Photos reveal more than the image

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. Aristotle

I completed 3 years of blogging.  I am revisiting a concept that started where this went.  My book at the bottom of the site was a capstone photography project my final year in university.  I gained a Bachelors degree in Art with emphasis on photography.  Photography helped to open my mind and heart to all that I am.  I used photography to delve into my past.  I used photography to explore how I felt.  I used photography to discover myself.  Before I started counseling I took my first photography class.  I worked with a wonderful graduate student that encouraged me to explore using a camera as a tool to open parts of my mind I believed forever closed.  She gave us 'self-portrait' for a theme for our final project.  We would spend several weeks shooting, developing, and printing black and white prints.  We were required to shoot at least 3 rolls of black and white film.  I allowed myself to do whatever with the film.  I went back and developed the rolls.  One of the rolls I was dumbfounded by what I discovered.  I didn't recognize most of the shots and pictures of me were me but weren't.  I was puzzled and confused.  I also did not remember taking those particular pictures.  I knew I didn't let anyone borrow my camera so where did the pictures come from?  I had no idea at the time of the project what I would learn in the following few years.  I wanted to portray the pictures in a different way.  The teacher showed us a variety of ideas.  I rejected all of them and spoke with one of the professors I worked with for my computer job.  After several discussions, I put the pictures on a large Möbius strip.  I used the representation to show that I was all the same person but you couldn't see all of me at the same time.  Later in counseling, KavinCoach was astounded at how accurately this described how I functioned with multiple personalities.  Art allowed me to express who I was before I had words to describe it.  Often my pictures relate specifically to the posts I write.  Sometimes I use my art work to send myself private messages that only I know the connection.  That is OK because each of you come to my posts with your own story and read what I share.  My pictures then become a part of your story with your own meaning applied to my representation.  I enjoy photography it helps me to share my soul.