portraits – Page 6 – Pics by Peep

A Head of the Pack

Image February 15, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

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.

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.

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.

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. 😉

Crazy Little Thing

Image February 14, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

It’s Valentine’s Day. The one day of the year when you’re meant to express your love to your significant other (at least according to Hallmark and FTD).

I’m not a big believer in Valentine’s Day. In my mind, if you care about someone, you show them every day. But since it’s here, I thought I would take the opportunity to write about the special man in my life. I would have gotten around to it eventually, but why wait?

I titled this post “Crazy Little Thing” because that’s probably the best description of our relationship. Crazy, silly, fun-loving. If you’re in Second Life and check out my profile picks, you’ll find this under My Shining Star:

Cupcakes, bacon and a giant green moth…who knew they would steal my heart? You gave me back my joy, my favourite Polebarkian ♥

It probably doesn’t make much sense to you, and that’s ok. Those little inside jokes that two people share are the glue that bind them together. He “gets” me and I “get” him. To the point that we have a space at our Second Life home that represents his head (which I seem to constantly inhabit).

I’m not going to wax lyrical about the two of us. I’m not going to pour out my heart about how I feel about him. I’m just going to post a couple of photos that show us and that crazy little thing…

Simply Shane

Image February 13, 2013PeepSideshow DarkwardLeave a comment

On first glance, Shane is as tough as the title character of the classic movie by the same name. Protective, mysterious and a little bit dangerous. He projects an air of quiet confidence that is not to be trifled with. That was a side of Shane that was easily captured when I did his photo shoot.

But there’s another side of Shane I wanted to portray, as well. The side that stole a pixie’s heart. A man who is fashion-conscious while maintaining a masculine image. A man who is generous and caring behind a facade of unyielding masculinity. A side that is a little harder to get to know, but worth every ounce of effort.