Say Cheese :)

Highlights first...

In some ways this week was awesome.  One of the fun highlights was talking to my sister's writers club about getting their picture taken.  All authors need professional photographs and many authors hate having it done.  I had some interesting experiences when I did a series called "Innercleavage." It was photographs of 19 women that don't normally see themselves as models.  I learned a few things about how to get a good picture.  A good photographer is a huge step but the photographer can't do it alone.  So I gave some tips on how to get the best out of a portrait photograph.

Camera's see everything in shades of gray.  White is gray and black is gray so do yourself a favor and don't wear white or black close to your face.  Extreme contrast is impossible for a camera to cope with.  Working with the camera's limitations improves your chances for an amazing photograph.  I mentioned Jimmy Thomas, a model for many book covers, how he loved the camera and the camera loved him.  They make a great team.  Jimmy knows how to work with a photographer for a great photograph.

 I then assured them that mad dogs and cameras can both sense fear and bring out the worse in us.  The camera captures a split second in time and if fear flits across your face that look gets frozen in time.  The thought...'I hate getting my photograph taken'... is plastered across the photo.  To help alleviate the fear factor, I recommended that they imagine the photographer as their most sexy hero.  If it is too large of a stretch of their imagination, then imagine their hero standing behind the photographer and you are anticipating being with them.  What your mind is thinking really does show up on the photograph.  Saying 'cheese' results in a cheesy smile...thinking about what you love softens your face and invites the viewer to see what you see.

I gave the women black dots to tape on their bathroom mirror so they can edit their face.  Being writers they all understand the hours of agonizing over the exact word to pull a paragraph together.  However, they give no thought of examining what their face will look like to the camera.  The black dot is to remind them of the unblinking eye of the camera staring at them.  The challenge to edit their face to look how they want it to look.  I also recommended watching a uTube video of the best self talk session I have ever seen.  Jessica's "Daily Affirmation"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg Feeling confident in a photographic session brings out the best in yourself.

I also reminded them that not one model or magazine photo does not receive some expert attention from Photoshop.  There is nothing wrong in allowing this magical software to enhance your inner beauty.  Besides the whole world is accustomed to faces being touched up.

I finished up with the importance of a good relationship with your photographer.  If you photographer is ticked off your best picture won't happen.  I told them about a photo show I went to that is was very obvious in every picture that the photographer loved the professor.  I was relieved to find out that the photographer was the wife of the professor.  It was the moment in time that I learned that a photograph shares as much about the photographer as the subject.  Working together as a team the photographer and the person getting their picture done can bring out the beauty of each person. 

Me capturing me.