If you haven't figured it out already, I'm not a picture person. I rarely use them on the blog, and my Twitter avatar only says, "[INSERT AVATAR HERE]." Not surprisingly, then, I've put off taking head shots for a long time--but no longer! Thanks to Julie Kirby of
Simply You Photo, I'll now have a picture that doesn't include a Christmas tree or Honey Bear's tie:)
At the risk of looking vain, I've included a few of my favorites below, and I'd love to hear which ones you like best (or which ones you DON'T like). To sweeten the deal, I'll offer a query or first-page critique to
one five random commenters! (You're welcome to comment as long as you want, but the giveaway will close sometime next week. I'm not sure when...)
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| #1 |
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| #2 |
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| #3 |
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| #4 |
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| #5 |
Thoughts?
Fun fact: We took all of these on Main Street in Kaysville, Utah, which is where I grew up. It feels like my lifelong dream of publishing a book has come full circle.
Oooh! I like them all! Those are fantastic pictures. (And you have seriously great hair.) My favorites are #2 and #3. In #2, I like the angle and the blurry brick wall, and you just look really awesome. In #3, it looks like the camera is ever so slightly higher than you looking down instead of just straight on, which I think makes pretty much everyone look great. It's a beautiful shot of your face/smile. But all of these are fantastic. Oh, and don't include me in the query critique thing, since you've already critiqued mine. :)
ReplyDeleteI like them all! My favorite is #3, maybe because it's the most close up. I like to be able to see authors in photos, and they usually allow a pretty small space for the photo. Your photographer did a nice job!
ReplyDeleteThough I think they all look nice, I'd say #2 is my favorite. You look relaxed, comfortable, and the wall adds an interesting element to the photo. In honesty, however, #3 is probably better in terms of being a more 'traditional' author photo.
ReplyDelete#3! I agree you have great hair. I like close-up-ness of #3 and your smile is great too!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is #2. You look like you're enjoying yourself, or maybe you have some secret book lurking in your mind and you can't wait to write it.
ReplyDeleteI love all of them, and I really think you can't go wrong with any. But my favorite is number 3. I agree with michelle that author photos are usually so small, the closeup would be a nice one.
ReplyDeletePlus, like everyone said, you have such a pretty smile!
My favorite is #4, with #1 a close second. Also, you are adorbs and should totally be a picture person.
ReplyDeleteHow cool that you got to take those in your hometown! You look amazing and I love #2 & #4 best! The only one I don't love is #5 your shirt pulls a little funny. You still look great though so post away! and congrats on getting them done! I am a horrible picture taker and try very hard not to post pics of me, but someday I'll get headshots. You know someday when there's a book to put them on :)
ReplyDeleteI love number 3! I feel like I've seen a lot of "leaning against a wall" shots lately so I like the fact that it's just you. Plus your hair looks great in that shot!
ReplyDelete#3 is my favorite, although you look beautiful in all of them.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! My fav is #2!
ReplyDeleteI like #3 the best. It does what (I think) it is supposed to... show you! And you look great. Time to do some avatar switching!
ReplyDeleteOoh, what gorgeous pictures! And what fun to finally be able to have 'proper' head shots taken. LOL. I love #2 and #3 but if I HAD to choose, I think I'd say #3. :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, how fun to actually see pictures of you! You look great in all of these, so I really had to get nitpicky. I think I'd go with 2 or 3. The angle in 2 is great with the brick and everything, but 3 is good for a more closeup picture.
ReplyDeleteHard to choose between these two, but 2 and 3 are definitely the best! Good photographer and you look fab!
ReplyDeleteFirst, you are adorable! I teared up thinking about coming full circle. Anyway, they're all lovely but I think #2 & #3. Great photographer!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh these are SO LOVELY. I choose #3!
ReplyDeleteBut points to your photographer--they are all fantastic! (and I totally get not being a picture person--I'm not either!)
I LOVE #3. You look gorgeous in it. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures. #2 is my fave, I like the extra setting w/the brick and blurred background. But #3 comes in close behind.
ReplyDelete#3 is the best. Great smile.
ReplyDeleteAll of them are awesome, but like many people here, I'm torn between 2 & 3. I really like 2, but like that number 3 is a close-up. Hope all the comments help you decide which one to use.
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic pictures of you! I think my favorite, though, is #2.
ReplyDeleteI think the hot pink top is really flattering for your dark hair. All the pix are cute but I think #3 is the most natural and flattering. #2 is nice but it reminds me too much of a senior picture. I also like #4 because it doesn't seem as posed.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting! You have such a beautiful smile, Krista! I don't think you could go wrong with any of them. They're all lovely. But if I had to pick one, #3, the close up is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteNot to confuse or anything but I LOVE # 1
ReplyDeleteIt's very natural and doesn't look posed at all. Wonderful smile, too.
This is super exciting, Krista!
I think number 2. It looks the least posed and has great composition. Fabulous pictures!! Getting mine in a couple weeks. #nervous.
ReplyDelete#3 you look friendly :)
ReplyDeleteWhile I like them all, #3 is my choice with #2 being a close runner up.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a picture person either. My daughter, on the other hand, poses as soon as you get out the camera.
They all look fabulous!!
ReplyDeleteI like #3 the best, and #4 next. :)
I don't know if this will help at all, because it looks like you've got 'likes' for all of them. But personally, I'd choose 1 or 4. They're just great.
ReplyDeleteThey all look good, but I like 2 and 3 best. :)
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to see all of this coming together for you! You deserve it!!
You look beautiful, Krista! I love # 2 and #3 best. Enjoy the journey!
ReplyDeleteI vote for #2. It looks very natural.
ReplyDeleteYou look great in these! My favorite is #1. (I know many of the comments say #3 looks best, but it looks too "posed" for me.)
ReplyDeleteHaha, all my avatars are either stock photos or pictures of my kids, so I know how you feel! But I always thought your blog profile made you look 12, so I'm glad to see the "new" you. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love #4 but think it could be cropped a little from the top if you needed to.
erica
I really like #3 the best! You should go with that one. :)
ReplyDelete#1 & #2 are my favorites. You're beautiful. Don't be shy of pictures in the future. Although, I'm a big fat hypocrite because I don't get my picture taken either.
ReplyDeleteYep - I say #2 as well. Close enough, with cool wall action. #3 is my second pick, but the light on your face isn't as good as in #2. Good for you for getting pictures taken!
ReplyDeleteI also like #2 and #3 :) Great pics!!
ReplyDeleteNinja Girl
Really great pictures! I actually like #4 or #5 the best. Something about the blurry shops in the background give them less of a "professional, actress look" and more of a "cool hip author" look.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I'd vote for #4. It's a great picture of you, and I can see it on a book jacket. :) But really you couldn't go wrong with any of them.
Leslie
Wow, you guys have had some great thoughts! Keep the feedback coming! I will say that I can definitely crop any of these pictures, so if the shot just doesn't seem tight enough, that can be fixed:)
ReplyDeleteThese are great pictures!
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I want your hair! But not in that crazy stalker way where I slip into your bedroom while you're sleeping and cut a lock of it to keep it with me at all times so I can smell it or anything...um...jasmine-scented, am I right? ;)
ReplyDeleteI love #3!!!
You're adorable! Never hide, girl!! :) I like them all and your smile is great in all of them, but I do have some comments. I think my faves are #2 and #3. #3 to me looks the most like an author photo. #4 could be, although you'd probably need to crop it down a bit (although I do love the blurry background, very nice; ditto for #2).
ReplyDelete#2 looks more relaxed than #1--generally crossed arms are a more defensive or "closed" posture. I do like #4 but in #3, the way one side of your hair comes across your shoulder makes it look very nice. If I were drawing you in a portrait from these pics, I'd choose #3. :)
I'd choose #3. You just look personable. Someone I'd want to sit down and chat with (of course, I already want to do that, but for new readers). ;)
ReplyDeleteGood luck choosing!
Those are great photos, Krista! #1 and #3 are my faves.
ReplyDeleteThese are great pictures! I like them all but I love the poses in 2 and 4. The composition and lighting in #3 is fabulous, though. That one screams author picture to me and would transfer well to all sorts of mediums and different sizing. (Can you tell my husband is a photographer?) :)
ReplyDeleteKrista, you're so pretty! I love number 3.
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are all so great! You look so pretty in all of them! I don't think you could go wrong with any of them, but I think I like #2 the best. I love the pose, and you look really comfortable in that picture. So fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Terri!
ReplyDeleteAlison, ha! The husband informs me my hair smells like "clean." I'll have to look into jasmine... ;)
Thanks for these thoughts, Carol! I'm not trying to hide; I'm just too lazy to hassle with a camera most of the time:)
Aw, thanks, Janet!
I really like #1, too, MTS. Carol's right--it's more of a closed-off position--but I do like my hair and smile in that shot.
Thanks for these thoughts, Jer. You guys are making it so hard to decide! (And I didn't know your husband was a photographer--how cool!)
Thanks, Jessie! *adds another tally to #3*
You know, Stephanie, I think I might like #2 the best, too...
Great pictures! My favorite is number three. :)
ReplyDelete