Self Portrait Artist Statement

Self Portrait Artist Statement

   
        In my self portrait, I chose to represent myself by filming my dogs. I wanted to show others that I enjoy playing with my dogs, and the fun my dogs have with me and the rest of my family. But more importantly, I wanted to use good camera skills to show that I am good behind a camera. I did not end up doing exactly what I wanted however. I wanted to show this because I think I am a good video recorder/editor, and I wanted others to see that for future projects. When we viewed examples of portraits in class, the one that inspired me the most was by Drew Swiecicki. Drew's video inspired me because he used a creative camera angle. He did something I would have liked to do and thought of a creative way to record what he was doing. 
        Some of the elements of my self portrait include good lighting and a fair attempt at keeping the subjects in frame. I made sure to keep the camera away from sun rays so it didn't mess up the camera. Making a good video requires you to keep subjects in frame. It is also helpful to keep the subject centered or in a position that flows well with whats happening on screen. I used a higher camera view on my dog running so I could easily record her running far away and coming back. 
        In my self portrait, I included the images of both of my dogs so more story can be told, like when my other dog runs in to attack my other dog playing with the frisbee. I also included the main shot of my first dog to inform people watching that she may run in frame at some point. These connected with what I wanted to show about myself because it shows I was attempting to use good camera angles and plot.
        Ultimately, what I hope viewers gain by looking at my work is the idea that I am able to work with a camera, and work with the environment around me, in general show people that I can do something. I think I was mildly successful in achieving this because I messed up my camera view, but I also kept my targets in screen. A challenge I faced in creating my self portrait was the weather. I overcame this challenge by selecting a set time when the lighting was just good enough and it wasn't too miserable outside to do anything while also achieving good lighting. 
        My favorite aspect of my self portrait is that my dog actually played in the dreary weather instead of trying to go inside, unlike my other dog was trying to do. I also thought I did a good job keeping the subject in frame. Next time I create a self portrait, I will use a better camera view because people seem to have a problem with the one I used.  Overall, what I learned from the process of creating my self portrait is that i need to use better camera views and not move the camera around so much.