Monday, October 27, 2014

Harvest Birthdays, Human Connections and Author Photo Shoots


I was in Shoprite the other day ordering lunchmeat and cheese from the deli when all of the sudden I had an epiphany which ultimately led to a minor break down.  It was like my stomach churned into a battlefield of emotions; future fighting the past as the past cried, “FREEEEEDOM,” from its bellowing bliss of eternal memories which never fade away.
 
This all happened within the blink of a second.  As I went to reach for my pocket and pull out my cell phone, a heavy cloud of burden formed on top of my shoulders.  I felt defeated, like social media had won the battle.  I knew the reasons why I was pulling out my cell phone while standing at the deli in Shoprite but the past was crying, “Please, no more.”

Usually, when I am ordering lunchmeat and cheese, it takes about five to ten minutes, depending on what digit you pull out of the lucky number disposer.  During this time, I fumble to get as many tweets and Facebook shares out, read emails at three separate accounts, or catch up with a few blog buddies. 

This time, however, was extremely different.   My heart was as a tug of war with my mind saying, “Not this time, girlie.  Now go and talk to the deli people, strike up a conversation, and smile at the people behind the counter.  Get off of your cell phone.  You are always tweeting and emailing.  Go and have a…. wait for it… wait for it…"

A HUMAN CONNECTION!
 
 
 
And that it exactly what this gal did.  I put my cellphone away and it felt great!  I was smiling at the people behind the counter and guess what?  A couple of them actually smiled back at me.  I continued to keep the phone buried away in my pocket.  When I made it to the cashier line, instead of pulling it out, I continued to strike up conversations which ultimately led me to gain some awesome advice about an upcoming trip the dear and I are taking to Costa Rica. 

We also had my "Harvest Birthday Bash" over the weekend.  I'm officially 34 years old and don't feel a day over 24.  I was desperate to make some amazing new memories and human connections with my loved ones so I made everyone put away their cell phones.  The only time someone was aloud to take out their phone was to take a picture.  Other than that, we ate tons of sushi, steak, shrimp, pasta and cheese, shared lots of laughs, and created long lasting memories together.  Here are some pictures from the big day! 

The dear is behind me, my sister and niece are on my right, and we are surrounded by friends I've had for years


The dear is lighting the candles on my birthday cake and we are laughing about something


This is my youngest and very talented sister, Cheri.  She took the photos for my photo shoot which I will be sharing and also illustrated my children's book.


My niece, me and the dear


The cheese spread:  Brie, Bleu cheese, and Manchego cheese


The sushi, shrimp and steak platters with tasty Halloween treats

Pesto Pasta, YUM

We decorated our bookshelf.  I collect witches and this one is my favorites.

My gorgeous niece and sister

A couple of my other witches

The beautiful flowers and balloons the dear bought for me


And now my author photo shoot!  I'm sharing the "Do's and Do Not's" when being professionally photographed.

 

The morning after my birthday, my sister Cheri, who is also a photographer, helped me with an author photo shoot.  It was very windy so she literally took about 300 pictures of me.  She also created my new banner which you see at the top of my blog.  Yes, that is me in the photo=)  Here are some other examples of banners she created for me. 
 
 

Although I really liked this banner, I wanted to have my entire body in the picture, not just my boots

I really loved this photo, especially because of the colors.  It was a hard decision (my sister sent me six banners) but I went with the one currently at the header of my blog.  Do you think I made the right decision?

 
 
It took us about an hour and half to do the entire photo shoot.  All of the pictures you see are in the backyard of my complex.  We live in the mountains where lush colors of green, red, orange and yellow reflect off of the decadence of the woods and spirit of the land.  Here are some photos of me sitting on top of the rocks nestled against the enchanted woods of our complex.
 
 


 




 

As you can see from the photos above, there are many different positions and poses you can engage with in your photos.  At times, I felt like I was forcing my poses.  This is why it is very important for your photographer to take tons of pictures.  When I had my children's book author photo shoot, the photographer at the time shot around 200 pictures.  Again, my sister took around 300 because not only was she taking my author photo, but she was creating my banner for my website and blog.

Here, you can see there is an abundance of light, a bit too much light.  Photos like this are nice but the lighting makes them look awkward.  You want to choose a photo which has perfect lighting against your face.

I chose this photo to be my new author profile photo because I think it looks very natural and I'm smiling.  Always try to look as natural and comfortable as possible.  You don't want to scare off your readers and fellow authors.  You want your profile picture to be warm and welcoming.


I thought this one was pretty because of the background.  Behind me, there are more hills and mountainous land which eventually lead into the skyline of New York City.  I didn't choose this photo, though, because the lighting was a bit shaded over my face.

Here, I am looking back toward my sister.  Instead of walking toward her, she asked me to walk ahead and turn back several times.  I might use some of these pictures for a different project.


I've always loved side shots.  My sister took about 10 of these but here, I'm sharing one so you get the idea of all of the different views you can have in your photos.  I'm also squinting in this picture.  Try not to squint in your photos because squinting is unbecoming and doesn't do justice for the art of the picture.

 
Next, I'm going to share the pictures of me walking up hills and through parts of the woods.  My sister took tons of shots of me walking so she could create the perfect border for me.  Here are some other examples she could have used but decided to go with the one above.
 
 




















 
It really depends on what you want to portray as the soul of your blog and zest of your art.  I love walking and hiking around my area so I wanted to incorporate the beauty of my complex within the heart of my blog.  I wake up every morning around 5am and have the most amazing views which inspire a lot of my stories.
 
 
Lastly, I'm sharing one fun photo.  Although I am not going to be using this in any of my author profiles, I love laughing and goofing off.  
 


Do you ever break down over social media or the growing need for technology?  Have you had an author photo shoot before?  Do you have any advice for other writers and authors when taking professional photos of themselves?
 

 
 
 



37 comments:

  1. Happy birthday!!!! I'm with you. I'm 35 but still feel about 24-25. I'm not sure I'll ever really feel my age. That's a good thing though. :)

    I love your new banner. Actually I like all the banners you showed here. I've never done and author photo shoot. I hate having my picture taken because I hate the way I look in pictures. I have a very different image of myself in my head. lol

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kelly, your beautiful! You would take excellent photos, I'm sure of it!
    But I totally understand. I feel like I don't take good pictures which is probably why my sister had to take so many, lol!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I knew that was a new header! Congrats to Cheri for taking awesome pics! I don't have a smartphone, so I can't so any commenting/updating when I'm out. (Of course, I rarely go out...) Yay for your human connections and for your birthday party! Happy 34th, Gina!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lexa! Sometimes, I ask myself why I have an iPhone. When the dear and I are in each other's company, we try to make it a habit not to be on the phone. I used to tweet a lot while watching our shows together but I'd much rather snuggle with him than give in to technology.

      Delete
  4. It's SO hard to pick good author pictures! I change my hair all the time which makes every single author photo I have out of date within a month of having it taken. I really like the banners your sister made! It gives a great feel of who you are :)

    Good idea on making everyone put away their cell phones.. we really lack for human interaction sometimes when our attention is always on our devices, don't we?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kiersi=) I have been wanting my blog to go toward a different direction and my sister really helped reflect this decision.
      I totally agree. We really lack human interactions when we are constantly glued to our devices. Every time I am around my boss and trying to have a conversation with her, she is constantly emailing or looking down at her iPhone. I think it's so rude so I TRY to not do this, not even around my mom and other family members.

      Delete
    2. That is really rude! I have had a few friends do that to me and it makes you feel like you're not even present.

      Delete
    3. Tell me about it! I really believe people lack manners when they are on their phones while having a conversation with you. Sometimes, I don't even think my boss listens to a word I am saying when she is on her device. So rude!

      Delete
  5. I never used to look at my cell until I purchased a new phone with a data package. Now I'm always looking at social media. When I put it away for a day I do feel liberated!!! And I try to make a point of not speaking on my cell while people are around. So you have a publicist? How is that working for you?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I, too, feel liberated whenever I put my iPhone down! And I NEVER talk on my cell phone around others. It's one of the rudest things in the world.
      I don't have a publicist but I hired a small press release company to help spread word about my children's book. It definitely helped me gain some incredible contacts and reviews and even two school visits. As for sales, only a few books were sold but I imagine if I hired a bigger press release company, something bigger could happen. Oh, and I also received an author interview from this release.

      Delete
  6. You're so beautiful! And I love your pink shirt. I think it's great to put your phone down and LIVE every now and then. I've been doing that more and more lately, although most of the time in grocery stores the people who work there don't seem to want me to talk.

    I like the first close-up photo of you for your author photo headshot. The lighting just makes you look angelic! I like the one of you sitting on the rock with your legs crossed, as well. For my author photo, we went to Opryland Hotel and took about 70 or 80 pictures of me close up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awe, thank you so much!! I love your author photo, Stephanie. Your smile is gorgeous! I feel like sometimes, I have to force mine but then again, we took so many photos that my mouth was starting to grow tired of holding the same smile, lol.
      I have some of my favorite workers at Shoprite so instead of being glued to my cell phone, I figure I am going to converse with them more often. I've even managed to make some miserable people there smile, ha! I guess some of them really don't like their jobs but if you can be kind and put a smile on their face, I think it means a lot to them. But yes, there are others who are just way too mean. I don't bother with them, ha!

      Delete
  7. Love the new header! It's perfect. Don't change a thing. And I think that everyone should have a disconnect day from social media. I mean, it's necessary for building our brands, but there should come a time where we say, "You know what? Not today!" And your sister's an awesome photographer. Your photos look great. I plan to take some author photos soon (probably during the spring) and will keep these tips in mind!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Quanie! I really appreciate your feedback. I'm glad everything looks great.
      I will be looking forward to seeing your author photos. I haven't had them done in over two years so I thought it was time=)

      Delete
  8. I love your new banner! It's beautiful and the quote is perfect! I do like the one with the boots, but I think you chose right with picking the one with your full body in it. Now I wish I had a nice banner like that. I have been considering a new banner for my own blog to attract readers, not just writers, but it's tricky. Next year I'll be making a website so I'll have to create a nice author banner. And my author photo is a couple of years old, too. I may have to take a new one next year while I'm doing all of this.

    I don't have a cell phone where I can use the Internet so I'm safe from not going on social media while I'm at the deli. :P

    BTW I love your new author photo! Very Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you so much, Chrys!! I definitely was in the mood for a change and felt my blog going in a different direction. Still storytelling but incorporating more reading, writing and the beauty in life:)
    If you ever need a banner, don't hesitate to reach out to me and I can give you my sister's email!
    I think I would be happier without my smartphone. It was exciting in the beginning but now I find myself barely wanting to reach for it, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  10. First, the pictures are all great! Which to choose? Maybe you need to do a slide show and use them all.

    I'm disconnecting for three weeks and I'm already getting twitchy. Isn't that terrible? What did I do before social media took over my life? How has it reorganized my brain and has it ruined my personal interaction skills? Guess I'll find out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lee!
      Good luck disconnecting for three weeks. The longest I have disconnected completely was for one week. Whenever we are on vacation, the only device I have is my Kindle to read!
      I'm thinking about disconnecting for February but we shall see. I'd really like to submerge myself back into my WIP, completely, to finish everything.

      Delete
  11. I don't have a cell phone. Oh yes, you heard me! I'm the one smiling at people and wondering why no one ever looks up from their devices. Even moms with small kids like me are glued to their phones. Glad you had a happy birthday, and LOVE those photos. Gorgeous! I really like your banner. Autumn colors are my favorite.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Christine=)
      It really saddens me how much everyone is glued to their devices. My children's book is actually based on how much children and parents are addicted to their technology. So sad.

      Delete
  12. Happy b'day, Gina! I turned 34 this year as well. :) Yay for 1980 babies! :D

    Great photos by your sister - and I agree you chose the best candidate for your author photo.

    Also, I have a "dumb phone", which really helps when I'm out in public, 'cause I don't surf the 'net on it and can barely even send texts on it anymore. haha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, Trisha. Your not missing out on texting. This too has gotten out of control. The worst is when people are mad because you don't text them back right away. It's like, seriously? We do have lives other than technology!
      Thank you for your kind words about my author photo! Ahh, 1980. What a fantastic year to be born! Those were the days when we had dial up phones and beepers to follow instead of smartphones!

      Delete
  13. First of all, you look 24 too. ;) I had no idea we were the same age! Happy birthday, girlie!

    I constantly think about making human connections, but then this part in the back of my mind says, "Nah. You're too tired." Sometimes I ignore the voice and strike up a conversation anyway. Sometimes it wins, because it's right. Regardless...

    Unleashing the Dreamworld

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Crystal! Another fellow 1980 baby!:)
      I think this is why I'm happier to make human connections, because it's the right thing to do. People seem more inclined to be nicer if you smile at them. And kindness always wins!

      Delete
  14. Happy belated Birthday, Gina! Your party looked wonderful and full of love! The photos are amazing! The one where you're looking back at your Sister would be a perfect back cover shot on your books IMHO. I've never had a pro shoot. My Beaut took some of me that turned out the best. In fact in one shot I look so sassy and confident (not how I normally look) but that was for him and turns out I use that one for certain projects. Great photos and lovely scenery!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you, Lisa! I love this - sassy and confident:) Every woman should be!
    What a great idea about using the photo of me looking back for the back of my book. I love it! Can't wait for the day when my novel is released and my picture is on the back:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Happy, happy birthday!!!

    Hmm, so many thoughts... I love that you put away your phone, and I SO IDENTIFY with the cry for FREEDOM! Any time I have to wait anywhere I grab my phone and try to get as much social media done, too. UGH.

    YUM to all that beautiful food! And beautiful people!! Looks like a wonderful celebration :)

    LOVE the pics!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you so much! Your such a sweetheart!
    Usually, I don't mind pulling out my iPhone for social media. Actually, I "used to" not mind it so much. But after two years of constantly battling time to get everything done, I feel moments are lost when we are staring at our devices. I actually had an interview with a radio host a couple of weeks ago and we were talking about these issues because it pertains to my children's book. I'm still trying to find a balance between social media and time which can never be replaced.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I like it when my phone is in another room or on silent. Otherwise, I'll always be on it.

    Great pics and I love the banner.

    Happy belated birthday.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you, Medeia. My sister does really neat work. I think I am going to use her for the cover of my novel once I publish it=) She did all of the work for my children's book.
    Once I get home from work, I usually set my phone aside and try not to spend too much time on it. We all need a break in the day and mine is usually at night.

    ReplyDelete
  20. what an array of fabulous photos, and a wonderful story to boot! (boot, get it? =)
    and your banner phrase is perfect! love it all!

    i'd love to steal away my family's phones for a while... seriously worried!

    ReplyDelete
  21. LOL, got it, Tara! Thanks for your lovely words regarding my photos!
    I'm growing tired of the iPhone era. I might be putting my phone away more these days. We need to enjoy each other's company and conversation instead of staring down at our devices.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wonderful shots! And that looks like a really fun party :) I completely understand the need to leave the phone/social media alone for a while--I know I need a break from it regularly!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you!
      I've been taking more breaks now that it has been three years working in this business. In the beginning, I was so overwhelmed at times. Don't get me wrong, social media CAN be fun but when it comes to the point where its no longer fun, than something has to change.

      Delete
  23. Beautiful photos Gina. I actually liked the one, that you thought was to shaded on the face for your profile. It was so nice to see you & Sis working so closely together. I have been blessed with the most beautiful & talented daughters & granddaughter that anyone could ever hope for. I am so proud of all of you. I'm also so glad to see that you fond the need to take that break from techno world!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks mom!=) And thank you for giving me such beautiful sisters. Kayle is such a sweetheart. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful family!

      Delete
  24. I noticed your banner right away and wished I have something like this ~ natural, warm yet calming. These are excellent photos your sister took. I especially like the one with the hills and mountains behind you. Your author picture looks really good. I shy away from the camera. Just really dislike taking pictures. So maybe I'll do a painting instead and come up with a banner and an author picture for next year. (You've just given me an inspiration! I wasn't even thinking of doing a banner. But now it sounds like a perfect project.)

    As for social media: yea, I have felt the need to get away from it so many times. Right now, I'm in a comfortable position of only doing those I like ~ Pinterest and Goodreads, and tweeting/retweeting or posting on FB only when I have to. (Twitter isn't that bad for me. I don't engage a lot but I don't feel guilty not doing so. FB sometimes eats at me. I don't know why.) So go off social media when you need to, or even just want to, Gina. :)

    Last, Happy Belated Birthday! That looks like a fun, warm party. Like you, your niece and sister are so pretty.

    ReplyDelete