SELF PORTRAITS by {TANYA DAKIN}
Posted by Raoul | Filed under Photography
Self portraits by Tanya Dakin + Blog
I started Shooting Self ports at the age of 11, so I suppose I always wanted to be infront of the camera and create images.
When I was 10 years old I developed an OCD called Trichotillomania (is commonly known, is an impulse control disorder or form of self-injury characterized by the repeated urge to pull out scalp hair or other body hair) in my case it was my head that I was pulling from. By the age of 18 I had to wear a wig, not because it was cute, but because I HAD to, my hair was pretty much a bald patch mess. Puberty was extremely hard and so was being social. All I wanted to do was hide or be like the other popular girls. Instead I gravitated towards the brainy kids, the less socially acceptable kids, the kids with the highest test scores 
I wore wigs to both my proms.
Dating was even harder. No swimming, lots of rude questions from strangers, and yes I was teased, a lot. I went home many of days in tears, even in my late 20′s. I would tell a boy I really liked my secret and see if he put any distance between us. Later I picked very abusive and incompatible men due to my lack of self esteem. I felt undeserving.
After 9/11 I wanted to re teach myself darkroom skills and start shooting again, I was more interested in Photo Journalism than anything else. I set up a darkroom in my laundry room. I had taken a roll of self portraits for an online voluntary photo essay.
I got lots of feedback, and a few request from other photographers to model for them. It took off fast from 2002.
and I felt like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. I was taking back the self love and right to feel beautiful, and modeling has been my incentive to gain control over my OCD. To this day I live with it, but I owe any existing control and confidence to my modeling. It drives me. I know my worth now.
Favorite book: The Architect’s Brother – Robert Parke Harrison
Favorite film: Seven
Favorite song: The Chauffer – Duran Duran
Favorite quote: rom the movie Delores Claiborne-Sometimes you have to be a high-riding bitch to survive. Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman has to hold onto.
Ideal meal: Fried Whole bellied Clams, With Fried haddock, Fries and Onion rings topped with dill tartar sauce.
Favorite garment: Brown Bear hat
Favorite website: www.cuteoverload.com
Favorite place: Idle Awhile in Negril Jamaica
Favorite vice: pot
Favorite artist: Akiko Ida & Pierre Javelle of http://www.minimiam.com
Favorite photographer: Helmut Newton of course!
Your perfect day begins with waking up to my 3 sleepy puppies and ends with crawling back in bed with them.
Your personal sexy is? my sarcasm
Tags: Model, Nude, Photographer, Self-portrait, Tanya Dakin
2 Responses to “SELF PORTRAITS by {TANYA DAKIN}”
-
Karin + Raoul » Blog Archive » PHOTOGRAPHY by {*RAOUL} Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:08 pm[...] Photography by *RAOUL Model Tanya Dakin Check out Tanya’s self portrait images here [...]
-
demetri Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:24 pmi’m really liking tanya and the chairs.
