A picture’s worth a thousand words

February 13, 2012 By 7 Comments

I wasn’t totally happy with my original profile pic for this site. Then I changed it, and I’m still not totally happy. Then I had a brilliant idea (by which I mean “an idea I need feedback on”):

Yes, it’ a picture of the clutter on my bedroom floor. But it’s clutter that I think represents me very well! Alternative photo, same general idea:

In all seriousness now: would either of these photos be better profile photos than my current one? At least, if you crop them a bit? (I’m going to need to crop them square.) I need to ask because I really don’t trust my own judgement on these things–this is either a brilliant idea or a terrible idea, and I don’t know which.

Also, if this is a good idea, which photo do you prefer?

Oh, and there’s a third option:

It may not convey the right impression of me, but on the other hand it could convey the HALLQ SMASH! concept pretty well.

Filed Under: admin 7 Comments
  • John Morales

    #3: Edvard Munch FTW.

  • Nance Confer

    Books are a good thing.

  • http://www.l-a-s-h.blogspot.com Eric

    Wow, that last one reminds me of Jim Carrey playing Vera di Milo!
    …..I’m still shuddering…..

    …..still shuddering…….

    ….okay. At least it looks like you READ your books rather than use them for decoration like a lot of other people :)

  • piero

    I think a profile picture should let people know what you actually look like. If you’d rather not let people know what you look like (for example, because of extreme ugliness or because you fear reprisals by Islamist fanatics), you might choose a caricature like PZ Myer’s. Otherwise, I’d suggest you have a friend take your picture in some everyday situation and then slightly tweak it in Photoshop for colour balance. Your current picture looks like you’ve never even heard of sunscreen.

    For a more intense effect, an one that will lead people to believe that you are extremely smart, convert the picture to grayscale or sepia. A pipe would also help: it is a weel-known fact that pipe smokers look much smarter than they are.

    • http://www.facebook.com/chris.hallquist Chris Hallquist

      You actually sound like you know what you’re talking about on this one. What kind of “every day” situation would you suggest? If I took such a picture and e-mailed it to you, would you be able to touch it up in photoshop for me?

      • piero

        Certainly. I’d be honoured.

      • piero

        Oh, and I think any everyday situation will do: sitting on your favourite chair, working at your desk, etc. The point is to avoid the mugshot where you look straight at the camera: people usually end up looking like convicts. For an example of what I mean, look at my own picture! (I’ll change it as soon as possible).