This self-portrait of the young Orval Hixon shows him looking down and away from the camera, revealing a grave profile that appears deep in contemplation. He wears a white collared shirt that is bound with a scarf in place of a tie. The light that falls on the left side of Hizon's face outlines his features against the darker background. In not addressing the camera, Hixon resists the role of subject, questioning the relationship between the photographer and the photographed.