How do I picture myself?

I should have expected that the beginning of a new semester would bring with it a self portrait project. What is it about a self portrait that makes me even more unsure of myself? As a photographer, artist, and a person. I know what I like, dislike, and things I enjoys, but how can someone really sum up who they are in just one image? Maybe I should be looking at this project in a different way. Instead of one picture telling everything about me, use many photographs, each one saying just one thing about me. That could be a great series...

Going along with my first project case of creative blockage I was reading a blog by a photographer named Cole Thompson today. He has incredible work, and has even shared some great advice with me about not giving up and just to keep shooting to find my personal vision. Why is that so hard to define and portray? For anyone! Cole lives by the practice of not viewing other photographers work so as to not hinder or alter the way he sees something. Maybe that is something I should try, at least for this self portrait project. As a designer, I am always searching the internet for ideas and inspiration to incorporate into my own work, but as a photographer, maybe I should try to shoot first, compare second. After being given the assignment, my first instinct was to go online and see what other photographers have done for their self portraits, but in thinking about it now, I am not any of those people, and they are not me, so maybe I should start with a fresh perspective.

As I am turning a new leaf and trying to record my ideas and projects better, I also want to include one of my images in each post. So far, here is an image that in the very least says something about me, even though it's not of me- maybe that's where I should start.