Icons Again

[rowyn]

So, I'm looking at this icon I have and thinking, "You know, at least I could get a picture of myself that was in focus to use for an icon, if I'm not going to settle on a drawing to use."

And I'm digging through albums and packages of pictures and emails with jpgs. For a little context: I attend a couple of sf conventions a year, and over the course of each I'll wear between eight and sixteen or so different outfits. (Some people go to cons for the panels, some to hang out with their own kind, others to meet artists and authors. Me, I go to change clothes.) Because the cons are pretty small and not a whole lot of people costume, and I go through so much clothing, I attract what might be considered more than my fair share of photographers. The ones who use digital cameras usually email me the results, and a couple who've used film over the years make a point of giving their subjects copies of every picture.

So I'm looking through this stuff, and I say to Lut, "How can I like the way I look, and have, roughly, I don't know, a bazillion pictures of myself, and yet not have any good headshots?"

Lut chuckles and answers, "All of the people taking those photos are men. They're not looking at your face."

Sigh.

Comments

[octantis.livejournal.com]

Well, bear in mind also that, where cons and costumes are concerned, photographers are usually trying to fit the whole costume into the picture. Now, if the picture were focused -entirely- on areas-not-face but without the costume pictured as a whole, I'd be suspicious.

It also depends on the costume, I'm not sure what outfits you usually wear.

Gads, dinner has made me late for my drive. Away with me.

[rowyn]

Well, I'm afraid I was reproducing the observation here more for its humor value than for strict accuracy. :) And a large part of the problem is that I'm looking for expressive pictures of my face. I pay a lot of attention to the way I pose in pictures, with the result that I have pictures of me kneeling, sitting, curtseying, standing, leaning, stretching, etc. -- lots of variety in overall body position. But my expression is usual neutral or smiling a little. I don't give too many "big smile" pictures because one of my teeth is crooked and I don't like the way it looks in photos. And I rarely have reason or context for feigning emotion in a photo. Some of my best pictures for expression are in Mousewoman makeup, where I'm trying for a non-standard expression -- mostly, wary, timid, or alert. But at least that's not all this neutral look I'm wearing in most of the others.

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning for a while to do an artpic of Rowyn, like the photo but smiling more because, well, the pic doesn't look all that happy! Actually, your pic looks more like 'Now you're in for it, buster.'

Maybe I should actually do it. Any suggestions you might have on an appropriate artistic tack?

[rowyn]

Not that I wouldn't be happy to see new Lynx-art, or a drawing of me by you, but I don't really want to use a drawing of my own real face for an icon. And ... I want to do my own icons. It's not that I'll do a good job of it (obviously :), it's just a quirk about me. Some things I have to do myself, even when I do them badly. :)

But I did put up a couple of pictures that look more like I'm actually smiling, instead of preparing to punch out the cameraman.

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Darn. I'll have to settle for giving you lots of art tips and living vicariously through your work. :)

[rowyn]

You'd be better off living actually through your own work, methinks. :)

[prester-scott.livejournal.com]

Finally! Better pictures! :)

[rowyn]

Or at least more of them. :)

[level-head.livejournal.com]

I will say that you both are correct.

It is interesting that the visual "you" is rather younger than the written "you'.

Unless of course these pictures are all from many years ago? ];-)

===|==============/ Level Head

[rowyn]

It is interesting that the visual "you" is rather younger than the written "you".

Why, thank you, sir. I shall take both of those as a compliment. :)

The oldest ones are from six years back -- those being the "Glamour Shots" pictures -- "sly", "smile", and "content", which also heavily disguise me under layers of makeup and careful lighting. (The rest just disguise me by being a tad blurry). The others are all from sometime in the last five years. I'm not certain of the date on most of them, but this one -- "hmm" -- and "tired" are both from Memorial Day weekend last year.

[rowyn]

I seem to be doomed to goof in replying to this note. This is the icon I meant to use when I said "this icon" in the previous comment.

Re:

[level-head.livejournal.com]

Got it.

===|==============/ Level Head