Shakespeare said “To shine own self be true”…
I remember reading that for the first time in college…
‘Oh!! God!!’ I said almost out loud… ‘I can’t understand it, I’m screwed!!’
My wonderful teacher at that time… Mr Thackery must have seen my bemused look, the frustration right across my face… he sat with me…
‘Look,’ he said, ‘you are starting out at the wrong end, don’t fire up with Act 1, Scene 1, Word 1… go backwards, learn the story from the characters perspective, what are their feelings, what motivates them… then you’ll begin to understand the words, it’ll all become easier.’
My phone rang, it was my publisher… she forgets there’s half a day time difference between us…
‘What?’ I said…
‘Afternoon Simon, you sound in a great mood!’
‘It’s bedtime Liz, nearly midnight, what do you want?’
‘Some photos please, I can’t keep using these they’re years out of date and I want something that’s more representative of your new book… can you get them for me this afternoon?’
‘Liz it’s bedtime, I’ll get something sorted in the morning. Good night!’
I’ve been a photographer since I was 10 years old and have always made my living from either behind a camera or some published words… but I do not enjoy having my photo taken, in fact I absolutely hate it and when I saw the results of the last ordeal I have decided I enjoy it even less.
I compared the new pictures with those taken when I was 40… and ok, I admit it, my vanity took more than a twinge at the thought of being presented to my readers as I am now 15 years on! It was more of a debilitating spasm!
‘Can you touch me up a little?’ I asked the photographer!
‘But that’s you! he said, ‘and you look fine, we all hate having our photo taken, live with it for a few days, see how you feel then.’
I didn’t have a few days, I had to get the photos off now, today. I looked again… I guess anyone over 40 should be responsible for his face, and that includes me. Fifteen extra years should give me a great deal more than a few wrinkles and some unwelcome folds around my chin…
In that time I have become more intimately acquainted with life’s pain and pleasures, and the joy and sorrow of life and death… I’ve struggled and survived, had failure and great successes… At times I’ve lost faith completely and then found it again… and as a result this face should now show more wisdom than it did, a more tolerant smile… and I hope my sense of humour however twisted it can be has mellowed my outlook on everything and everyone I experience.
As my photographer said, ‘that is me!’ so I should not try to erase the mark of age, because at the same time I’ll risk destroying the imprint of all the character building of those experiences I have had, those that are written truthfully into my face.
I have just sent my photo as it is.
© Simon Lawrence
I remember reading that for the first time in college…
‘Oh!! God!!’ I said almost out loud… ‘I can’t understand it, I’m screwed!!’
My wonderful teacher at that time… Mr Thackery must have seen my bemused look, the frustration right across my face… he sat with me…
‘Look,’ he said, ‘you are starting out at the wrong end, don’t fire up with Act 1, Scene 1, Word 1… go backwards, learn the story from the characters perspective, what are their feelings, what motivates them… then you’ll begin to understand the words, it’ll all become easier.’
My phone rang, it was my publisher… she forgets there’s half a day time difference between us…
‘What?’ I said…
‘Afternoon Simon, you sound in a great mood!’
‘It’s bedtime Liz, nearly midnight, what do you want?’
‘Some photos please, I can’t keep using these they’re years out of date and I want something that’s more representative of your new book… can you get them for me this afternoon?’
‘Liz it’s bedtime, I’ll get something sorted in the morning. Good night!’
I’ve been a photographer since I was 10 years old and have always made my living from either behind a camera or some published words… but I do not enjoy having my photo taken, in fact I absolutely hate it and when I saw the results of the last ordeal I have decided I enjoy it even less.
I compared the new pictures with those taken when I was 40… and ok, I admit it, my vanity took more than a twinge at the thought of being presented to my readers as I am now 15 years on! It was more of a debilitating spasm!
‘Can you touch me up a little?’ I asked the photographer!
‘But that’s you! he said, ‘and you look fine, we all hate having our photo taken, live with it for a few days, see how you feel then.’
I didn’t have a few days, I had to get the photos off now, today. I looked again… I guess anyone over 40 should be responsible for his face, and that includes me. Fifteen extra years should give me a great deal more than a few wrinkles and some unwelcome folds around my chin…
In that time I have become more intimately acquainted with life’s pain and pleasures, and the joy and sorrow of life and death… I’ve struggled and survived, had failure and great successes… At times I’ve lost faith completely and then found it again… and as a result this face should now show more wisdom than it did, a more tolerant smile… and I hope my sense of humour however twisted it can be has mellowed my outlook on everything and everyone I experience.
As my photographer said, ‘that is me!’ so I should not try to erase the mark of age, because at the same time I’ll risk destroying the imprint of all the character building of those experiences I have had, those that are written truthfully into my face.
I have just sent my photo as it is.
© Simon Lawrence