How I Turn Bad Days Into Creative Self-Portraits

How I Turn Bad Days Into Creative Self-Portraits

How do you cope when you have a bad day?

Maybe you mindlessly watch TV, binge-eat a whole tub of ice cream or simply hide under the duvet until you feel better.

I’m no stranger to all of these methods, but I find they often numb negative emotions rather than help me process them.

However, there is one thing that actually does help me overcome bad days in a much healthier, more constructive way:

taking self portraits.

In today’s blog post, I will share why this method works so well and how exactly I manage to turn a bad mood or difficult emotions into beautiful images.

Let’s get into it!

Taking Creative Self-Portraits: My Journey

My origins are actually not in photography, but in traditional art.

I was all set to become an artist, but then something incredibly unfortunate happened:

I injured my elbow, then my wrist, then my other elbow, resulting in years of chronic repetitive strain injury, which meant I had to withdraw from my illustration degree and mostly stop drawing.

As you can probably imagine, this was very difficult for me. However, I eventually found a way to channel my creative energy by picking up a camera.

At first, I tried all kinds of photography, including street and still life.

But then, for an end-of-year project in the photography course I was taking at the time, I decided to turn the camera on myself.

One of the photos from my photography course end of year project.

At first, it felt silly and even a bit vain.

However, I realised quickly that taking creative self portraits was an incredible tool for expressing not only general ideas and concepts, but also my own emotions.

Whenever I felt frustrated by my injuries or other events in my life, I would sit down and brainstorm ways to turn those frustrations into a visual narrative.

I would then take a self-portrait based on this concept; a tangible manifestation of my emotions, the way a writer might turn their emotions into a poem.

This process of turning my negative experience into a self portrait did many things:

It got me out of a mental slump by kicking me into gear; it made me feel excited again, and it actually helped me get over whatever I was feeling at the time.

Why Turning Bad Days Into Self-Portraits Works

Bad days are characterised by emotions we all want to shift quickly, such as frustration, sadness, anger, or numbness.

The great thing about taking creative self portraits in low moments is that the process gives those emotions somewhere to go, neutralising them in the process.

Self-portraiture can also give you a sense of control when life feels uncontrollable.

In my home studio, I am the boss: I decide on the framing, lighting, pose, setting, etc.

That alone can be incredibly helpful, as it gives me a sense of ownership in moments when I feel powerless over negative emotions.

But most importantly, the process of taking creative self-portraits can turn a difficult day or period into something meaningful:

When my emotions are channelled into art, they stop being something that just happens to me and become something I actively shape.

How to Do This in Practice

You don’t need a fancy studio setup or a perfectly clear concept to begin.

In fact, I often find that overthinking can kill the emotional “rawness” or honesty of an image.

Here’s how I approach the process step by step.

1. Check in With Yourself

Before I even touch my camera, I pause and ask:

What am I feeling right now? Where do I feel it in my body? What does this emotion remind me of?

I don’t journal extensively or analyse too deeply – just enough to name the feeling.

Sometimes it’s very clear (“I feel overwhelmed”), and sometimes it’s vague (“I feel a bit uneasy”). Both are excellent starting points.

Spontaneous self portrait I took in the moment without any planning beforehand.

2. Translate Emotion Into Visual Language

This is where symbolism, colour and body language come in.

Symbolism

Symbols allow you to communicate complex emotions without being literal, which is why they’re an incredibly helpful tool for photographers and artists.

To use symbolism, ask yourself the following questions:

• If this feeling were an object, what would it be?
• What everyday items already carry emotional weight for me?
• What objects have I seen in paintings or other artworks that carry a particular meaning or could help express my intention?

For example:

• A mirror to represent self-criticism or identity
• Fabric wrapped around the body to symbolise restriction
• Water to symbolise overwhelm, cleansing or emotional depth

Self portrait with a broken violin.

The symbols don’t have to make sense to anyone else. If they feel true to you, they work perfectly well.

If you want to learn more about how to use symbolism in photography, read my deep dive here:

Symbolism in Photography

Colour

Colour is one of the fastest ways to create a particular mood or atmosphere.

Cool tones often help me express sadness, isolation or numbness; warm tones can convey anger, intensity or restlessness; muted colours feel quiet, drained or reflective; and highly saturated colours can feel overwhelming or chaotic.

One of my self portraits in blue tones.

Sometimes I choose colours intentionally; other times I simply notice which colours I’m drawn to on that particular day and follow that instinct.

Objects and Clothing

I treat objects and clothing like emotional props:

Oversized clothing can make me feel small or protected; naked skin can feel vulnerable or raw; soft fabrics can feel comforting, lace fabrics can feel delicate, and so on.

I choose my outfits for self portraits very deliberately, thinking about the visual effect a particular cut or material has.

Have a look at this image where I intentionally wore a thin, sheer nightdress to match my fragile mood on the day I took it:

Body Language

This is one of the most powerful tools in emotional self portraiture.

For your shoot, try and let your body respond naturally to the emotion you’re trying to convey, e.g. through slumped shoulders, a curled spine, clenched hands, closed eyes, etc.

You can exaggerate these gestures slightly to make them more legible in your self portrait.

Here’s an example where I used body language to convey an emotion:

Shooting the Image

For your actual shoot, try to keep things simple. I usually work with:

• A tripod
• Natural light or one studio flash
• My phone to trigger the camera, but a timer works, too.

I take many frames and move slowly. Also, I allow myself to feel weird or uncomfortable, because those moments often produce the most honest images.

In your shoot, you don’t need to aim for perfection: Blurred shots, cut-off limbs or unconventional angles or poses can actually enhance the emotional quality of your image.

By the way, if you need help with the technical aspects of your self portrait shoot, check out my free ebook:

Editing as Emotional Refinement

I think people often underestimate how much you can achieve through editing your self portrait.

I edit almost every picture to emphasise the effect I am going for.

I might:

• Lower contrast for a softer, more introspective feel
• Add grain to create a sense of rawness
• Desaturate or intensify colours to convey specific emotions
• Darken shadows to create heaviness or intimacy
• Use specific effects to create fog, haze, snow, fire, clouds or other elements that help convey my narrative.

Here’s an example of a self portrait that I manipulated in Photoshop to create a warped, spinning effect. I love how it intensifies the emotional tone of the image:

When editing, always ask yourself:

Does this edit support the feeling, or distract from it?

Essentially, editing is a powerful tool in your toolbox to tell a visual story.

By the way: If you need help with creative Photoshop editing, you may like the following YouTube tutorial where I share my process of editing a fine art self portrait:

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Letting the Image Do Its Job

Time and time again, I have noticed that once my self portrait is finished, something shifts:

The emotion that felt overwhelming has now been processed, turned into an image, that lives outside of me.

This is a truly cathartic process, and I’ve heard many other self portrait photographers describe the same thing:

Channeling their emotions into an artwork helps them get over their low mood and makes them feel inspired again.

Of course, turning bad days into creative self-portraits doesn’t mean the bad days disappear.

But it does mean they leave behind something meaningful that you can keep to yourself or share with others to create a moment of connection.

And sometimes, that’s more than enough.

Bonus Section: Photographers to Research

Here are some self-portrait photographers who create beautiful, emotional self portraits and who may serve as inspiration:

Brooke Shaden

Georgia Rose Hardy

Gośka Hanak

Iness Rychlik

Anna Karvounari

Isobel