The Sound of Maddness

Yes, I know “Maddness” is misspelled in the title. But that’s because my sister, Maddie, spells it that way as her tagline when she DJ’s. That’s just one thing that sets Maddie apart, makes her special and so very amazing. She curses like a longshoreman, she’s a staunch animal rights advocate (particularly for pitbulls), and she’s fiercely protective of her family and friends. She is vocal when she believes in a cause, but she’s respectful of other people’s opinions. That is, unless she’s dealing with a dipshidiot (her word of the day 😉 )

Maddie and I have taken a LOT of photographs together – of the two of us when we were working or playing, for holidays, with our family, or just for fun. But recently, after deciding to go back to DJing in Second Life, she asked me to update her profile and DJ pictures. She wanted to include the Parental Advisory – quite appropriate for her! But I also wanted to show Maddie as I know her…bright, beautiful and bold.

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I also wanted to depict Maddie emerging from the clouds of a recent break up, finding herself again in her music and redefining her life. I think this is my favourite of all of the photos I did.

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But there’s also the softer side of Maddie. The one who nurtures her family and loves all animals (spiders and gigantic moths excluded). The girl who dresses casually, yet always manages to be feminine. The sister who has been my confidante and always brightens my day.

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(I must give credit on this photo to my boyfriend. I had shown him two previous versions and he suggested I combine the two. It wasn’t something I had done before, but it was exactly what the photo needed. And he, Maddie and I all loved the result 🙂 ).

Maddison Haven Serrta – my *$@# Maddi(e). My sister and friend.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Kiss

This is my first attempt at the Weekly Photo Challenge. I thought this would be an easy one, but was I wrong! Choosing a photo of a kiss proved to be more difficult than I had imagined.

I didn’t want to share a “typical” kiss. I wanted to show a moment of closeness and intimacy that a kiss promises. The thrill and flutter, the delectable shivers one feels when lips touch flesh. A private moment that makes the world go away.

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Oh, when you kiss me
I know you miss me
and when you’re with me
The world just goes away
The way you hold me
The way you show me
That you adore me
Oh, when you kiss me

~ From When You Kiss Me by Shania Twain

A Head of the Pack

Boy…I was SO tempted to go with a different title for this post, but I decided to keep it G-rated 😀

Head shots are one of the most challenging types of photos to do because the attention to detail is critical. If you get it right, it’s a close-up not only of the subject’s face, but also a glimpse into their soul. I don’t do one on every shoot, even though I do try to capture at least a few shots that I can play with. Eh…it doesn’t always work out. But I’ll keep trying, shooting those tight photographs and working on my technique. I want to be able to offer at least one to every person I photograph. Stay tuned as I work on realising that dream.

I also kinda fudge on what a true head shot is. Generally speaking, it should just be the face and possibly shoulders. But I extend that to include the upper body – basically, chest up.

That’s what I did with this photo of my friend, Fox. He has beautiful eyes and I wanted to show them off, but it just didn’t seem to work with a tight head shot. So, I extended the cropping to allow me to include an overlay that I think helps create a mood that reflects more about him.

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This photo of my cherished, Tylar, is actually a re-work. I wasn’t happy with the original, so when I started playing around with overlays, this was one of the first pictures I experimented with. It’s still not perfect, but it not only shows Tylar’s beauty, it gave me an opportunity to express my love for my dear friend.

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I’ve used myself as a guinea pig for head shots more than anyone else, because if I fail, I am not disappointing anyone who is expecting a usable finished product. I shoot photos of myself for a variety of reasons: sometimes to relax, sometimes because I want to test a new prop or pose, and sometimes just because I get the itch to try out new techniques and I want new material to work with.

One of my favourite effects is called Orton. It gives a dreamy, romantic mood to a photograph. It doesn’t work with every shot, but when it does, I’m overjoyed. I think in this photo, it worked. I love the warmth and softness it conveys.

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I’ll be revisiting this topic as I improve my technique. I’d love to hear what you think about head shots – either shooting them, having one taken of you and even if you think I’ve succeeded.

Or not. 😉