Sunday, December 5, 2010

I Heart Faces - Self Portrait

"Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue.
Realize the strength, move on."
-Henry Rollins


Self-portrait, huh? I'll admit it; my first inclination was to take a super adorable shot of myself mugging for the camera, like the school photo I never had.
But then I started thinking more; what did I want this photo to *say*?
My portrait for this week is about more than just my face. The stretch marks, the surgical scars, the tiny dots left by large-gauge IVs... all of them, a roadmap to my life, starting with my kidney failure (and almost instant 150 lb. weight gain) in 2001, then my first transplant in 2004 (commemorated by the green ribbon tattoo) to the c-section that brought my son in 2008, the catheter I used for dialysis for 2 years, and finally the most recent addition, the mark left by my second transplant this past September.
They are as much a part of who I am as my face, and so I share them with you.

This week's I Heart Faces challenge is for self portraits... want to see more great shots?
Click here:

Image shot at f/4.5, ISO 800, 18-70mm @ 40 mm

45 comments:

  1. AMAZING!!! Simple a beautiful photo!

    I so agree with your candor...I'm just too afraid to be so honest. Probably with myself first.

    I love your entry!

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  2. What a strong & honest woman you are! This is an awesome photo and not just because of the scars. It's a great shot. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. I am so amazed by you Lizz! This is the best thing you could have done! Good for you! Stretch marks, scars no matter, you are still PERFECT! :-)

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  4. What an amazing story - love your courage to post this picture - it's you and you're not afraid to show it! Bravo!

    Tamar

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  5. Wow, as beautiful as your story is powerful.

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  6. beautiful photo and story! How strong you are!

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  7. WOW! What a story and inspiration you are! so glad you are doing well. GREAT CAPTURE.

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  8. It's really cool, Lizz! It's like the marks of your life! Great selfie!

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  9. Oh goodness, you have been through so much. I hope that you are doing well from your second transplant. Your photo is beautiful.

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  10. Wow - wonderful story and brave and beautiful photo.
    Thanks for popping over to see my blog on #reverb10

    That craft community is just in a cafe, not any kind of a craft place. A girl who wanted that kind of even just cooked it up - using the power of twitter actually :)

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  11. A very powerful and moving picture.

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  12. Thank you. For opening your heart to us. To those people you don't know and some you do. I think this picture speaks a lot about who you are and who you are now because of the things you have gone through in your life. My favorite entry by FAR!

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  13. This is an amazing portrait...I love what you said about "a roadmap to my life." Beautiful and honest.

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  14. I saw your photo on I Heart Faces and had to come "see" you. Absolutely gorgeous. Your photo shows a long road travel and most importantly, strength and success. I just had to come hear your story.

    Beautiful.

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  15. Gorgeous!!! Each scar shows your zest and fight to choose life everyday!

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  16. Thank you so much for posting this portrait. You are absolutely beautiful.

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  17. What a POWERFUL image. Congrats on being a fav pick, totally deserving!

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  18. What a very moving self portrait - Your strength is beautiful. May God bless you with good health in the days ahead.

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  19. This is a really awesome self-portrait! It is so much more interesting than if you'd just taken a cutesy photo of yourself. I'm new to your blog, so excuse my ignorance, but how did you lose the 150 pounds? You look amazing!

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  20. I love how open you are. It is SO refreshing!

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  21. Lizz, very cool picture and very brave for all you have been thru...Your quote has such a strong meaning,"Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue.Realize the strength, move on."
    -Henry Rollins -Getting older & having gray hair, wrinkles,& stretch marks from bearing our children, or from whatever, makes us who we are & we should embrace that about ourselves, instead of wish it away. I am thankful for every day to be a part of this life! I wish for you much good health & strength on your life's path....

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  22. Wow! I LOVE this photo. It's so real and beautiful. Thank you for having the courage to do this. AMAZING!

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  23. Way to go Lizz!! I'm a pea so I remember you posting about this recently! I'm glad you decided to put it out there! You definitely deserve the recognition for being so strong!

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  24. This really hit me in a deep place, a scarred one. I thank you for having the guts to take this portrait and for sharing it. I needed to see it.

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  25. I love it! Thanks for putting yourself out there like that!

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  26. This photo speaks volumes! You are an amazing woman & I heart you for posting this photo! This photo is the definition of STRONG. I love a photo that needs no caption & this my friend, is the one.

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  27. LIzz-stunning, raw portrait. So glad you chose to share this image and your story with us. Hoorah to body maps and being picked as an Angie and Amy fave. PS - your calm, welcoming expression is fab :)

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  28. Utterly perfect. And so very beautiful.

    (Think of what beauty and life those scars represent!)

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  29. What an amazing story. You make this photo so beautiful! Thank you for sharing

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  30. this brought me to tears. it is beautiful. love the quote also.

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  31. wow how brave and beautiful you are... i always feel my scars are just a road map of where i have been like living breathing scrapbook. thank you for sharing your perfection in imperfecion

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  32. I have gotten out of the habit of commenting due to life but I couldn't let this go without saying thank you for your beautiful photo. I am working on feeling the same way about the life all over me. Blessings and good health.

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  33. YOU are beautiful....every square inch! Gorgeous shot that says it all! You're one Powerful Woman! Brava!

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  34. You.are.amazing! Seriously, this picture is so brave and beautiful. I wish you nothing but good health and happiness.

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  35. Wow - this is real: truth, beauty, life, love and strength.

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  36. That's amazing photo and story too! :) Thanks for sharing!

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  37. do you ever think of chronicling other peoples scars?

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  38. What a powerful photo, it says so much even without reading the story below. Congratulations on being a survivor, in every respect!

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  39. i know i'm late to the game, but when i saw your photo at iheartfaces, i had to come comment. Thank you so much for putting it out there - it's a gorgeous photo, quirky cool idea, and from a solely selfish place, as a mom to seven children who has stretchmarks - it's so nice to know that other people have them, too - kwim? I know i try to cover mine up as good as i can, and i don't see many on other people, which kind of makes me feel like a freak... but it was so encouraging to see yours and the look on your face was so strong... love this! Thank you for posting it!

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  40. Wow. This is stunning! You are a brave, soulful and amazing woman to post such an intimate photo. I personally love scars, they are a roadmap to our lives, they help make us individuals. I found you on Iheartfaces.com, props to you for being awesome!

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  41. This is phenomenal.....and just beautiful.

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  42. Amazing...I admire your strength. I was just looking through the old entries at I Heart Faces, and came across this entry. I LOVE this photo! You are truly amazing!

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