Blame it on Rebecca at Dirty Sexy Books. She wrote a post about legitimate authors having legitimate photos, or head shots.
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Back to our regular program…so, thanks to Rebecca at Dirty Sexy Books, I decided I needed to legitimize myself by getting head shots taken. I suck in pictures. Seriously, I flat out break the camera. As my famous Wine Country photographer friend said upon seeing a photo of me - “Jesus freakin’ Christ! You look like an axe murder!” Can’t say I didn’t warn her.
My sister and I talk all time about how gawd-awful we look in pictures, like, we somehow distort the camera until all you can see when the photo is developed is the giant pimple on our chin, or the wrinkle in our forehead, or whatever flaw happens to be the most prevalent on any given day.
So anyway, my famous Wine Country photographer friend took me out into her vineyards where we shot 400 hundred photos because, as she said, “Maybe we’ll get a dozen or so we can use.” The truth is, I was a mess for the first 100 shots - so tense that you would think I was standing in front of a firing squad. Then I got it…then it clicked, and we had a blast! After we finished, she uploaded them to her computer and we picked out our favorites. Much to my surprise and shock, I looked pretty in some - my friend said to me - and I love her for this - “This is how I see you. This is how you really look, oh, and always turn your right side just slightly to the camera and tilt your chin down.”
Words to live by…right side to the camera, chin down. Got it. So as soon as I get the photos, I will legitimize myself and my work as an author. Hey Rebecca - your advice may have been generic, but I took it to heart!
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I do not like my picture taken.
I DESPISE pictures of myself, though I’d really like to meet your photographer friend!
Can’t stand having my pic taken. When are we going to see YOURS????
I love being the photographer and I’ll boast that I’ve done a few good portraits of loved ones. However, I don’t want to put my own photo on anything… I feel as if I already gave so much of myself away in the writing, do I have to take the extra step of showing my unattractive photo too? For me privacy equals creativity. No photos for me.
XXOO Kat
Well yes, Kat, but since I resemble an axe murderer, nobody will know the photo is me!
Regina - I’ll post a few and you all can choose which I should use.
Cindy - yup! She’s great! So cool!
Amber - I guess all of us hate having our picture taken.
We are women of course we do! LOL! Actually I did a small stint as a model and a couple of commercials and I HATE having my pic taken now! It is like pulling teeth getting me out from behind the camera now.
Hi Julia,
I guess I’d better post a comment, since you faced a dreaded camera based on my nag. Yes, I do believe that authors should post a photo of themselves on their website/blog/book/etc. Whenever I see a face, it helps me make a better connection with that person, even if I can’t meet them in-person. I can’t wait to see your pictures!
Yes, Nicole - I think we notice every single thing we think is wrong with us. But I do tend to take bad photos. It’s kinda weird.
Thanks for stopping by, Rebecca! Yeah, it is all your fault. I’m going legit! Seriously, I’ll probably post the photos and everyone else can choose what they like best. Or maybe I’ll just put up pics of my puppy!
I like the idea of letting the blog followers help you decide on THE picture. I think Carolyn Crane did something similar when she went through the pain of coming up with her own head shot. If you pick a good one, you won’t have to do this again for a long time. My state doesn’t update the driver’s license photos - hardly ever - so I’m cherishing the good shot I had taken 8 years ago. It’ll make me cry when I have to change it someday.
I am the most unphotogenic person on the planet. I tried to tell my mother in law that, but she insisted on taking my picture anyway. When she got them back, she looked at them and said, “Wow. You weren’t kidding. You really *do* take bad pictures.” Yeah. Thanks, Dorothy.
However, my brother and my dad, take AMAZING pictures. They always look good no matter what. jerks.
Rebecca, as soon as I actually pay for the photos, i.e., get the invoice and the disk, I will allow my readers to choose. I’ll probably post one or two a day for a week. I already picked my top seven. This was quite traumatic for me.
I actually like my driver’s license shot! Now that my hair is short again it looks exactly like me! When my hair was long - up until a month ago - everyone thought I was using another person’s license.
Bron - my daughters take exquisite photos. They’ve both done some modeling - they are so photogenic that even on a bad day, they look like Angelina Jolie - what the hell happened to me??? How did I give birth to these two? I think the best picture I ever took was when I lived in Israel. My hair was down to my waist, I wore glasses, and I had a chicken on my lap. Maybe it was the chicken…
I sincerely doubt you are the most unphotogenic person in the world. Mia Watts thinks you’re one hot mama! As my new best friend photographer said, there is no bad subject, there is just bad lighting and a bad camera angle. So there!
Heh heh heh! My photog said “Back to the camera…yeah…now pull that tarp up over your head…ahhhh…perfect!”
Bron, you’re adorable. I love the couple pictures I have of you!
LOL - Maybe I need to carry around a chicken when I get my picture taken. Or maybe I just need to get with your photographer.
For the record, Mia is the sweetest one ever but completely delusional.
Aww, thanks Cindy.{hugs} Show those pictures to no one!
Yes, Bron, carry around a chicken. Everybody is so busy wondering why you’re carrying a chicken they don’t bother to look at you! Hmmm, Mia didn’t seem delusional…
I’m all about taking pictures - NOT being in front of the camera (gives me nightmares - hence the reason I still use the same facebook pic that I started out with). My cat Tigger on the other hand is a camera hog - he must’ve been a model in another life since he totally hams it up when he sees a camera or iPhone pointed his way.
*hugs*
People are threatened with death for taking my photo. Yours are gorgeous!
And, that pimple doesn’t show at all, .. really! No seriously, think photoshop and then think wow, Steph knows how to use it.