So, some of us out there have very nice pics of ourselves. These people are obviously narcissists :). Then you've got the elusive (or perhaps it's allusive), mysterious wallflowers whose icons might hide a Phantom of the Opera. I'm obviously a dog lover (or perhaps a dog hater based on my pooch's plaintive pout)... I went w/ my personal pic for a few weeks a few months ago, but I quickly realized that the dog suited me (even if I may not him). Of course, I'm not really interested in me or you other narcissists (yes, I admit it, I'm vain, too :) -- well, I am interested in your opinions, but you've taken out some of the mystery, that's for sure, unless you've gone all Face/Off on me (side note, I actually had a surgery where they peeled my face forward -- lovely pics, believe you me) -- I'm really curious about the Miras, Inks, and AMs of the world. Who are the people behind the masks? Then again, maybe those pics of Laura, Steph, Stephanie, Matt, Renee, et al are nothing but fabrications intended to lure others into a false sense of security.So, are you a blogosphere hero or villain? I'm a vigilante -- above the law, of course :)
There have been times in my life where my myspace or other profile pics have been my horses, or one of my other animals. The reason for this has very little to do with my self-esteem and very a lot to do with how important my animals are to me, i.e., a lot.
ReplyDeleteI always said it represented me more to have a pic of one of my horses up there because I live and breath for my animals, buuut... I finally caved and put up a picture of me riding Gypsy at a show a couple years ago up. It shows me and my face, AND it shows her.
On blogger, my profile pic is me feeding a giraffe because c'mon, how awesome is that? (Yes, I may be a bit of a narcissist myself.) :)
I'm too lazy to put up anything except my real picture. Finding a decent avatar would involve careful consideration of what it said about me, my interests, etc. Way too much effort.
ReplyDeleteLT - I absolutely love your pic (and your description on blogger regarding it). I'm too much of a wallflower to put/leave up my pic -- anyway, Anubis is much more photogenic than I am :)
ReplyDeleteMatt - ah, a type A personality, I think (very useful for a writer, methinks). BTW, that's gonna have to be the topic of a post one day. Maybe it's just me, but 'Type A' seems to have always gotten a bad rap.
My absolute most favorite Avatar for my online self is one of Thuvia, Maid of Mars, and the Banth from an Edgar Rice Burroughs cover in the Martian Tales series. I haven't used it for blogger, though, because she's a little bit naked for what's supposed to be my "professional" blog. I used to have an awesomely hilarious shot of myself with a tri-corn hat and a saber on facebook, but again, it wouldn't really project what I was going for on blogger.
ReplyDeleteAmalia -- a Colonial Jedi (yes, saber probably didn't mean light-saber, but the fanboy in me's coming out :), eh?...
ReplyDeleteAs for the Maid of Mars, I can see why you might pull back from it, though it would be fun.
I am flattered. I did carefully select my icon. Thanks for noticing.
ReplyDeleteI hope mine says that I am a calm, cool, intellectual warrior. I collect data, analyze, and strategize before I strike. I am extraordinarily patient, and I wait to show my hand up until the moment that victory is almost certain.
Of course, avatars create an illusion - a persona - that may not represent the real person at all. But that’s alright by me. I enjoy the world of fiction with its all of its mystery and the subtle promise that there is something more than the reality we endure. Don’t we all?
The most interesting thing about online identities is they may ‘say’ entirely different things to different people. For example, I like both the dog and your online name, The Bane of Anubis. Combined, they create a persona that is threateningly mysterious but approachable. Nice.
I'm with Matt. My photo is a rare semi-decent picture of me, and I'm too lazy to find an alternate.
ReplyDeleteAM - aw, shucks :) -- I love the chess pieces in shadow (even though I was never a huge chess fan; always liked the randomness of Stratego a bit more, probably b/c I could actually beat my older brother at that game :)
ReplyDeleteRick - your picture always makes me think you're chillin' in the tropics (even though my mind suggests it might just be a swimming pool -- tropics sounds better).
I actually wanted to go with an Avatar, but just didn't get there. The pic I chose (and thanks for including it in the "nice" category) was the nicest one I had on hand. I'm not usually very photogenic.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as to the mystery, I'll admit that I'm not all the I seem on blogger. My name is actually a psuedonym. I know that I'm way ahead of the publishing thing in adopting one name. But it was really more in the interest of protecting my alter ego. You know, the one that brings home the bacon. My writer self is still a secret amonst my professional peers.
Renee's our first double agent :)
ReplyDeleteI am. I admit it only in this covert arena. I've become quite adept at blogging, writing and reading in the office, while in the guise of my alter ego without detection.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else think it odd that I'm now referencing the "real" me as my alter ego. I think I may be having a melt down.
Quick, Renee, grab the lithium/prozac/purple pill du jour.
Bane-- Now that you said that, I kind of want to photoshop the saber into a lightsaber...
ReplyDeleteI put my own photo up because - well, it was on the list of things to do in creating a blog. And, I've been married so many times and changed my name I wanted people to recognize me.
ReplyDeleteI really hate the pix though. I've thought of getting a cool avatar, but that takes work to figure out and I'm basically lazy.
But I like your dog Bane. It suits the writing voice you post in. IMO anyway.
Course, THEY say a person eventually resembles their animals, so - are you sort of long snouted and pouty looking? Long droopy hair and big, wishful eyes?
Hmm, let me take that image back to work with me.
..........dhole
Renee, now I'm wishing I'd had your foresight/coolness for such things.
ReplyDeleteAmalia - a colonial Jedi series -- seems like a perfect piece of fanfic.
Donna - thanks -- not pouty yet, though my wife wants to get a Basset Hound... so I could be well on my way :)
I specifically chose one where I'm mostly in the shadows--feels safer--I get to hide a bit.
ReplyDeleteI like your lassituvious dog.
I think my real photo gives people the impression that they actually know me, which for whatever reason is important to me. I'm careful about what image I use as my photo. I want it to represent my sweet side. I used an edgy one at first for my Twitter account, but quickly changed my mind. It went against my branding...
ReplyDeleteI threw my blog together without putting any fore thought what-so-ever into it. Grabbed the first recent decent photo that I came across and slapped it up. Hence the theme.
ReplyDeleteI reckon it makes me look like a dang redneck hick. But that amuses me on some level. :D I'll likely work on changing it...someday.
JB - yours has a very authorial feel to it, IMO.
ReplyDeleteSteph - I think you've nailed it :)
Deb - nothing wrong w/ redneck hicks; people are always underestimating 'em.
I actually almost went with an Egyptian avatar- I have a killer one from Johnathon Bowser that I've used for other writing projects online.
ReplyDeleteBut for whatever reason when I set up my Blogger account I didn't. I sometimes wonder if I should have- I've found some cool blogs by clicking on unique avatars, like Bane's!
I've actually recognized writers at events because of their pictures. That's what I was thinking about when I put mine up.
ReplyDeleteI, BTW, like your dog photo, Bane. I'm a dog lover too. :)
My secret? I'm really the kid on that other guy's shoulders.
ReplyDeleteOkay, that's not true. I've always been a fan of being open with who I am online.
Crap, that's not true either. It was only after I had a job where I was very mildly internet famous that I started using my real name everywhere. Using my real picture was a natural next step.
I tried to pick one that made me approachable. Or something. I'm not a good judge of how my pictures look to other people.
Stephanie, as long as it's an avatar w/o a curse associated w/ it.
ReplyDeleteDawn, that's pretty neat, and probably one of the better reasons to have a real life photo.
Adam, know you were going for menacing and brooding, but, sorry to tell you, your picture makes you look approachable and friendly.
Thanks Bane!
ReplyDeleteSteph - an Egyptian avatar? Too cool. I have an avatar over at Yahoo, but she totally looks like me. Nothing special about that :)
Adam, if you looked any more approachable and if you were geographically closer, I'd give you my kid. No, really, what is your exact address in Thailand? 8-)
ReplyDeleteYour picture tells me that you're a terrific foster dad, a friendly guy, and an up and coming writer (I read a lot into pictures, but I believe it). I think I could pick you out in a crowd. Of course, you’d have to be holding your head that way and be wearing the same thing… and if you had a cute kid on your shoulders that would help too.
Everyone is correct when they say that using their actual photograph helps develop an author’s identity – a brand. Whether that is a good or a bad thing depends on the image they are trying to cultivate and how they actually ‘appear’ online.
When we are unmasked, we have to remember that we are no longer just presenting ourselves but our alter-author-self.
My alter ego is still in development.
I'm not sure what my photo says about me, Bane, but I appreciate you including me in the "nice" crowd. As with Matt, Rick, and Deb, I'm just too darn lazy (or perhaps unimaginative) to be creative with an avatar... a recent photo had to do.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, that particular photo of me (which I use on Blogger, Twitter, and Facebook) is a bit of a rebellion on my part. It was supposed to be the author photo for my MOON MICHIGAN travel guide, but Avalon used a different one instead, which bugged me. Hence, the use of it EVERYWHERE ELSE! LOL!
P.S. And since we're being honest, I must admit that I've been curious about what you looked like, so I googled your real name, to no avail. Your doggy picture is cute, don't get me wrong, but it feels weird "talking" to the canine friend of MY online pal. Perhaps I'm too candid with my identity. Unfortunately, I have no filter - much to the chagrin of my friends and family...
Weird. I just realized that I'm wearing the same checkered shirt today that I'm wearing in my photo. Okay, that's a wee bit creepy.
ReplyDeleteThe chances of me having a cute kid on my shoulders at any given time is pretty high, AM :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, Adam, the chances of me having a cute kitty in my arms at any given time is pretty high. But I guess that's not the same thing... ;-)
ReplyDeleteLaura, one of these days I'll come out of my doggy shell :).
ReplyDeleteTake your time, Bane. I'm a patient woman. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI have been nervous about putting up my real photo in case someone decides I look like good stalker bait. I tend to rotate photos, depending on the season or my mood. I really like playing around with pictures.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have noticed that the bloggers I feel the most connected to are the ones who use a "real" photo and don't change it. So I'm trying to be more "mature" and do the same.
But if anyone offered me a really awesome elf avatar, I'd probably be tempted to use it.
Found this post through Save the Princess . . . which I found through another post of yours, which . . . aaah! I'm stuck in a blogging loop! Warp factor 10, Scotty!
ReplyDeleteOK, I'm getting punchy. And distracted.
I seriously considered putting my usual avatar on blogger - the NEW Star Trek logo, because that was a heck of a movie, and the new logo is just shiny and cool. But, I figured if I was going to de-cloak and come out as a writer, well, why not go all the way. Full picture, full name. Let the branding begin! (ouch!)
Guess that makes me one of the narcissists.
BTW, thanks for the tip on the 10 words novel contest - that was too much fun. And I might have to come up with more.
I just like hiding myself and being different. I don't have to live up to and even down to anyone around me. I am just me only hiding ;-) Happy New Year!
ReplyDelete