Self

The philosophy of self is the defining of the essential qualities that make a person distinct from all others. There have been a number of different approaches to defining these qualities. The self is the idea of a unified being which is the source of consciousness. Moreover, this self is the agent responsible for the thoughts and actions of an individual to which they are ascribed. It is a substance, which therefore endures through time; thus, the thoughts and actions at different moments of time may pertain to the same self. As the notion of subject, the "self" has been harshly criticized by Nietzsche at the end of the 19th century, on behalf of what Gilles Deleuze would call a "becoming-other".[citation needed]

Selfportraits ...

Why? Are "self-portraiters" vain? Do they miss other objects, that won't stand still? Do they just want to keep "significant moments" in memory? Or do they care about they camera, thats why they wont give it away? Do they want to create the perfect foto?

To be honest: A little bit of all.

Wiki puts the phenomen in its time.

Here a collection from my photo-box:

The beginning: On the balcony in cologne. Selfportrait with self knitted dress (I hate knitting I love to do handicrafts. Though I had to wear glasses at that time I didn't put in on - too vain!
My hair is done for my hobby: swimming.

New Hobby: Ski. I shot the foto with my Voigtländer Bessamatic camera in my parents hotelroom. I slept in a small room under the rooftop.

Studying. Some credits for statistics ... or the thesis-paper about "The main aspects of Thalbergs model of economic cycles". And I love to sail ... and wear white Jeans.
First trips to foreign countries: St. Petersburg, Eremitage. Ok, the camera was not straightened, but supposedly it was forbidden to take fotos anyway.
Study trip to Boston University during the holidays 1977. I live in a YWCA near the university. I want to check and copy documents for a university game plan to the media industry - a further advance on the current radio market.
A big step in time: in 2006 at the Guggenheim exhibition in Bonn. I am particularly impressed by the architectural models of this "museum-chain".
One-handed sailing... Maschsee in the middle of Hanover, while Horst trained at the ARD-ZDF-media academy. A malicious sailing district, the lake in Hanover, on every street corner a new wind!
Two birds with one stone. Trip with the sweet Virago 125 on the Rhine River and then ferry across the river to Ingelheim. This is according to me!

In the CBS - Cologne Business School - Partners for a television project and later as external examiner on behalf of the "license-giving" University of Hertfordshire.
On the way from the library up a mirror with the text: "This man is responsible for my future."
Belongs in every university!

This is "my" station: The new Berlin Hauptbahnhof. A new wonderful, functional architecture.
In the hot summer times of 2003 I fled to the Taunus mountain area (of course with one of my two-wheelers) and spent the day in the shadow of the tower. Horst, meanwhile, was on the North Sea biking with his BMW.
Changing of the Guard in London.Coming from Hertfordshire.

Unbelievable but true: a self-image 2006 on the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, in front of a promotional ski hut from the resort of Saalbach-Hinterglemm, we (see: - travels>) only knew from summer-vacation.
No, wait: I ruined my meniscus in 1976 in Hinterglemm and since then can not go skiing any more.

2009 for the first time the Theresienwiese. During my study-time (1971) in Munich I found more interesting locations. Real, honest! What this really romantic place look like outside the "season" is a disappointingly dreary place with lots of dogs. Comedy is when you laugh anyway.
Delicious Kölsch of "Früh" in Cologne. Always worth a visit! Photo sent home by e-mail.
Morning reading in Berlin's Tiergarten.Summer 2009. In Berlin I am usually moving with the comfortable train bikes (Call a bike).
Open air in the car-factory Opel: The Scorpions on stage!
2010 Shopping with my son in Berlin.
At least I cling to the career-ladder while cleaning up my last office at SWR.
Relieved shortly after the snow storm before Christmas 2009, we get hold of a seat in the machine NY-SFO - the last on the "green" list.
and ... and ... and