Self-perception! It’s an interesting subject. How do you see yourself? But, perhaps a more interesting question is how do others see you? Are you the person you think you are to the people around you?

Let’s face it, we live in a world obsessed, it seems, with what other people think about us. Social media validation seems to be, sadly, like the number one currency right now. But I’ve always been much more interested in what the people in my real life think, rather than the views of people behind a keyboard or screen who, in most cases, I’ll never meet.

I’m interested in people! It’s a subject that I’ve always been interested in. But, after a couple of weeks up an isolated mountain in Spain, with time to reflect on the deeper things in life, it’s a topic I’ve been thinking about much more.

WHO ARE YOU TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU?

With this question echoing in my ears again, I thought I’d revisit ‘CRITICAL IMPRESSIONS’ an ongoing project of self-discovery. A project that was actually formed over 20 years ago at university but, that I actually re-started again in 2018. I’ve written about the origins of this project in a blog, on my photography website, that you can read more about via the link below:

DESCRIBE ME IN ONE WORD!

If you can’t be bothered to read all of that, I get it! The basic premise of the project is that I ask people simply, or not so simply in some cases to ‘Describe me in one word!’ They write it on a piece of paper and I take a pic on my iPhone. Simple! The original project was shot on polaroids. Not so simple or cost-effective in 2022.

Possibly a little narcissistic maybe? But, if I’m registering the fact that it’s mildly narcissistic then, that means I can’t be a narcissist right ha ha? Anyway, let’s skip over all that and just call it a kind of ongoing self-portrait through the words of friends, family and the people I meet.

I’ve asked 100+ people so far and still counting! Some of them I know really well, all my life in some cases, and then there are some of them who might be people I’ve met for the first time that day. It’s a varied mix for sure and I have no doubt it will continue to be that way as the project continues.

I’ve added ‘CRITICAL IMPRESSIONS’ to the projects page of the website. This means that every time I have a new subject I’ll be able to add the image to this space and, hopefully, it won’t be too long until we can reach 200 words and portraits.

As I said in the original blog post, I dip in and out of this project. It can be hard sometimes! I’m not always armed with paper and a pen, or sometimes I’m just not thinking about the project at the time. But, it’s something that I like to think will be ongoing, and that I can continue to add to. Especially now it can have a more permanent home in Creative Nowhere Land.

I’ve started to add a few more portraits recently, and I hope to carry on now that it’s a little more in the forefront of my mind again. So be warned! If you know me, and you haven’t already taken part in the project, then the next time you see me, I may be armed with a pen, paper and my iPhone. So get your thinking caps on for the word you would use to describe me! Profanities welcome!

I might, as ever, have gone a little overboard with this project but, as I say, it’s interesting! It’s one you can easily try with friends too. Ask the people in your life to describe you in one word. You never know what you will discover!

Thanks as always for reading! If you do try the project then I’d love to hear from you. Especially if you had any interesting or surprising answers. If you haven’t already, then please consider signing up for the Creative Nowhere Land Newsletter. That way you can keep up to date on everything new going on.

Until next time! EXPLORE, INSPIRE AND CREATE!