I have a massive love hate relationship with mirrors. On the one hand they show me things about myself I would rather not see. The way my face is aging, where wrinkle show and hairs grow from my post menopausal face. They show me that my body bulges in places I would rather it didn’t and that my clothes fit less well than I would like. But mirrors are also a wonderful way of showing you things you wouldn’t other wise be able to. Hidden parts of your body, or a view you would need an out of body experience to see. Mirrors can also be beautiful in themselves.
Mirrors help you see yourself
Without a mirror there are many parts of your body you can’t see. Maybe you don’t want to see if your bum looks big. But being able to view your own vulva or clitoris is only possible with a mirror (or camera, but that captures a moment). Being able to watch yourself, or another touch your most intimate places is a wonderful thing. It also helps you to be able to understand your own body. Being able to feel that your clitoris is engorged through arousal is one thing, seeing it is something else.
Mirrors in self portrait photography
Other than my kitchen, the main thing I miss about my house is the mirrored doors of the wardrobes. (I miss the wardrobes too as all my clothes fitted in them). Those mirrors featured in so many of the photographs I have taken over the years. Like the one below, which is from a Sinful Sunday in July 2017.
Beautiful mirrors
Often in hotels you can find the most beautiful mirrors. Especially those places where furnishings are less basic and let’s say clinical. We have had the pleasure of visiting some lovely hotels over the years and so mirror opportunities pop up frequently. The one below was taken in our room at a hotel close to where my mum now lives. That means there is every chance we’ll visit again.
It’s funny too, that when looking at myself in that mirror I probably hated what I was seeing. But the mirror is so beautiful that I had to take a picture of myself reflected in it. Next time though, I would probably move our bags out of the foreground first. That’s the whole thing with mirrors though. They very rarely lie.
The mirror doesn’t lie…it is impartial, but our perception and internal jury do. I skipped this prompt because I didn’t know how to handle it. This was a good idea!
I feel the same about mirrors but would like to use them more, both for taking interesting images and for using in a sexual sense. I usually try to avoid looking at myself but am realising that perhaps I am missing out. 🙂
Mirrors are fun to add to “play time.” And I do love finding older, more expensive ones.
J Lenni Dorner~ Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference& Speculative Fiction Author
They really are. Thank you for visiting.
I can do small mirrors. Seeing just my head or just my vulva or half of my body is fine, but I struggle to look in a full length mirror so much it sometimes comes across as a phobia. I’ve said before that I value all honesty but that of a mirror and I really wish I could change that. Maybe one day I will.x
I really get that and am sorry you find mirrors so difficult xx
Mirrors are mean things, they reveal the harsh truth. I prefer a camera lens, they soften the blow somewhat.
I can relate to everything you wrote. Love the pics! Thanks for sharing! 😉