Sunday, November 1, 2009

This is About Avatars



Those that knew me from my Y!360 days will recognize Charley, my first serious avatar. We changed avatars a lot in those early blogging days so I had a whole folder for avatars in My Pictures on my computer. I was reminded of this recently on Facebook as Halloween approached. On Y!360 we had a holiday appropriate avatar so I changed to my witchy photo for a couple weeks.

Boy, that was a weird experience. Remember how you felt in high school when you wore something totally out of style per your peers. Made it even worse when you happened to really love that blouse. That is how I felt with my holiday appropriate avatar on all to serious-about-avatars Facebook. Everyone uses their real face! How dumb (and oh, so boring) is that? I still have not adjusted to using my real name there. Though to be totally honest I am far from anonymous on the Internet. The first time I Googled my name I scared myself to death.

Anyway I have a Turkey all picked out for Thanksgiving, like it or not Facebook. Meanwhile, I decided maybe it was time to do something about having a decent face shot to use. One without a ski cap and a dog. Everytime I win a prize for paintings I am asked for a publicity shot. My sister takes marvelous photos but when she is up I seem to be in front of a camera standing waist deep in a mud puddle we just got the jeep out of.

So I decided today to mount the camera on its tripod and take some photos of myself. I won't be self conscious in front of me right? Anyway this requires the self timer mode on my Nikon D70. I have done it before but how seems to escape me every time I want to do it again. So I go hunting for the manual. Then I have to remember what it is called in the manual. I always think of it as shutter delay but that is a problem that needs solved not a mode you prefer to use.

So I finally got it all together and took almost 70 pictures. There might be one or two I can use after running them through Photoshop and using the artistic blur or something. So stay tuned to Facebook or any of my blogs to see the results in a day or two.

Frankly I really love Charley above or the masked lady I have on Profiles. Why do I have to get real?

9 comments:

mzbiglynn said...

Since l have known you, Charlie has always been you.
lve often said to people on the net...why should l put my name and photo up.
Oh so we can see you..
.
l think sometimes if lm nagged l will put one up for a few minutes so some can see what l look like, but l dont see the point.
.
l prefer to read peoples minds.
l think sometimes their photos can destroy that.

JBinford-Bell said...

Wonderfully put, Lynn. Yes, avatars are us! And this might sound strange but I do feel a stronger identity with Charley than some of the photos people take of me.

I really like the masked lady on Profiles. And today I took off the witch with great reluctance.

Bekkieann said...

The camera is not kind to me and I hate all pictures of myself. But some of the things I'm involved with requre a photo. I should do as you did, Jacqui, and put the camera on the tripod and take a whole bunch of pics. And then photoshop it to please me. I do love your Charley. Looking forward to seeing the new you, too.

Recovering Teacher said...

I actually have used dead fish and an egret at various times on Facebook. I wasn't much for changing avatars on 360 - usually just left mine up except when I was feeling especially down, then went to a homeless avatar.

As for Charley, I see no reason not to use him more often. I come across FB contacts with unusual images regularly - and not all of those are former 360ers. Then again, your picture here (About Me) is a pretty good one - and it has one of your paintings in it.

The Blog of Bee said...

Charley was around when found you and I do love this avatar. I also like the one that is up here plus the mask on Profiles. I should think from 70 you should be able to get some good shots - but then again, all the shots I have seen of you are good.

As you know, I am not keen to change mine although I have had several people say to me 'time to change the avatar'!! Putting a witch up on a broomstick was a major move for me last week and I have to go there now and take it down! The camera is not kind to me these days! I just don't like the way I look. I used to be able to pose no problem but not these days!

Can't wait to see what you're going to come up with.

JBinford-Bell said...

Check out Facebook. I came up with three possible photos and a comment dealing with the process. Now to write a letter of thanks to Adobe Photoshop.

thebutler said...

Can I start using my Cheshire Cat avatar again?

JBinford-Bell said...

Dianne, I think you should. I loved that cat. It was you.

heatherbelle said...

I hate all photos I have of me..and only thanks to a bit of photo editing have I put a profile pic up.
I think Lynn has a point..though I do have a gentle nagging from time to time to know what she looks like..I must have missed those brief moments she mentions.
I guess part of my blogging is to remain anonymous and putting a photo up rather defeats the purpose, doesn't it? Maybe I should find me a new avatar.