My First Self Portraits

A photo challenge thingie I have decided to join set the challenege for the week to take an adult portrait showing character. Being easter everyone is busy and Naomi had requested I do a self portrait as payment for some help she gave me with photoshop so I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and do a self portrait for the portrait challenge. I'd had this idea that if I ever did one I would so it wearing my Beauty and the bees clay mask. It's just something I love doing and I thought it would be something a little different....plus it meant I wouldn't have to wear makeup or try to get skintones right in the post processing. I had to just hold the camera out infront of me because I can't figure out the self timer, I had to manually focus the lens and hold it away to the distance I focused it at because my lens doesn't auto focus, these shots were taken in full manual on my Nikon D40 DLSR with my Nikor 50mm f/1.8 lens in RAW. I am extremely happy with the end result and have been having an absolute blast Post processing them (you may notice I am not using abreviations this post, Vanessa that is for you so you know what I am talking about LOL). It's funny looking back at the pics you can see the ones I took before I stretched my face and made the mask totally crack cos I got sick of not being able to mive any muscles in my face LOL. I think that it's after I did that I got the best shots cos I was able to relax my face. SOme were taken inside and some were taken outside. The outside ones were the best (and that was after I cracked the mask totally). Oh and if any of you girls reading are interested, yes the mask is lovely and it makes your skin feel like silk. I can't recommend the Beauty and the Bees products enough and I have everything from thier shampoo bars to thier moisturiser, Anna and Ryan are Baby Bees product junkies too.

I think this is my fav of the bunch PPed yesterday with some new actions. I thought Renee might like this one.

I also have a new watermark, we are not allowed to use the word "photography" on any of our photos (even the ones we do not submit) to be egegable for the challenge comps so I had to change my watermark. My first one was just a bit of fun to learn how to make brushes anyway and it was a bit annoying because it was hard to find sopts to place it on the photos. I like this new one......like the picture of the "Peahen" in it?

I love the post processing on this one. I have never gone for the "blue toned" B;ack & whites but I have been forcing myself to post process using some techniques I don't particulary like. In doing so I am learning more about what I actually do and don't like and I have to say that I am now very fold of the blue tones B&W rather than the sepia toned B&W. I also love the texture I have used on this one, it has what looks like little nails arond the edge of the photo and up the top and around the edges you can see a kind of wood grain. And there is my old watermark. lol.

Again, a post process with a blue toned action, I love seeing this on other peoples photos but have never been able to bring myself to attempt it myself. I just have this thing about "cool skintones" or should I say I used to have this thing about cook skintones. I am just letting go now and having fun and not worrying so much about "perfect" skintones and just doing what I like instead. Again a testure is added.

And finally, this is the first one I post processed so it is the one I entered into the challenge comp. I love this B&W conversion, it is part of the WOW presets I got a few weeks ago and love to death. This was very east to Post process, not alot was actually done to it and the WOW presets make the basics of it very quick and easy. I am also finding adding textures a very quick and easy way of making a pic more interesting.

So, that's it. My first attempt at a self portrait. I had am absolute ball and love the way they turned out but I would not wanna do it too often. I have used my best idea now I think lol. I do have something I would like to have a go at later down the track with the co-operation of my lovely hubby but it wont be till I get a remote for my camera. I should get my flash soon, I am looking forward to taking some pics for some more friends soon.