I’m reading a book with the title “Schärfe deinen Blick – Aussergewöhnliche Portraitfotografie” (Google Translation: Focus your gaze – exceptional portrait photography). The book contents twelve chapters and every chapter has an exercise for the reader. Chapter two is “Self-Portrait / Without any face” and the task was to take a self-portrait without showing my face.

I was reading in my room at Pacific Beach, San Diego. The sun was shining trough the window in my room projecting shadows on the wall. I installed the tripod and set the camera on self-timer. I was in shorts, with no shirt on. The sun painted my body on the wall. I thought: Ok, show your hamburger belly – face the true – the shutter opened up and captured my shape.

I watched the picture and I couldn’t believe my eyes. No hamburger belly, skinny, elegant curves. What happened?

The camera didn’t see the same shadow like i did. I was in front of my shadow, the sun, me and my shadow in one line.  The camera was on my left hand side, between me and my shadow. Because of this cameras position the shadow was captured in that flattering way.

Mission completed, homework done and I went for a hamburger.