Coming Home to Self-The Evolution of My Self-Portraiture

The first time I turned my camera around onto myself was ten years ago. I had no idea of what I was doing or why I was doing it. Hindsight tells me I was going through a challenging time in my life and was looking for ways to express and process my feelings. I remember the need to express myself through self-portraiture feeling urgent and persistent. The usual things most photographers thought about before shooting, like time of day, lighting, weather, and pre-planning, did not cross my mind—the need to create something overpowered and trumped all. 

In the beginning, I made self-portraits to express emotions based on my feelings. I made self-portraits to feel seen and witnessed because I felt invisible. I made self-portraits to give myself a voice because I felt unheard. As time went on, my work began to evolve. I moved through and past emotion and explored storytelling. I started telling my story through self-portraiture but in an anonymous way. From there, it has evolved into what you see today. It is ever-changing, just as we are. It is boundless. Most importantly, it is a part of me. 

Self-portrait taken with my Lensbaby Velvet 56

Self-portraiture has become a tool I use to deepen my practice of self-love and self-discovery, and it has had a ripple effect on me. What do I mean by this? When I first began, I was driven by instinct—creating made me feel empowered. I didn't realize the importance of spending time with myself and was more focused on the resulting self-expression. Now, the process of creating is of vital importance to me and extends past creating self-portraits. It begins with nourishing my mind and body, and I meditate and move my body daily. I journal each morning and pull a daily tarot card asking myself- What do I need to know for my creativity today? Self-portraiture taught me how to love myself. It taught me to nurture and forgive myself. It lit a desire in me to care for myself and set a better example for my children. It made me realize the importance of putting my oxygen mask on first before helping others. It has encouraged me to look deeper inside myself and question and explore who I am and who I want to be.

My self-portraiture acts as a visual diary, but one written in code. It's pieces of me, clues, and insights into what was occurring during that time in my life when I made each self-portrait. While they may not read like a diary to the viewer, I can piece them together and remember intimate details about each one. I know what I was doing that day and how I was feeling. As a teenager, I made up a secret written language of symbols and filled a diary with it. I could read the symbols fluently. Now, I use both personal and universal symbolism throughout my work. The meaning something has for me might be completely different from what it means to you, the viewer. We see something and connect to it in personal ways. That's the beauty of art!

Velvet 56

 My favorite tools for my work are Lensbaby lenses and optics. They help me to slow down, be more present in the moment, and visualize things more creatively. Self-portraiture combined with Lensbaby products has challenged me and activated and super-charged my creativity in a way that nothing else has. These lenses emphasize the beauty of imperfections. They break the rules and molds and allow you to dream big and wild. I cannot think of a better tool for self-expression and freedom in your art. Using Lensbaby lenses for my self-portraiture has been a coming home to self. It is life-changing. 

You can save 10% on Lensbaby purchases with the discount code wsharon at checkout!

Velvet 56

Expressive Self Portraiture Coming in March

Self-portraiture is a portal to the parts of you that have been dormant, wounded, silenced, and hidden. It’s a doorway to a better version of yourself. It’s a creative form of storytelling and self-expression.
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I’m considering opening up Expressive Self-Portraiture for another round in March. If this is a class you’re interested in or if you would like more details, please email me at sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com . 🤍

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The Evil Queen- Lensbaby

A year ago, I challenged myself to use Lensbaby lenses for my self-portrait work. I thought I would do it for 30-days. Here I am, a year later, and madly in love with these creative lenses and optics.

I made this self-portrait using my Lensbaby Composer Pro II with the Sweet 50 optic. Let me know if you have any questions, and if you’d like to save on your next Lensbaby purchase just use this link and the discount code wsharon .
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Sony a7riii | Sweet 50 | f/2.5 | 1/125| 1600

Finding Inspiration in Nature

There’s magic to be found in the everyday. Sometimes, all you need to activate it is a little creativity. Imagination.
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I found a dragonfly’s wing in my yard the other day. I combined it with a print of this self-portrait and re-photographed it using my @lensbabyusa Velvet 56.
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This unconventional self-portrait could have been made in Photoshop, but the process and meaning wouldn’t have been the same for me.
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If you have any questions about my process, email me or comment below! As both a Lensbaby and Click Pro Ambassador I enjoy representing both brands and sharing as much as I can. Click here to shop Lensbaby and save 10% on your purchase with the code wsharon ♥️

Interested in becoming a Click Pro? I save you $15USD off of the application fee by clicking here.
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Sony a7riii | Velvet 56 | f/2.8 | 1/320 | 640

Expressive Self Portraiture Opening Soon

Expressive Self-Portraiture opening soon!🌙
This is a call for all artists who have that inner burning desire to create new work- a new type of work.
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This is a call for anyone who would like to delve deeper into self-portraiture and learn how to process and express your emotions and life experiences through art.
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This is a call to dare to dream, find your voice, use your voice, and try new things, all in a safe and supportive space online.
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This is a call for hard work, emotional work, creative work, healing work.
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This is your call to action! Come join me in a private online space where we will spend 4+ weeks together. We will share, learn, create, support, heal, and make magic. There will be weekly written lessons, editing videos, behind the scenes, and weekly live creative sessions where we will hold one another accountable and work together.
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Registration for Expressive Self Portraiture is opening next week. Stay tuned for more details! Have a question? Feel free to DM me or drop it in the comments below. I’m SO excited!

Sony a7riii | Velvet 56 | f 2.8 | 1/250 | 200

Interested in the Lensbaby Velvet 56? Us this link and the code wsharon to save 10%!

Are you Feeling Supported?

Something that often comes up in my class, Expressive Self Portraiture, is the fear of sharing such deep and personal work while not feeling supported by those closest to us. I always encourage artists to share their work and trust that it will reach the right people at the right time, but this is no easy feat even for some of the most esteemed artists.
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It can feel confusing and even hurtful when the people we are closest to do not show support for our art. Why does it seem to be common to feel more supported by strangers and people you have never met in person? There can be several reasons for this.
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Our art is not for everyone.
I’ll say it again.
Not everyone is going to understand or connect with our work.
Our work can cause uncomfortable feelings for some people.
It may encourage them to face something in themselves that they are not ready to face.
They may think following you is enough.
They may feel intimidated or feel like an outsider to the art world.
They may not know how or feel comfortable interpreting our art.
They have their reasons and whatever they may be, just know that it is about them and not you or your work.
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As artists, we sometimes fall too deep in the trap of external validation. When we don’t see the support we would hope for from friends and family we tend to stay small. We don’t speak up or question it, but instead we hide with our feelings of unworthiness, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome.
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Fellow artists, keep doing what you’re doing and supporting each other. I know what gets put into making personal work. I’m a firm believer in artists supporting artists. I support you and appreciate your support- every comment, like, share, review, and recommendation.
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Thank you!
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Let’s discuss this. Do you find this is something you have struggled with or encountered? I believe it’s much more common than we think.

Sony a7riii | Velvet 56 | f/2.8 | 1/250 | 200

✨ Don’t forget as a Lensbaby Ambassador I can save you 10% on your purchase. You can click this link and use the discount code- wsharon . Tag me on Instagram with any images you make with your Lensbaby gear so I can show my support!

To Plan or Not to Plan Your Creative Shoots?

Are you the type of artist who pre-plans your creative work? Or do you work off of a feeling? I used to have the mindset that in order to create art I needed to have a plan set in place. I felt that all of the professionals worked that way.
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Through time and experience, I have come to learn that there is no one way of creating art. I now can go into creating with an open mind and no expectations of a specific outcome. I don’t always pre-think all of my shots and instead, I allow myself to be present in the moment to find and create what my heart sees and feels.
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It may just be a whisper or a nudge, a sense or a feeling. I try to be receptive and
open so I don’t miss it. I listen and watch for signs and guidance. I’ve had plenty of shoots that didn’t produce an image in the end, but it did provide me with lessons and an experience. It all depends on how you look at it.
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This self-portrait? I was driving home from dropping my daughter off at school yesterday morning and the early morning fog called to me.
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So tell me, do you favor planning or going with your intuition? Or maybe a mix of the two like I do? There is no wrong or right way! Can you see a difference in your work with one way over another?
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Sony a7riii | Velvet 56 | f/2.8 | 1/250 | 200

As a Lensbaby Ambassador I can save you 10% on your Lensbaby purchase. Just use this link and the code wsharon at checkout! Tag me on Instagram @sharoncovertphotography with any Lensbaby work you create!

The Snow Queen

Perfectionism is fear in disguise. How many times have you wanted to do something but told yourself the timing wasn't right or you didn't have enough time? Maybe if ___ happened or ____ then you could begin. Oftentimes, I find the most difficult part with something new is to begin. If we could allow ourselves to just begin, then the rest will unfold. We don't have to be experts to begin.
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I’m currently reading Julia Cameron's newest book, The Listening Path. When she teaches, she cues her students to make a list of 10 fill in the blanks. Each one begins with- If it didn't have to do it perfectly, I’d try ____.
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My very first thought was paint. I would paint. Thinking of all of the things I would do if they didn't have to be perfect was profound and gave me a lot to journal about. Think of all the things we hold back from in fear of not being good enough. We are depriving ourselves of the very things that will make us thrive!
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Let's be brave together and show up and do the work...whatever that work may be.

Diana the Huntress {Self-Portrait}

My creativity has been ignited by the world’s recent events. It’s not a place I go to escape, but instead, go to be myself. I find freedom in creating. There’s solace in self-expression. I feel protective over the world I have created. I cannot turn my back on making art, for it would be turning my back on myself.

Diana the Huntress {Self-Portrait}
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Expressive Self Portraiture - Registration Opening Soon

“Whenever a fairy tale is told, it becomes night. No matter where the dwelling, no matter the time, no matter the season, the telling of tales causes a starry sky and a white moon to creep from the eaves and hover over the heads of the listeners. Sometimes, by the end of the tale, the chamber is filled with daybreak, other times a star shard is left behind, sometimes a ragged thread of storm sky. And whatever is left behind is our bounty to work with, to use toward soul-making.” - Clarissa Pinkola Estes
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What does your story you long to share look like? Come join me in Expressive Self Portraiture! Registration is opening soon.

Who is this class for? Some photographers may feel intimidated or turned off by the conceptual feel to my work, but that is not what this class is about. It’s about you as an individual. It’s about us as a collective group of photographers learning about ourselves and from each other.
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This class is for all levels. I’ve had students who have just begun learning how to shoot in manual all the way to advanced photographers looking to try something new or push themselves even further. Some are terrified at the idea of being the subject of their work, while others have done it for years.
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What I’ve witnessed over and over again is a group of diverse artists coming together and forming a common thread. We laugh. We learn. We play. We create. We cry. We heal. We love. We grow. Together.
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Whether you are feeling a small pull or a burning fire, now is the time! You can read testimonials HERE and feel free to email me with any questions. sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com

Oh Dear!

The masks I use are a form of symbolism and often represent different characters in my story.
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This one is the first one I ever purchased. It still remains an important piece of what I do. Masks have been a transformative and pivotal element in my art.
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Credit to artist @tumblingup for sculpting such amazing masks 🎭 🐰

Come Back to Self

Sometimes, oftentimes these days, my mind is a blur. Everything is whizzing by and I’ve come to realize I need to slow down, practice saying “No”, and prioritize better.
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I began this journey to Self about a year ago now, and I’ve become aware that somewhere along the way my attention began focusing outward again instead of inward.
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So here I am once again, ready to commit to myself and complete the tasks that I take on along the way. I don’t want to lose sight of creating for ME in the process.
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Here is a self-portrait I made yesterday. I’ve always loved out of focus images. They stay with me longer, like a memory or dream. They are a feeling, a time, a place.
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What does an out of focus image represent to you? How do they make you feel? I know some struggle with them because they are technically incorrect and flawed. I think the flaws are what make an image unique, just like us.

Surrender | Self-Portrait

Making this type of art feels so natural to me. It’s become a part of who I am. I tend to forget that for many, it’s not what they would consider normal.
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It’s easy to fall into the trap of being small to avoid the judgement from others. We (I) have to remember to be unapologetic about who we are (who I am).
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Making this self-portrait today felt so damn good. While there are certainly times I wish I had someone else to create with, share ideas with, someone to have this experience with- I also find myself feeling energized and excited to have this time with myself. Today was no exception.
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Introvert much? 
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Here’s what I did with some of my alone time today. I put on a nude colored body suit, went into my backyard, lit a smoke bomb, covered myself with a vintage bridal veil, and put myself in all sorts of odd poses.... and it felt great to express myself in this way once again.
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Do you prefer to create alone or would you rather have a partner in crime?

Rejection

Have you ever been rejected?
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It doesn’t feel good, I know.
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But what if you used that rejection to fuel your fire🔥 and become even more amazing?
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Instead of allowing it to bring you down, let it motivate you.
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I’ve been checking my email for weeks in hopes of an acceptance email. You usually can tell by the header. “Congratulations!”
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Today the email came, except it was a rejection email.
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For a brief moment I let the sting set in and bring me down. The questions began circling through my mind. How? Why? What could I have done different?
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I quickly put a stop to it and decided I would continue submitting to them. After all, what’s the worst thing that can happen?
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So many people share their successes and leave out their failures. I’ve been guilty of doing that myself ✋🏼. I think many of us have feelings of shame in rejection and failure. It’s embarrassing.
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Have you been rejected recently? Or have you had a recent success? Either way, I’d love to hear about it! Comment below and let’s lift each other up and inspire one another.

Hi! I'm Sharon Covert

Hi, I’m Sharon Covert! For years I lived under this false belief that you could get to know me through my art alone.

I allowed fear to control what I shared.

I allowed fear to censor my words, my truth.

Fear of judgment. Fear of not being understood. Fear of not being liked.

I hesitated on sharing the good things that have come my way. The things I have worked hard for, all in fear that you would think I’m bragging or being show-offy. I made that word up, but it fits.

I held back my WHY, my reason why I began experimenting with self-portraiture.

All in fear.

This year the one sentence that has come up the most for me in my journal is this-

Lead by example.

It’s small yet profound, and I plan to do just that, for me, my children, my family and friends, and you. I can’t possibly be the only one who has experienced these feelings.
And while I may be writing more for YOU to get to know ME better, I also want to get to know you better. Has anyone else experienced similar thoughts and feelings when it comes to your art and social media?

If you made it this far, thank you, and it’s nice to meet you!

Click Magazine

I was never one to set goals for myself, but over the last few years I have made a point to make a list of goals that I wish to accomplish with my photography. While I have crossed off many each year, there was one that I always transferred over to the new year, never giving up hope and determination. I'm beyond thrilled to share with you that I have a feature in the May/June 2018 issue of Click Magazine! If you don't already subscribe, you can find the newest issue in your local Barnes and Noble store. I want to thank all of you who have reached out to me over the last 2 weeks to tell me you saw the feature. That kindness never goes unappreciated. Thank you all so much for support!