After many photo sessions and pitfalls along the way, like the time(s) I tweezed off my eyebrow and couldn’t go out in public until it grew back, two (2) photos are in the running to be my author photo. I told my editor I would let her know which one tomorrow, after I thought on it and polled everyone I know. Hello, everyone!
Here are the photographs:
I know which one I am leaning towards, but this is the kind of decision you can’t undo and so I thought I would collect as many opinions as I can. Please give me your opinion so that I might collect it and make an informed choice about this.
But before you give me your input (please), here are notes on the photos, which we will call Canadian Brick Wall Face and Australia T-shirt Face respectively.
Canadian Brick Wall Face was in the running, then it was out of the running and now it is the running again! It was taken at the end of May. The PROS for this photograph is that the brick wall is pretty hot (please note the green will be cropped out if selected) and check out my hair! That was a pretty good hair day and I wouldn’t mind immortalizing that, since they don’t happen often. It looks like it was intended to be an author photo. The CON is that I have been told the photo makes me seem aloof and unapproachable.
Australia T-shirt Face was never meant to be an author photo, which is not a point against it. I just thought I would mention that. It was taken like, 5 months ago. The PROS for this photo is that I have been told it is warm and smiley, and I like to think I am both of these things when I am not giving you a death glare while secretly judging you. Also, people might assume I am Australian and Australia’s pretty hot. That’s a pretty big PRO right there, actually. The CON is that you can totally tell I am holding the camera and taking a picture of my face and that makes me think of self-portraity MySpace photos, which do not exactly exude an author vibe.
So.. what do you think, everyone? Which one do you prefer? Canadian Brick Wall Face or Australia T-shirt Face? Because between all the social networking sites I’ve got going on, there’s not enough angst in my life. Gimmeh gimmeh moar, as Britney would say. Judge my face!
(Thanks!)
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publication date
Wednesday June 18th, 2008 @ 11:34pm
421 words, 28 sentencesmeta stuff
categories: cracked up to be,discuss,photog
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I don’t know ok!
I prefer Australia T-shirt Face. but I like your hair, the colours, and the brick wall in Canadian Brick Wall Face.
:/ I AM NO HELP!
p.s. loooooooooooooooooooove love the redesign!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hee. Thanks for your input, woman. It made me smile.
And THANK YOU!!!
I vote for Canadian Brick Wall. I don’t know, it doesn’t scream “smug bitch” to me. It’s more, “Hey, there. I’m Courtney. Welcome to my world.” They’re both nice photos, but I prefer Canadian Brick Wall. I don’t really like the angle on the Australia T-shirt Face photo, to be honest. (It’s a nice photograph, but I am trying to look at these as author photos.)
(Also, have you considered how they each look in B&W? I don’t know how this whole thing works, but if your book was super popular and somehow got published in paperback, isn’t there a good chance the author photo would get converted to B&W?)
My spam word is IKEA! I cracked up.
Hee, omg I love that.
“Hey, there. I’m Courtney. Welcome to MY world.”
I wish animated gifs could be author photos b/c then I would make the eyebrows waggle to continue that effect.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT, BB.
I have considered the B&W thing, just because. CUTB will be a trade paperback release so no worries there! I’m not sure if the photo will be used inside or outside, tho (I think if it’s outside on the back of the cover all tiny, like I’ve seen on SMP releases, it will be cover).
Ahahah! That was a default spam word. I have an upgrade of the plug-in and now I can’t figure out how to add my own words back in! CRY!!!
Australia is more candid and happier. Brick has better colours and a better background. Will this be printed in colour or B&W?
Sadly, I have no idea! I never thought to ask. If I go by SMP’s other YA books, the author photos seem to be tiny square photos on the back of the books and they are usually in colour. I think likely the brick one would convert to B&W better than Australia.
I’ve always dreaded this and wondered if they’d let me put a picture of a polar bear instead or something. Maybe a potato bug.
Well…I’m in consensus with everyone above. Brick wall colors/hair = yes. Australia Warm <3 Courtney = yes.
My anti-spam word is van. I think that means you should take a new picture of you in a big hooptie kidnapper van. I’m Courtney. Welcome to MY WORLD! Wahahahaah! …doh..its late.
Although I disagree with your contention that Australia T-shirt looks overly MySpace-y, I’ve always thought your facial expression in the Canadian Brick Wall photo is kind of badass, as are you. So.
i am biased and ADORE the australia tshirt one, but as an author photo, my vote goes for canadian wall because it’s vibrant and happy and “hee lookit me” and all the other things that i think of when i think of you.
Emily: I totally wanted to put a picture of a whale shark as my author photo, but it didn’t fly. I SHOULD’VE SUGGESTED A POTATO BUG. Thank you for your input and uhm the last part of your comment? Bwahhahahaa. I am still laughing.
A: I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE BADASS. YOU MADE MY NIGHT.
Tristian: Aaah! I was so hoping one of you two would weigh in because of the shirt. Thank you. Your input def. helps. <3!
I vote brick wall, with the green cropped out (although the more I look at it, the more I warm to it.) But yeah, I like the wall without the green best!
The other one is a lovely photo but I don’t think it’s such an ‘author’ photo. :) xxx
CBWF for your author photo, i think. you don’t look snotty, you look welcoming, in your way. lori summed it up really well, actually.
AWESEOME ATSF is just too casual, probably.
Fi: Merci! I will be sad to see the green go if it does get get the nod. It’s my favourite colour! But yes, thank you for the input. xo
Kelvin: you’d be surprised! and thanks–I was so sure you’d say NO CONTEST THE SHIRT THAT YOU RECEIVED AS A GIFT FROM THE AMAZING AUSSIES YOU KNOW AKA ME AND TRISTAN but. ;) xo
For an edgy YA novel? I’d pick Canadian Brick Wall Face. I love it!
oh, come on miss courtney !
as much as the australia t-shirt rocks (for obvious reasons) it is so not the picture you were leaning towards.
and for very good reasons. you have already stated why canadian brick wall picture wins. and you are right.
Brick wall!
CBWF
all the way.
And hey, I’m a photographer. Hear me roar.
Nova: Thanks for the input! I keep wanting to reply to things on your twitter with twitter but then I see that your twitter is locked to friends, so then my replies to you would be public and I don’t want to out anything you don’t want public so I will just say there are a couple of things I wanted to say CONGRATS to and you’ll likely know what they are so CONGRATS!!!!
Damon: Hee hee hee! Where did I say the brick wall was my preference. *cough* I feel so chastised. ;)
Teri: Thank you!!
Veronique: *marks down on notepad* Thanks, bb!
I hear you on Australia, but if you do want to go with Australia T-Shirt Face, perhaps consider cropping out “Australia” and that sliver of your arm to make it look less casual. But my vote is for Canadian Brick Wall Face!
I think what makes the Australia one so cool is that it doesn’t look like an author photo; it’s more spontaneous and personal (which I realize are precisly the qualities other people think count it out). So while I like them both I have to cast my vote for Australia.
Choose the one YOU want, my friend. Both are very cool.
I still like the Australian expression best. It’s possible that you could crop it and eliminate the arms coming forward, so it wouldn’t be so “I took this myself.” But then that gets rid of the “I’m so cool, I take my own photo” factor. :)
Both rock, so just go for your fave. Which is the best face for Courtney Wrote This Book?
Brick Wall! Brick Wall!
W: Thank you! That’s the one I’m leaning towards, but I definitely want to get all opinions in. Because… it’s so permanent!!! Well. At least for this book. And if it turns out to be my only book… then it’s REALLY permanent! ;)
C.K.: You make a really good case for Australia, which… made my decision that much harder. Hee. Thanks!
S: It’s so hard!!! The angst levels are high! Your input has given me a lot to think about, in a really good way, and I’ve really appreciated it, btw.
Briony: duly noted! Thank you for your input, CP!!!
Tough choice!
Canadian Brick Wall Face looks more “professional”.
You’re right about the MySpace vibe of Australia, but don’t you think that’s some of its charm? And if you’re marketing towards young adults wouldn’t it resonate with them to see a MySpace-style photo on a book jacket? “ZOMFG I HAS TO ADD HUR”
My automatic choice was Canadian Brick Wall Face, but I’ve talked myself into Australia T-Shirt Face as having more hooks. It stands out from other author photos, uses visual language (holding the camera yourself), grownups will ignore and the YA might identify with, plus you look smiley and cute.
The yellow T-shirt one–it feels more natural and fun-spirited…and dare I say, teen-ish? Their both great tho, so it’s a win-win either way!
uh, they’re, not their. Shoot. I’ll vote again for the yellow, just so I don’t completely waste space….GO YELLOW SHIRT!
First one for sure… you look more intelligent, and cunning….
I love the brick wall photo. I don’t think you look at ALL unapproachable! Just cute and kinda alternachick. (Is that still a word? I am decades behind in my pop culture.)
Brad: Tough choice that just got tougher! Damn your compelling MySpace argument! All I’ve ever wanted on MySpace was to be added! Thanks for the .02!
Angela: *marks down* Yellow Shirt appreciates your support.
Dale: Thank you! If I can’t be cunning, I can at least look it!
Annika: Thank you so much! If alternachick isn’t still a word, we can just say YOU ARE BRINGING IT BACK. Which I think is good because as far as I’m concerned, it needs to be in everyone’s daily lexicon.
My personal favorite is Canadian Brick Wall Face. It doesn’t make you seem aloof, it looks like you are thinking “This is my brick wall, I own this shit, and I am awesome.” I also like the slight sense of movement, since your clothes are kinda blurry. And your eyebrows look good!
HAH! Oh man, thank you, Ula. You make a tough case for the Brick Wall photo!!! <333333
Canadian brick wall looks edgy and cool.
Also, congrats on the Amazon pre-order! What a shock when you see it up there, right? It’s like, OMG–this is really happening. (And then of course all your friends are obligated to visit Amazon if they’re really your friendsand email you back and say good things.
Sorry second comment under wrong post, but I am temporarily on a horribly slow dial-up connection, and leaving one window to go to another takes ages!
There is no such thing as commenting on the wrong post! And thank you! Oh my gosh, it was such a heart-stopper to see it, but obviously you know this!!!!!
PS LOVED your interview with cynthea!!
My input is so tardy is isn’t even funny.
I think the choice is clear. The first one with the bricks wins me over. I mean…look! You’re already using it as your avatar. Doesn’t that speak volumes?
Also, while I like the Australia one, it seems a little blown out and over-exposed. Not a lot. Just a little.
Can’t wait to see (either on of ‘em) on my copy of the book.
Word.
:) It’s not tardy since I asked for the weekend to decide. You’re still on time! & Your right about Australia. Likely because the flash was on. Boo! Thanks for the input!
No contest. Canadian Brick Wall Face
:) You picked the winnah!