Does Self-Portraiture Really Equal Selfie?

Recently, model Daria Werbowy was approcahed by Equipment to style herself in their Fall 2014 blouses and sweaters for a series of self portraits. Werbowy took two weeks to shoot the series from her home in Ireland; the result is not only stunning fashion imagery, but a series of introspective portraits of an artist. I think Werbowy is in a very unique position. The model obviously understands fashion photography; what works to make a provocative, appealing image. But as interviews with her have withdrawn, she also sees the importance and reality of self-portraiture as a means of exploring ones emotions.

In the past on this blog I have written about Francesca Woodman, one of my personal favorite self -portraitists. Francesca is almost the opposite of Werbowy; she was a photographer of self craving to break in to the fashion photography scene.

What intrigues me at this moment about self-portraiture is its intersection with the "selfie" phenomenon. I personally found it a bit concerning that Werbowy's photos for Equipment were deemed a "selfie campaign" by Vogue. Is a selfie, an impulsive photograph of one's self, often meant to induldge, whether conciously or subconsiously, in ones best qualities, really the same thing as a self-portrait? Werbowy described her experience to Vogue in this way:

"I went kind of mental and just kept shooting to get over the nerves of the whole process. It definitely brought up things for me emotionally. I saw certain qualities about myself in the creative process and even some control issues I had. I think it is more of a true representation of myself than people have ever seen before."

I have a hard time accepting that self-portraiture really belongs in the same realm of theory as a selfie. Francesca Woodman described her own process in this way in a journal entry in 1981: "I was inventing a Language for people to see..." A "language for people to see" seems to have a bit more intention than a self indulgent shot of oneself...

Werbowy herself, interestly, described this self-photography project as seeming rather "self-indulgent;" perhaps now more than ever, self photography does seem quite self indulgent. But despite whatever intention Werbowy began her project with, the power of this art form to explore oneself showed itself to her. Perhaps self indulgence is tied up with the human experience; tied perhaps even to our emotions, to getting to know who we truly are. Or, maybe because of the prevelance of self indulgence, the intention of this art form has been skewed and misunderstood.

This comparison has left me with more questions and ideas than answers. What are you thoughts on self-portraiture vs. selfies?

All photos by Daria Werbowy / via Telegraph