Guardian Camera Club: YesBut on self portraiture

1 No photos . The last six months I have been undertaking a “Street Portraiture” project. Taking photos of strangers seen in the street - having first asked their permission. I am surprised by the number of people who unquestioningly agree to have their photos taken. I hate to look at photos of myself. Consequently dislike having my photo taken Photograph: YesBut/Flickr 2 Self-conscious . I lived in contented ignorance for thirty-nine years, until the fateful day a daughter of a friend, a podiatrist, suddenly pointed to my flip-flop clad feet and blurted out 'You’ve got Morton‘s Syndrome'. I was so traumatised, since that day, I feel embarrassed and wear socks in the shower Photograph: YesBut/Flickr 3 Ear too . For my forty-fifth birthday a friend baked a cake in the shape of my face. She made it glaringly obvious that my left ear sticks out at a right angle Photograph: YesBut/Flickr 4 More than DNA . Some years ago, I painted a self portrait. I always start portraits by painting the eyes. After completing my eyes I realised I had painted my mother’s eyes. This sensitized me to observing not only physical features but also behavioural and speech characteristics Photograph: YesBut/Flickr 5 Time is running out . I felt thirty-five years of age, until my mid-fifties. Then my joints started to creak. Then realized walking down a street rather than overtaking people I was being passed by walkers Photograph: YesBut/Flickr 6 Final departure . I’ll be dressed in my best suit when they pop me into my coffin, but there will be no opportunity to look back Photograph: YesBut/Flickr