I am on the other side of most of the images in my Flickr collection, hiding behind the camera. I thought it would be good to create an image in the self-portrait genre and had been keeping an eye open for ideas.

A few weeks ago, I came across a shot that lodged in my mind but, unfortunately, I can’t locate it again; it was either from the Digital Photography School group on Flickr or in a book I read, The National Geographic Photography Guide for Kids. It showed a shot taken for a school magazine of people recycling things. Rather than standing outside the group, it was taken looking out from inside the recycling bin, demonstrating how a fresh angle makes for a much more effective image.

It took a while for the idea to mull round but yesterday it struck me that I could take a picture from my laptop’s perspective, since I spend so long sat in front of it most days. What you see is the result (click the image to view larger).

While I do not imagine it will win me awards as a photographer or land me a modelling contract, I am pleased with elements such as how I am positioned (off centre, gazing into the distance) and the mixture of light and colour round my head. It does, I think, have something of the autobiographical character required to make it a portrait rather than merely a snapshot.

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