I recently realised that I've been shooting self-portraits for over 10 years! Back in 2014, I completed a 365 project, where I challenged myself to take an artistic photo every day for a whole year. It was during this year that I started shooting self-portraits consistently. Since then, I have done countless self-portrait shoots. As you'll be able to tell from the photos below, I am particularly drawn to shooting in nature, often wearing a dress. If you want to read a bit more about why I shoot self-portraits, check out this blog post.
To celebrate reaching this milestone, I wanted to share one self-portrait from each of those ten years. Many of my favourite self-portraits from the last five years have been with Brett, but since we've already done a round-up of our top self-portraits together, I've focused this post on solo self-portraits. Let me know which is your favourite in the comments below!
2014
This photo was shot in a favourite location of mine – one of the small forests near Vlietland in Voorschoten. This area is near my home in the Netherlands, which made it an ideal destination for lots of self-portrait shoots over the years!
2015
On a foggy morning, I shot this self-portrait standing on the bank of the Vliet river.
2016
Another shoot in the forest at Vlietland. I bought this dress in Ireland and as soon as I was back from our holiday, cycled out to the forest for a shoot!
2017
While living in London for my Year in Industry, I went on a day trip to the Mayfield Lavender fields. This shoot stands out because it was one of the first times I was brave enough to do a shoot in a public space (and, therefore, the first time I had to edit people out of the background of my images!).
2018
While staying near Chamonix with my family, I couldn't resist doing a shoot in the snow! This dress one was one my early "self portrait dresses," bought at a charity shop in Norwich!
2019
This photo was shot in a forest near Putten in the Netherlands. While on a dog walk with the family, I was captivated by this pool of light in the forest. Although it may look like spring, this photo was actually taken during the Christmas holidays, so my feet were frozen by the time I finished shooting!
2020
Ah, 2020. Stuck at home during the COVID-19 lockdowns, I shot a lot of self-portraits. Like seriously, a lot. This photo, however, was taken after Brett and I returned to the UK later in the year. On a hike to Bovey Valley Woods on Dartmoor, I changed out of my hiking clothes and slipped on the red dress I'd bought on Depop for £15. This dress quickly became one of my go-to self-portrait dresses. I love how the colour pops against every background!
2021
In the spring of 2021, my dad and I were lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit Keukenhof (the famous Dutch gardens), while coronavirus restrictions were still in place. It was a joy to wander around the gardens without the typical hoards of tourists. I had a lot of fun playing around with a mirror I'd brought with me.
2022 and 2023
The 2022 shot (left), titled Daughter of the Forest, was taken while camping on Dartmoor over the Easter weekend. We woke up enveloped in a cloud, which made for some dramatic photos. The fog was soft underfoot as I shot a series of self-portraits amongst the towering trees. I'm honoured that this photo was chosen to be exhibited as part of the Poly Spring Open 2023. And, finally, the 2023 shot (right) was taken in Penryn Woods, once again, playing with mirrors and reflections.
It's been really fun going back through all my self-portrait shoots while pulling together this blog post. It was hard to narrow down my collection into just ten photos – there's so many other self-portraits that I am proud of! Perhaps one day I'll collect them all into a book! But for now, this will have to do. Thanks as always, for reading!