I like having my picture taken. Ok, I love it. But I’m shy. But that might surprise you, especially if you know me (stop laughing) because I’m mostly an extroverted person. Put me in a room full of strangers and I’ll walk out of there knowing a handful of new faces. Put me in front of a yoga class to teach and I’m cool as a cuke. Ask me to ask the woman sitting next to me what she thinks of the chef’s special before I order it, you gotta deal. But throw me in front of a camera? I may need a little vodka to set the mood. These photos are just a few in a series that I took for the revamp of my professional website – the one I use to get jobs in writing, editing and yoga. If you’d like, you can check it out here. A new version coming soon (but that’s not on the List, so don’t hold me to it.)
It took some time for me to get truly comfortable with Cheryl (the lovely gal who snapped these shots) and not because she made me uncomfortable at all. I just tend to get a little camera-shy at times. Things like, “do I look okay?” or “Do I come off as a spotlight lover?” or “Is there spinach in my teeth?” cross my mind. Repeatedly. That ever happen to you around a camera?
Since Cheryl’s a photography student, I assumed she was younger than me. “You’re what, like 24, right?” I asked her as she was asking me about my life and what I do when I’m not having my picture taken. “No” she replied, “I’ll be 30 next month”, and then rolled her eyes. “Ugh,” she said, “I can’t believe it.” I nearly jumped the girl! “Oh, then you understand me!” I said, hugging her, thrilled that she would completely get me when I told her about this blog and my Birthday List an how turning 30 feels a little heavy sometimes. And she totally did – she got me. Ever since, we’ve been emailing each other and hope to get together soon. On a side note, I’ve been testing out two shades of red lipstick all month, to rave reviews from friends, Rob and even a stranger at a nightclub a couple of weeks ago. Hm, not bad, eh?
Dear Toronto Life, can I write for you? I love words, you love words… we can make this work, I swear.
Sort of what I look like when I’m blogging, but not really.
These boots, people, look at these boots! Full-out vintage cowboy. I picked these bad boys up at Vintage Depot in my new neighborhood (we move in just three weeks). $18. I would not tell a lie. Not about shoes, anyway.
Not sure what I was thinking here, but it was probably along the lines of, ‘I don’t know what to do with my arms!’
After four hours of shooting, wardrobe changes and brilliant banter with Cheryl, I decided that I’d like to do this again – a photo shoot, that is. I really do love exploring new ways to wear clothes, move my face and arms and express feelings or lifestyle details just with a look or stare at the camera. Above all though, I love being someone new for a few snaps. It’s an art – photography, I mean – and I’d love to be the subject of somebody’s creation once more. Just once. What an honor that would be. (Wow, this wasn’t easy to write or admit but…ahh.)
I want to do this again so much that I’m making it #22 on my List: When it comes to art, be the subject, just one more time.
Oh, these are gorgeous!! The third one down is my favorite. You’re so adorable and your smile makes me happy!
And that sounded really creepy and cheesy but that’s not at all what I meant.
Sigh.
<3
Seriously, so pretty!
I would never guess that you were shy! I’M SHY. In many ways. But then in other situations (ie performing in plays + dance recitals OR telling off creeps) I’m not. For me it all just depends on how comfortable I feel I guess.
Ahhhhhh! I am so happy you did this! I love actually SEEING a little more of your personality. These pictures turned out so well! You are very beautiful! I love that all of us 30 year olds are finding each other. This is what 30 looks like now. It seems so much different that I imagined it to be when I was younger.
Thank you Christina! I love, love having my picture taken but am so shy! I admire and adore your daily outfit posts – so open and “here I am”… love.
OH MY GOD I JUST LOVE YOU.
Beautiful! I admire you going and and doing this! I have never had my picture professionally taken (not even for my wedding). I always feel weird, but you’ve inspired me, perhaps I will….
It’s great, really. Especially if you get the right photog. There has to be, I dunno, a chemistry.
These pics are gorgeous Sands! You would never guess that you were camera shy, you picked the perfect shade of red for your Euro-olive complexion and can I just say your arms rock in the final pic on this page…guns anyone?! I have to admit, I’m a bit jealous and have a bit of a girl crush! haha ;)
Hey, you know you’ve been my girl crush for well over a year now!
I love the third one, but in all of them you look very nice. You are a beautiful person, from what I can tell inside and out.
Oh, Lily, thank you, thank you. That means so much, really. (PS, I like #3, too.)
I have to admit that I’ve been following your blog for a few months now on recommendation from my sister and I’ve never commented but I had to when I saw your first pic and that perfect shade of lipstick!! There’s just something about an olive-skinned, dark-haired woman and red lipstick that I LOVE! Being somewhat olive-skinned and dark-haired myself, I gotta ask – what brand & shade are you wearing?? On a side note, I will be turning 30 in April and I am soooo looking forward to it….so that I can cross off the things I would like to do before I turn 35!!! I’ve always been a list-maker – I like to write things down and cross them off – but now, in part thanks to you and your blog, I made a list of things I’ve always wanted to do but for some reason or another (laziness on my part mostly) I never did. It’s not a long list but it’s MY list and I get just a “little” excited when I think about it. Like goose-bump excited! So thank you and now that I have broken my comment cherry, I’ll be sure to drop a note now and again!
Wow, this was the comment of the week! Thank you so much, both for the compliments and for reading this little ‘ol blog of mine. More importantly, thank you for sharing that you’ve started a List of your own – pass it on. I mean, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at this blog and thought, “What am I doing?!”, and then I get a wonderful comment like yours and it just reminds me. Ah, thank you.
Question: Have you thought about making a List before your upcoming birthday? Why wait? The Birthday List is all about what you set out to do within each year, before you get a year older. Even if your birthday is just a week away, I’ll bet there’s something on your List you’d love to tackle, right?
I hope you’ll comment again – always feel free to join the conversation here. It keeps me going in so many ways.
x
Lipstick: Elizabeth Arden, “Poppy Cream” or I found a less $$ version from Revlon last month called, “Really Red”.
You and the camera love each other! Having said that, you also said something very true; a good photographer will be able to make you relax and “act natural” rather than ending up in an “I’m having my photo taken” pose!
Ah, Ken, you’ve been missed around here! Like I said, it took me a while to get, you know, in the groove, but then I just loved it. I totally stepped out of my comfort zone. Very necessary sometimes.
omg you look precious!!!!!!!!!!!!! i had a photog do some pics for me…and we were NOT so lucky…oy vey it was a nightmare, but yours are srsly amazzzzzing!!!!!! congrats!
Thank you! Like I said in another reply, it’s all about having chemistry with the photographer – what they do is coaching + image making in one.
Those photos are GORGEOUS! Oh my gosh, dude, what a great goal to cross off the list! And a good new one added!
Ah, thanks lovely lady. Hey, when are we FINALLY going to see a picture of your locks and dimples?