June is one of my favorite months. Not only is the weather brighter for longer in the evenings, but also it’s my elder niece’s birthday month, Father’s Day, and a symbolic turning of the page into a whole new season. It’s also a good time to get my creative energy moving again, to refresh my own artistic journey.
I had a whim yesterday to update my author photo (which is good, since today it’s been blustery and windy all day!). I say whim, because it’s one of those author-website upkeep events that I don’t schedule—I just wait until a day when I’m feeling rested and happy, the weather’s not too windy or blasting hot or, conversely, shivering cold, and/or the muse moves me, and away I go. It usually takes a little over an hour from idea to uploading them.
Thanks to an upgraded cell phone, I’ve taken the last few on my smart device and then gently edited on software—easy-breezy.
A few thoughts/tips if you’re thinking about updating your author photo:
*Take more shots than you think you’ll need. It’s hard to see tiny details on a small camera or phone screen. I usually take around 35 or 40 to be on the safe side, and yesterday was no exception. I then narrow it down to three or four of my favorite contenders, and then pick the one I’ll use from there.
*Don’t stand in the same place for all of the photos. I pick two or three different backgrounds/spots.
*Think before you set off. I think about the colors I’m wearing (or change into an outfit I like better) and the colors or patterns behind me. I don’t want to be too matchy-matchy, but at the same time, thinking about the textures and patterns you’re wearing alongside the background (especially if they clash with each other) can save you time and effort when editing or the frustration of not liking any of the photos.
*Also (and I’ve forgotten this sometimes in my zest to start taking the photos): check a mirror briefly beforehand. Sounds silly, but I sometimes have forgotten to brush my hair or missed a stain on my shirt or a huge crinkle in my sleeve or a necklace clasp at the front of my shirt instead of the back of my neck. One time I was missing an earring of all things, LOL.😁 Life happens and you can edit around these glitches, but it takes way more time. Why give yourself another task? It’s easier just to do a quick check of self and clothes before you set off. Nobody expects us to be models, yet we can leave a good impression of what we look like on our best day without too much effort.
*If you wear glasses, watch out for glare. I can’t tell you the heartbreaking number of times I’ve loved everything about a shot except that lens glare blocked half of one eye or put a funky pattern on my face or there was a reflection of something else across an entire lens or a spot of burnout on the image. Yet another reason it’s best to take multiple shots—just in case.
*Natural light is both beautiful and flattering. Indoor lights can be great, but they can sometimes be harsh or create shadows. Whenever I can, I take my author photos outdoors. Plus, fresh air and moving around can really get my creativity going.
*You don’t have to travel far to find an outdoor spot— your backyard, a local park, a friend’s garden or backyard, a state park, a vista on a Sunday drive: all of these spots are free and good ideas for an impromptu author photo shoot. Also, think about the places that you’d go anyway and the possibilities for a quick few photos. One year, my sister and I went to an art museum that had a beautiful sculpture garden out back without too many people milling around—I used one of the resulting photos on my website for several months after.
*How close to the camera is comfortable for you? Consider if you want a headshot, a torso-up shot, or a whole-body shot. Many authors choose one of the first two for author websites or literary magazine contributors’ photos, although I’ve seen a nice variety online. Will you look straight ahead at the camera? Will you turn your body slightly? Do what you are most comfortable with or try both to compare and contrast results later.
*If you don’t feel comfortable taking your own photos or if you don’t have a camera timer or tripod, no problem. Author photos don’t have to be formal (unless you want them to be). Ask a friend along on your walk and ask if they’d be willing to take a few photos for you. Swapping some writing or editorial help for free or reduced-fee shots from a professional photographer or a student photographer who is just starting out are two other options that friends of mine have done for no-cost or nearly no cost. I still use an author photo a niece took of me as my faculty profile shot at one of the schools where I teach, because it’s a great shot and (sitting at my desk chair, smiling at my nieces) I look genuinely happy.
*Jot a list of three or four qualities you want the photos to say about you before you or your pal take(s) the photos. For instance: I always aim for qualities such as approachability, intelligence, caring, and a certain happiness in my eyes in my author photos. Maybe you want to highlight your wit or another quality. Consider how certain poses, where and how you stand (or sit), and even how you smile (open or closed mouth, for instance) might be read by visitors to your website and potential collaborators or clients.
*That said, pretty please don’t overanalyze or scrutinize yourself unfairly when you take or look at your photos. The world judges our bodies way too often and way too harshly, and believe me, we are wonderful just the way we are. When I go through my film roll at the end of a session, I’m not nitpicking my eyebrows or arms or berating a blemish. Instead, I quickly scroll to omit shots where I appear tired, where I’m blinking, or slouching. I don’t tend to scrutinize micro-details so much as a general gut feeling of: if I saw this shot, I’d think I look friendly and smart (keeper!) or if I saw this shot, I’d think I look bedraggled and too serious or like I’m trying to hard (junk file)! When I edit, I might edit out a gray hair or three, but I leave in my laugh lines—I’ve earned them and they’re part of the authentic me. My goal for my photos is to look like me on my best day.
*Pick something to wear that makes you feel most you and that you feel genuinely good wearing—it’ll make an impact in the photos, too. If your shoes pinch or you have hated this shirt since the day it was given to you, that’ll impact your photos, too.
