“Let’s gather around and take a mirror pic together!” We’ve all done this with our friends or taken one on our own—duck lips, peace sign, and all—however, that photo ends up archived, buried within collections of other mirror selfies. But did you know that you’re already on your way to becoming a photographer?
Photography is not solely all about throwing hundreds of dollars to invest in a heavy, long-nosed camera, a three-legged stickman, and executing intricate yoga moves to capture the right angle.
Photography is all in the photograph itself: the subject, the content, the significance of the moment, and how it’s all interpreted. Pictures of yourself that have been taken from the reflection of a mirror or window, or candid photos taken in public or downtown all have the flair and potential of becoming a laudable photograph.
Anyone, literally anyone, can simply take their phone out of their pocket, find a subject, and click! Now your newly, original work of art is left for the audience to interpret.
One form of photography that closely resembles this is candid photography, with the purpose to capture genuine, natural junctures: an unvarnished perspective of how someone or something behaves and is perceived. By capturing people as they are in a given moment, this makes the photograph more resonating, relatable, and cathartic for the viewers.
An American street photographer that perfectly encapsulates this is Vivian Maier, known for her interpretive self-portraits and black-and-white, minimalist, candid, street photography with notes of sharp contrast. Her style was centered around recording the interesting marvels and peculiarities of Urbana America in the twentieth century. For more information about her life and photography, read all about her in the Photography section’s featured article this issue on Vivian Maier and her back story and legacy.
Capturing those candid moments doesn’t require a professional camera. An iPhone camera is sufficient to capture whatever you see around you; that in itself is a cherished photograph, making you a photographer yourself.
There’s no need to position yourself, find the perfect angle, and do multiple retakes—all for one photo. It’s totally okay to not know how to edit photos, and just let the camera do its magic..
As Vivian Maier famously said, “The camera is a remarkable instrument. Saturate yourself with your subject, and the camera will all but take you by the hand and point the way.”