Self Portrait

This month we move away from our usual format just a little, to examine the art of self-portraiture. Even before it was completed, this issue was prompting some sharp discussion as to just what constituted a self portrait. Like any other genre, this one is so diverse as to almost defy classification. In the end, perhaps, the only thing that holds these stories together is the idea of the author being the subject.

We have tried to present photographers who represent a range of styles within the field, from artists who use self portraiture as their main tool, through those who take the occasional snap of themselves while on the job, to a story where the author didn't actually trip the shutter at all, yet set up the stage, the lighting and the poses, edited the images and wrote the story. We will leave it up to you to decide just what each image means, and to classify the stories as you see fit. We present them in alphabetical order, and pass no further comment.

Special thanks go out to our story editor George Qua-Enoo for his work this month, it isn't easy pulling together an issue of this size.

Kim Taylor
editor, 180