent most of these first two months locked inside the house. I can barely remember what I did during that period. Like a majority of parents, I worked full time while caring for my two children. I remember feeling exhausted all the time and sleeping every minute I could. The rest of my memory is foggy. But now we have emerged. Spring came, then Summer. Days are bright, long, and we are out again. I am making provisions of light, sun, fresh air, smiles, and laughter as much as I can... Because we never know when we may have to go back inside."

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Lacey Taylor
Elk Ridge, Utah, USA
Instagram

"Over the years when I look in the mirror, I find myself seeing without seeing when I look at my reflection. Likely because as I transitioned into motherhood, my primary focus moved to four other faces, five including my husband. This period of isolation has slowed and sped up, creating a time paradox. Getting ready to go nowhere, needing to do it in a timely matter because my kids have been home 24/7. Not to mention my desire to do my hair or makeup is nonexistent with mask-wearing needs and a perpetual desire to avoid going to the store in general. Truly looking at myself in the mirror is not something I dedicate any time to. When our group decided on using a mirror as our object of creation, focusing on self-portraiture, I dreaded creating these photos. My camera is rarely pointed in my direction; It's never been my passion to document myself. But I also knew this would be a chance to grow in that regard, so I pushed ahead. Nerves out I stepped in front of the mirror with my camera. And an old lesson came to mind. I had a professor in college who gave out an assignment to stare and SMILE into a mirror for 10 minutes a day for a week. It seemed ridiculous at the time and was harder than I thought it would be. By the end of that project, our professor had us evaluate how our attitudes towards ourselves had changed because of it. I decided for this project I wanted to illustrate that college assignment: Appreciating the beauty we have in ourselves. Noticing ourselves again in the mirror and being kind to the person we see in the opposite view."

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Melinda McIntyre
Dublin, Ireland
Instagram

"Self-portraits are a good way for me to process what is going on in my world. When I was thinking of a way to incorporate a mirror into my images I thought about what a mirror allows us to do. It shows us what would otherwise be difficult to see. We continue to be in isolation and struggle with being alone. We are a bit lost. These images show isolation but also that there something more beyond where we are now."

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Melina Nastazia
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Website | Instagram | Facebook

"For this assignment, I really wanted to work with shattered glass and highlight the beauty of something so frequently dismissed as trash. The allure and mystery of distortion. The exposed vulnerability of imperfection. The majestic kaleidoscope of colors reflected on shattered pieces. The empowering aspect of shattering glass ceilings and growing our boundaries of possibility as women and artists."

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Meagan Dwyer
Eastchester, New York, USA
Instagram | Facebook | Website

“Self-portraits are hard. They aren't hard from a technical perspective but from an emotional perspective. I have (as maybe most of us do) a vision of how I look and it never matches the reflection I see in the mirror. I like the vision I have of myself in my head a whole lot better. These last few months have been a time of much introspection. Being forced to "sit and stay" in place has left a lot of time for self-examination. We have a habit of staying so busy in life so that we don't have to address issues we have with ourselves and ourselves; always saying "I will deal with that later". Isolation has been a blessing in many ways. There were no longer any available distractions to keep me from really examining my life. I was forced to look internally and reassess myself and my life; Not just once but over and over and over again. Sometimes it seemed like "my-self" from before isolation was so very far away and I still struggle with how comfortable I am with this new reality. Who am I now? I'm not sure yet who will emerge when this is all over. When I approached this project of a self-portrait it didn't feel strange. I felt like I was just documenting what I have been doing the last few months. Except now, it was in concrete form and no longer just a jumbled mess in my head. I love this quote I found by Nanette Mathews, “Just remember life is all an illusion.....it's your creation and you can dismantle it and re-create at will.” I feel like all of the images I created, represent this thought. One day we love what we are and the next day not so much. It's dizzying (not even sure this is a word)!”