Life

These Self-Portraits Are Hauntingly Beautiful

We can't stop looking at photographer Gabriela Herman's stunning self-portrait series. In a generation known for its obsession and mastery of quick phone selfies, Herman has reclaimed the idea of self-portraiture and created a raw and captivating narrative with her photographs, all featuring her as the subject in ambiguous, striking, and sometimes unsettling poses. Each image projects its own story that seems to weave in and out of other images, some of them whimsical, some of them gritty, all of them communicating the kind of feelings that are too difficult to put into words. Says Herman about the project:

Since I began photographing, I have always insisted on being in front of the lens, becoming part of the construction of my images. Photography has become my therapy, an exclusive dialogue between myself and the camera where we push each other to a point of exhaustion, both emotionally and physically. I invite the viewer to partake in this intimate process.

Herman, who is based in Brooklyn and Martha's Vineyard, specializes in editorial and commercial photography and in travel, food, lifestyle, and portrait work. The self-portrait series is just one of her many personal photography projects, which also include a riveting series of bloggers working in the dark (who hasn't been there before?) and a collection of photos depicting items of nostalgia called "Holding On." The Wesleyan University graduate's work has been featured in dozens of publications, including Billboard, The Wall Street Journal, and Martha Stewart Living, and her work has garnered attention from its displays in exhibitions and awards.

I personally admire anyone who has a vision for photographs as compelling as these, because I have no knack or imagination for it myself. Below are a few of the images selected from Herman's self-portrait series:

Courtesy of: Gabriela Herman