26

I am officially 26 and there's no turning back. So much running through this head of mine. Here is a paper about self image I wrote a couple years ago that is still very relevant to how I'm feeling lately.

It is hard to say that one photograph can truly define who you are as a person. That by viewing this one photo others have you all figured out. Photographs play an enormous role in my life. I turn to certain images of not only myself but of works of art produced by different artists and photographers to turn my mood around. Whether I’m feeling depressed, lonely or uninspired, I turn to specific images to lift my spirits, give me hope, and inspire me to produce work. When memories have gone and are in the past I can always turn to photographs to relive precious moments.

I believe that I am my worst critic. I sit here with different images in front of me trying to construct an analysis about my own self-image, trying to define myself without having a definition can be difficult. To truly be able to define yourself and know your own self-image must be an amazing feeling, no one should get in the way of understanding yourself because only you honestly know who you are inside and out. If you stand strong to who are no one should be able to knock that image of yourself down. Photograph images can only go so far in describing someone as a person. It may reveal how someone appears by expression and categorized in certain fashion groups by clothing but that doesn’t necessarily define their personality characteristics. 

The images that appear in front of me have a reoccurring theme my hair color is different in more than half of the photos. One can probably assume that I am a materialistic person who only cares about my appearance. I associate changing my hair color with how I am feeling inside. I want change or want to make changes in my own life. I want to have a different and positive outlook on the way I am living. I am a chameleon changing colors in order to adapt to my surroundings. I’m still on the path of being able to define myself. These images are an important factor but only a small fraction of making up the whole of who am I.