«
»

Self

May 4th, 2009

My early self-portraits appeared effortlessly and seemed like equivalents for my deeper emotions. Without knowing it, I was trying to peel back the layers that shroud and bind us all as we struggle to reveal our own authentic selves. – Joyce Tenneson

That is what I want: to peel back the layers that shroud and bind so as to reveal my own authentic self. I’ve taken very few self-portraits, and the few that I have almost always involve elements of ambiguity. The questions Who am I? Who am I meant to be? How am I seen? pace around in my head like an anxious teenage boy, debating on whether or not to call her and ask her out on a date.

Who I am, who I am meant to be, and how I am seen are not questions that can be answered. Rather, they must be experienced, which requires me to step out of my ambiguity and into new, pure light, the light that friends around me gracefully and graciously shine.

16 Responses to “Self”

  1. Dave Ferrier @ May 4th, 2009 at 6:01 pm:

    I’m glad to see you back.

  2. lacey @ May 4th, 2009 at 6:57 pm:

    experienced. yes. good point. also, i like your glasses.

  3. Jarrod @ May 4th, 2009 at 8:06 pm:

    I. Love. This.

    And I love you. Layerless, laughing, t-shit, Josh.

  4. Ryan @ May 4th, 2009 at 10:56 pm:

    Wonderful to find you back.

    I too wish my glasses were 1/2 as great as yours.

  5. .micah. @ May 4th, 2009 at 11:24 pm:

    funny, the first thing i thought when i saw this photo (before reading your text) was, “hm…he looks different.”

  6. Emily @ May 5th, 2009 at 1:27 am:

    I simply adore this. and you. You’re pretty stinkin’ awesome.

  7. Candice @ May 5th, 2009 at 9:18 am:

    You know, this is probably the most natural self portrait I’ve seen of you. No pretensions, no presumptions, nothing masked. Truly excellent.

  8. Katie @ May 5th, 2009 at 7:05 pm:

    Welcome back

  9. Honza @ May 6th, 2009 at 8:39 am:

    I’m glad it didn’t take that long to see you back here.

  10. John Carl @ May 6th, 2009 at 9:49 am:

    I agree with Candice’s comment. I like that your picture is not an abstract part or side of you. It’s just you with a smile, which is, ironically, the most accurate-to-real-life picture of you yet for those of us that spend time with you. (Not that I haven’t spotted you lying face down under bushes after long nights of drinking or standing in corners after teachers reprimanded you for talking incessantly.)

    Welcome back brother. :) Much love.

  11. Joshua Longbrake @ May 6th, 2009 at 10:02 am:

    John, those Liberty professors thought putting my in a corner was a punishment. Oh how naïve.

  12. jeremy @ May 6th, 2009 at 3:04 pm:

    i, too, am grateful you are back…and to start early on with a self-portrait…that is a gift. you have piqued (aroused) my interest again, josh longbrake. you sexy thing.

  13. Lucka @ May 8th, 2009 at 3:56 pm:

    i am so happy you are back…

  14. secret @ May 10th, 2009 at 1:15 am:

    You look not old, but wise. Full of life and much to offer.

  15. Broderick @ May 24th, 2009 at 4:11 pm:

    Wow, you’re back! Great selfie, I’m looking forward to seeing more from ya’

  16. Paula @ June 5th, 2009 at 1:35 am:

    I like your self-portraits…in all variations.

Leave a Reply