Self Portrait Challenge ~ Fragmented

“There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic"

~ Anais Nin

This month's spc is dedicated to digital manipulation through online tools. The site lists some fun tools to try including the one I used this week which David Hockneyizes your photos.

I found myself at first resistant to this month's challenge; I didn't know how I could make it creative, I was/am fearful I wouldn't be creative enough, and questioned how I could make it relative. Interestingly enough, the above photo is my favorite self-portrait thus far and also very apropos to how I feel so much of the time: fragmented and functioning through all the separate parts which make up my identity.

I often see myself as pieces of a puzzle so something about these fractured photos is very appealing to me. They each say something different but together make up the entire image.

Don't we all struggle with the fragments of who we are? Don't our fragments often seem like puzzle pieces we try to make sense of and fit together into one image? Do these fragments or puzzle pieces include such things as being: dark, light, spiritual, fearful, wild, shy, professional, independent, calm, bohemian, wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, parents, sons, daughters, friends, lovers, siblings, leaders, nomads, artists, caretakers, seekers, healers, musicians, poets, gypsies, thinkers, teachers, dancers, providers, compassionate, sad, negative, silly, giving, feminine, masculine, gay, straight, seductive, impaired, hunters, gatherers, collectors, storytellers, balanced, conflicted, positive, flirtatious, warriors, passionate, distracted, humorous, brave, wanting, joyous, angry, unbalanced, vibrant, playful, loved, envious, confused, focused, negative, strong, ambitious, blocked, enlightened, unemployed, illuminated, dyslexic, entrepreneurial, helpful, depressed, creatives, impatient, addicitive, sexual , alone, and hopeful?

Our endless fragments comprise the most interesting pictures representative of who we all are in life and there is so much beauty in that, don't you agree? If you want to have fun hockneyizing some of your own photos, go here.

Comments

[daisies]

wonderful and so true ~ i love that we are all so fragmented, makes us interesting perhaps :) and yes i agree, there is much beauty in that!

i love your hockneyized photo, really cool!i did the hockneyizing as well, so much fun!

[amanda]

ohhh!! I love your pictures and your message. The pictures alone show so much and then words describe it perfectly.
much love,
amanda

[Steph]

I loved this tool also, and I like how your turned out. Yours works well because it already (the raw image) could be a polaroid itself.

[Nikki]

Great picture! The quote is perfect for this picture. Love it.

[cayden]

Beautiful photo! Your words are so true and I am especially feeling them now. lots of love to all your puzzle pieces.

[la vie en rose]

wonderful post! simply wonderful!

[boho girl]

this photo is so ethereal and lovely.

yes to all the fragments you listed. YES!

you are a beautiful puzzle to which i love spending time discovering your pieces.

love you.

[Alex]

What an incredible insight! And you inspired me to go play in the fragment lab now! :)