Dear Frannie Friday--Pros and Cons of Blog Self Photography

This blog will be three years old in April (wow!).  I have taken almost every single photo for this blog myself.  My husband and mom have taken a couple, but mostly it's been me.  A lot of bloggers prefer to take their own photos or have to.  Here are some pros and cons that I have learned from doing the "take my own photos thang":

Pro: Creative goals.  When you are your own photographer, you can essentially execute the shots that you have in your mind without having to direct someone.  You can chose your own locations, poses and time of day instead of feeling bossy or like a control freak about it.

Cons: Angles.  When you are your own photographer, you may limit yourself in terms of angles and locations you can take your photos.  There are a lot of times when I want to shoot myself (that sounds weird) from below or in a busy parking lot where there is a cool mural on the wall or something.  But I can't.  Because a tripod is limited in it's height and angles.  And it's not always possible, smart or safe for your camera to place a tripod in the middle of a busy parking lot.

Pros: Schedule.  When you take your own pictures, you don't have to schedule it around someone else.  You can take them whenever you want.  And thus, you can have photos ready to post at your will.

Cons: Perspective.  While it may be cool to be in control of the photo taking process, it can also be beneficial to have a second opinion to give you new and cool ideas that you might not have otherwise thought of.

Pro: Confidence.  You don't really have to worry about looking goofy when it's just you.  It might just be me, but I feel like a total freakshow when other people take my photos.  I feel much freer to be silly or smiley in front of the camera myself than if someone else was there.

Cons: Time.  The jury is out, I think, about which is quicker--taking your own photos or having someone take them for you--but I sometimes think it would be a lot quicker to have someone else take your photos.  The reason being, you can't very well see yourself while you are taking your photo.  So it might take you 12 shots of your shoes to get your whole shoe in the picture.  It takes a lot of practice.  And, without a remote, you might also have issues with focus and the actual picture itself if you are running back and forth from behind the camera and tripod  to in front of it.

 Cons: Looking weird.  It's a lot easier to not look like a freak when it's not just you and a tripod out in the middle of a park, alleyway or what have you.  If you have a photographer, you are able to pull off a vibe that's not "I just like taking pictures of myself in random places for no apparent reason."

Cons: Safety.  I take most of my photos in Boulder, Colorado.  In other words, a quiet little hippy mountain town where there is little chance of being mugged or raped or kidnapped really.  But I will say, it happens.  And, if you're like me and prefer to find secluded spots where you take your photos, it can be a little sketchy.  Even in this little corner of Colorado where I live, I've had a lot of run-ins with homeless people, druggies, police and other questionable encounters.  I carry pepper spray, but still, you're obviously less likely to be messed with if there is more than one of you.

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