This is a part of a series titled Self-Acceptance where I explain the process of self-portraits I have taken which started during lockdown. It explores themes of self-confidence, working with what you have, and accepting myself (duh).
These were taken towards the end of July. I've always wanted a portrait of myself in a Barong, and I thought why not do it myself? For those of you that don't know, I'm a Filipino American. The Barong is the national dress attire for the Philippines. Its most commonly long-sleeve and white/cream colored, but I usually opt for this one. They're made to withstand the tropics of the Philippines, but even then they still get hot, so I have this short sleeve one that's perfect for weddings and such.
I thought these were timeless. The way the soft lighting in my room, along with the sophistication of the Barong made a perfect combo. I eased up a little bit on the texture, and it gave some of the shots a dreamy look. Lastly, I wanted my hair to be juxtaposed with the polished look of the barong. It's not daring, as messy hair has been done with a tuxedo before, but it felt right.
I was exploring a lot of different expressions for this set. It stemmed from a comment about how serious I looked in all my photos. The result:
Bonus: I got a LinkedIn picture out of it.
