Taylor Pendleton's Self Portraits: Born Out of a Happy Accident
All images by Taylor Pendleton. Used with permission.
As curious as photographers are, one of the most challenging things we can do is turn the lens towards ourselves. Being introspective isn’t easy. Sometimes we may not like what we see. But, often self portraits help us develop a deeper connection with self — as we’ll see in this conversation with Taylor Pendleton.
Taylor Pendleton’s Self Portraits
I first became aware of Pendleton through her YouTube channel. She’s a fantastic storyteller, and her photography skills are equally as good. I initially wanted to speak to her about her travel photography. Then, I came across her self portraiture and instantly wanted to know more.
From a classic self portrait to images that go outside the box, her works are certainly intriguing.
Keeping it simple, I initially wanted to learn what inspired Pendleton to start photographing herself. “It was kind of an accident,” she told me.
She continued, “…my model for a passion project shoot canceled and I was left standing there in the studio with me, myself, and my camera. I was itching to shoot, I had the space, so I quickly ran out to a thrift store and put together a crazy outfit and photographed myself during one of the funnest hours of my life”.
Exploring emotions
This happy accident sparked a series of introspection and Pendleton began to experiment with different themes and styles. I asked her what she had learned about herself since starting to shoot self portraits. “It’s really an impressive way to gauge the self…every time I get back in front of the camera, I see in my face just how much I’ve learned and just how much I haven’t learned since the last time”.
Several of Pendleton’s portraits are certainly challenging. From stickers to tape around the face, I was eager to learn if this was eccentricity or a means to process deeper emotions. She explained, “I went into that session feeling really heavy - restricted, anxious, and overwhelmed. Hence the choice in props”.
Amongst her self portraiture are images that pay homage to an icon; David Bowie. “Bowie is my hero’s hero,” Pendleton told me. “I learned a love for the odd through my mom absolutely adoring David Bowie throughout my childhood. He, from a young age, showed me that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing”.
Self portraits for others
As challenging as self portraiture can be, I personally believe it’s something every photographer should experience. It can help us understand our mental health, accept and heal. That’s just my take and in closing, I wanted to know Pendleton’s thoughts on encouraging others to turn the lens towards themselves.
”I think it can be beneficial, which doesn’t mean it’s all positive. It can be a really painful and raw experience, but in ways that are exposing you to yourself. That can never be a bad thing.
What I like about it is it’s a creative and playful way to dive in deeper with ourselves. There’s a bit of a theater to it all, which I think can be very cathartic and productive for processing”.
Want your work featured on Them Frames? Pitch us.
Follow Them Frames
