Don't be afraid to be influenced, inspired even. It is too big a world and life is too short to be able to see it all on your own. I have walked this street I don't know how many times, even at this particular time of day. Yet this day was different because during my lunch break, while eating a sandwich, I browsed through an extensive book of Lee Friedlander's self-portraits. I own one of his self-portrait books already, but this one worked its way through his earliest work until present day. And if you know his self-portraits, particularly his fondness of photographing his shadow, you'll see his influence here. I wouldn't have seen it otherwise.
I often equate photography to language. I mean, it is a language after all. And how do we learn language best except by doing it and experiencing it. It is the same with photography. You want to get better you go out and you make photos and you experience photos, via Internet, books, gallery shows, or what have you. And if you are not familiar with the self-portraiture of Lee Friedlander, why not start there. He'll definitely change how you think of the self-portrait.
Hasselblad 500C / Kodak Portra 400
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