Dicentra Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 (edited) Hey Hive - I need your help. I've been working on my website for the online chem courses I'm going to be offering in Fall 2018 and I wanted to include a pic of myself. 'Cause I figure people like to know what the person teaching their kids looks like. :) Note: I HATE having my picture taken. HATE. IT. So the pics I have to choose from are limited. :) The first two pics are head shots that I cropped out of family pics taken over the last few years. The black and white pic is one that I let my husband take of me this summer 'cause I had my hair done and I thought it looked nice. :) Dh likes the pic but thinks it's too... informal? for a business website. So... Which pic would you choose? 1, 2, or 3? Or would you recommend that I get a different pic taken altogether? The fact that I'm posting PICTURES OF MYSELF publicly is freaking me out completely. I think I just need to hit "Post" quickly before I chicken out... *See update in Post #23 with new pics. Edited November 19, 2017 by Dicentra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I actually like the last one! Your eyes are all bright and smiley, you look good, it's a good picture. The other ones aren't bad, but not as good as #3. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 Either the first or the third. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retiredHSmom Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 The third 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 3rd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 My vote is for the last one. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 3!! Looks great! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I'd go with the 3rd, but crop it. A closer shot that doesn't show your arm position and maybe slightly less of your hair would make it look less informal. Your smile is great! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I'll give my very honest opinion as someone who does semi-professional photography. The first one looks like you cropped it out of another picture, and that isn't professional. The second one looks more like you were having your picture taken in some sort of classroom or office, so that is a bit more professional. But it's grainy. And from a small thumbprint, in the second one it looks like you're wearing a head covering, like a Mennonite would wear (hair pulled back into a bonnet-type thing.) For the first two, you look harsh and not-harsh at the same time--the hair pulled back so tightly is harsh, but your smile is warm and welcoming. Hard to tell. If you're teaching children, I'd shoot for warm and welcoming over harsh. The third one is technically the superior picture. The lighting is good, you have a light shining in your eyes, the black and white is done very well....but you are standing in a coy stance with your hair cascading down. You look SO GOOD in that picture...but I'm not sure it's professional. I say that you need to bite the bullet and get another picture done. Stand in front of a plain background (a wall with pictures removed, drapes, a fence). Wear the white button down shirt, keep your hair down, but down your back and not your side, stand up straight, and beam (beam!) a smile at the camera. It's hard to tell you about lighting if I can't see where you are, but it would probably (probably) be best to have someone use the flash on the camera so that you get that white-dot of light in your eyes (a must for a good portrait.) If you just can't bring yourself to get another picture done, then go with three. You look so lovely in number three. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 (edited) I'd go with the 3rd, but crop it. A closer shot that doesn't show your arm position and maybe slightly less of your hair would make it look less informal. Your smile is great! Yes! Forget what I wrote above. If you hate re-doing pictures, then a crop would be a perfect solution for you! Edited November 19, 2017 by Garga 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 A cropped #3! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 Cropped #3! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 I knew you guys would be helpful! :) How about this one? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I personally like the 3rd one uncropped. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porque Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 Cropped #3 looks great! Professional and welcoming! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 3rd, uncropped. If it were a college class I'd say cropped, but you will be teaching kids, and you look warm and approachable. Plus I love your hair!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 (edited) I knew you guys would be helpful! :) How about this one? I think that one is cropped a little too tightly. Try something in between this one and the full size. Edited November 19, 2017 by Corraleno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlktwins Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I love the 3rd one! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 3rd one, less than the full photo, more than the tight crop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 The cropped one is much more professional and you still look amazing in it. You look welcoming and happy and like someone I'd want to learn from. :) A bit of the hair is fine. The uncropped picture is a beautiful portrait, but it doesn't make you look "professional." The crop does. It takes out the coy stance and all that gorgous hair (unfortunately), leaving you looking competant and approachable. Someone else said maybe not so tightly cropped, and they may be right. Play around with it a little bit if you want to. The crop you showed was really good, though, so don't fret about it if any other crops don't look right to you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 3 uncropped lovely, approachable, real 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 3 because you look especially beautiful. If you could get one similar to 3, but with some chemistry looking stuff, that'd be even better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 (edited) Ok... I had to remove the original 3 photos to have room to upload these three. :) 3 4 different crops - which would you choose? Or would you do a slightly different crop? Or maybe the original uncropped - people have said they like that one. So many choices... Maybe I'll just replace my pic with my avatar from here - the kids can all think they're being taught by a field of pansies. :D And Stephanie - I love the idea of putting some chemistry stuff in there. :) I'm assuming that would require figuring out how to make a transparent frame for the pic - that might take me awhile. :) I can teach quantum numbers but fiddling with computer stuff stretches my brain. :D I'll see what I can figure out. Edited: I added a longer and less square crop, as well. Edited November 19, 2017 by Dicentra 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 I like the first one! It keeps the best part of the original but there shouldn't be any issues with your pose. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 I added a longer and less square crop to Post #23 as another choice. You guys are all so amazingly helpful. I love The Hive. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 The first one. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Ok... I had to remove the original 3 photos to have room to upload these three. :) 3 4 different crops - which would you choose? Or would you do a slightly different crop? Or maybe the original uncropped - people have said they like that one. So many choices... Maybe I'll just replace my pic with my avatar from here - the kids can all think they're being taught by a field of pansies. :D And Stephanie - I love the idea of putting some chemistry stuff in there. :) I'm assuming that would require figuring out how to make a transparent frame for the pic - that might take me awhile. :) I can teach quantum numbers but fiddling with computer stuff stretches my brain. :D I'll see what I can figure out. Edited: I added a longer and less square crop, as well. The 4th crop, just because it's closer to the right size for a portrait. Think of a school picture and how they're longer up and down than they are wide (8x10 or 4x6, etc). But you can't really go wrong if you use that black and white picture in any format, though I still think a crop is better than the whole picture for the purpose you want for it (as a professional portrait of you being a teacher). If you were saying, 'Which should I print to display on the mantel," then the uncropped is best. But for a website where people will hire your services as a teacher, then a cropped version. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I like the 4th one, I think the rectangular aspect ratio makes for a better composition. And I agree with Garga that it looks more like an intentional portrait, whereas the square crop (especially the first, really tight one) makes it seem more obvious that something has been cropped out, kwim? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I like the 4th. I am really looking forward to info on the chem offerings for next year - we're looking for an early-HS level online chem class. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 I like the longer crop. Great picture! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaplank Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 The first one! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 Thanks again, all, for your help!! I'll let everyone know when the website is functional (should be in a few days) so you can check it out and let me know what you think. :) Oh - and if anyone was wondering what colour my hair is ('cause I'd wonder if I saw a b/w pic of someone - I'm just curious like that :) ), here it is from the back: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellen Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Your hair is gorgeous! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicentra Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 Your hair is gorgeous! Thanks, hellen. :) It's the only feature on myself that I ever thought was ok to look at. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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