Why is it that I find having my photo taken akin to being undressed in a very public place? I just had what was to me a cringe-filled experience of having a new photo taken for the about page on my website. The photographer, kind and lovely Debra Rapp (www.debrarapp.co.uk) had me swathed in my rabbit fur scarves, perched variously on chairs and benches and supplied with a bottomless cup of camomile tea. Every ten photos or so we'd have a quick look at what was there and each time I felt vaguely horrified by what I saw, giant cheekbones, enormous rabbity teeth, etc. With my features magnified on a super high-resolution screen I felt myself to be unrecognisable from my normal self. Was it pure vanity or the simple disconnect most people feel when they hear their recorded voices for the first time? I'm still unsure, and after an angst-filled thirty minutes, the photo I chose is a heavily filtered black and white one. The question is, why is the most filtered photo the one I feel represents me the best?
