myself to be anywhere, any time, and any
style. I can take away flaws; I can erase the
little things that bother me. However, I do not
change my facial features or my body. For me,
that is important. I might make my skin look
like porcelain, or add features like wings or
such; but I will not alter my face or body. I
create artistic photos; I do not present them as
true versions of myself. Sometimes, someone
will say “You are perfect!” and I always tell
them “No, I am not perfect. I have flaws. I am
just a very good artistic editor”.
JCA: I’m curious, have you found that these
self-portraits have helped you overcome some
parts the insecurities?
RF: Yes, it does help. I take my insecurities
and I change them into art. I can look at my
art, see the creativity and beauty of it, and be
proud of it. It’s very therapeutic to me. It also
helps because I will send raw unedited photos
of myself to other artists to edit. I have to let
myself be vulnerable and step outside my
comfort zone to send them these shots. And
that is a good thing ultimately, because it
challenges me to face the insecurities.
JCA: Your editing skills are fantastic! What is a
good way for people to learn the art of graphic
photo edits? There is a lot of software and
apps out there; can you recommend some you
feel are good for beginners?
RF: Thank you! I have to tell you, I am
self-taught! The best thing to do is to practice,
practice, practice! Play and have fun with it at
first. Learn the software, and for your first few
edits don’t worry about showing it to people,
just experiment and try everything out. The
apps I would recommend are ones that are
easy to use and have great editing options like;
SuperImpose (iphone).
This app allows you to edit yourself out and
place you in many different types of settings.
It is one of my favorites! (Android users try
Background Eraser).
PaintFX (iphone) This app I like because it has
many awesome effects and is easy to use.
(Android users try Color Touch Effects)
BeFunky ( iphone and Android) This app has a
lot of filters that are fantastic!
42