I've been wanting to creat a set of images like this since I turned 50, 4 years ago, but was never motivated enough. So when this challenge popped up I knew exactly what I was going to shoot.
So this blanket in Question is over 50 years old affectionately called ‘Bebbe’, it's the blanked I was wrapped in probably coming home from the hospital. It became part of me, if the blanket was not with me when we left the house I screamed "blue murder" and no matter where we were or going when I realised it was not with me we had to return to collect this blanket. So it was kept safe all these years by my mom, I finally have it with me now, where it's kept safe. It has loads of character the odd cigarette burn hole, which presumably happened while I was not in it it has threads hanging from it, well used and well yes its over 50 years old , it just has a thousand stories to tell. So where does the new come in well it's my new look on life, I stepped into a gym at the age of 53 for the first time after always telling myself I'm to thin , gym is not for me. I wanted to loose about 10kg as the weight was starting to gather around my waist, I walked in, in March and 8 months later I have this! A new body and for 54 having never done gym I think that's a mean accomplishment. So Old vs New, my style!!
I have always loved taking self portraits, I would consider it character building and it’s how I have become comfortable infant of the camera as I am mostly behind the camera. Being infront of the camera can be extremely liberating and daunting at the same time, I supposed daunting until you get used to it if one ever really does. It has given me a sense of creating images for myself and I do enjoy the journey to making the images.
Back to the blanket and I love the juxtaposition these images afford me being 54 years appart. Shooting self portraits is always way more difficult especially when using lights, as its really difficult to position yourself correctly to get the desired lighting on me, With many back and forths we eventually get there, many images take but only a few are good enough and that I am happy with.
