The mission of The Self-Portrait Project is to empower people in the creation of their own images.

The Self-Portrait Project is a work-in-progress that seeks to capture the zeitgeist of New York City and beyond. It is essentially a glorified photobooth using a two-way mirror with a camera situated behind it, shooting through it. Using a remote trigger & the mirror’s reflection, the participant chooses how and when to shoot him/herself. The resulting image comes up on a computer screen/projector. Therefore the “photographed” transcends to the role of the “photographer” and dictates the final image.

The Self-Portrait Project believes that to catalyze positive and healing inertia in the world, one must first see one’s self honestly in the mirror and then, to take responsibility for what one sees.[1]

Andy Lin sees The Self-Portrait Project as a catalyst for social change, a way to get people to actually see themselves. It’s based on the social change theory that the people who are directly affected by decisions should be the ones making those decisions.

Professional experience with fashion and commercial still-life photography juxtaposed with a rich sociological and economic pedigree, Lin designed The Self-Portrait Project’s camera contraption, but many friends aided the project along the way. Lin acts as an administrator and archivist of The Self-Portrait Project’s oeuvre, organizing with FileMaker and Adobe Lightroom. Each “Self-Portrait” is attributed to The Self-Portrait Project. After going across country, The Self-Portrait Project exhibited at Brooklyn Fireproof in June 2011; this was a huge step for the mainly-mobile art project. The project is global; as for Lin, he still calls New York City his home.