about five years ago, i decided to change my bedroom colours to blue and white. and most recently, i decided i like powder blue. but powder blue doesn't really do any good to my skin colour and i've always tended to stick to black and white and the occasional dark red.
i've always been on the lookout for a good alarm clock. for years i had a digital alarm clock that for the last several months had developed this irritating humming sound that increasingly got louder and i finally had to unplug it. it's there on my bookshelf; if anyone wants it let me know and i'll send it over. :-P then in one of my sojourn in chinatown last week, i found this alarm clock and i fell in love with it. there were two other colours, white and pink. they didn't do anything for me. the powder blue one i couldn't get over so i just had to have it.
it runs on just one AA battery and it has this really loud alarm that would not only rouse you good from your sleep but also would clear your brains of cobwebs as soon as you open your eyes. it àlso doesn't have a ticking sound; the second hand just glides smoothly. i just love it. it's made in china, of course!
for the last saturday of the 52 portraits of me challenge, the prompt is "beginnings". it baffles me no end because last week's prompt is "endings". but i suppose the premise is that as it is end of the year so we all get to start again. well, whatever. but the point is i have at least one completed project and a few achievements for the year. with these self portraits, i have become comfortable with layers in photoshop elements. why, i even did a levitation shot, something i've been wanting to do but wasn't confident enough doing. i am now more conscious of the lighting aspect of a photograph. and i had to be a little bit more creative with my ideas.
i had in the past disliked being in front of the camera and taking self portraits was more of a necessity (for work purposes back in the old country). also, i never liked how i registered in photographs, but taking self portraits puts me in control of how i wanted to look and project myself. with the themes or prompts, it is a lot easier to execute. also, i took on this challenge because of some unfortunate soul who misses me and i had been informed had been "lurking" on my 365 to see what i've been up to. i had feedbacks ranging from "she looks good" to "she's grown rather fat". well, what the heck, bucko. eat your heart out because not even half-way through the year, i've started to enjoy doing the challenge and didn't really care much whatever you thought.
i had initially planned on putting in a year-long challenge for self-portraits, as there are a couple of you who expressed interest in self-portraiture. i decided i will not put forth a challenge to the community at large, but if you want to start one on your own, let me know and i will give you the prompts that were given to me by my friend who did it two years previously when she found it on the web. i guarantee you, it will be all worth it for the learning aspect of your photography. also,
@fiveplustwo which is a self portrait group has new themes every week and you should follow this group as we interpret the themes and you are encouraged to participate and give your own interpretation with a self portrait.
the only disadvantage to me? i think i might have managed to use up the shutter actuation of my canon. well, enough drivel.
i thank you, kind folks, for your support, your kind comments, your precious visits, your generous favs; know they are all greatly appreciated.
Update: just adding a few stats - 52 portraits garnered 221 very generous favs with 17 making it to the pp, and at least 3 were finalists for the weekly themes, one them was voted winner. really, folks, thank you so much.
Oh & “what the heck, bucko. Eat your heart out” made me laugh!
I love reading your narratives and your continued support. Wishing you a happy and prosperous 2018
Wishing you a great 2018 and look forward to seeing what you post next year!
By the way, you are a beautiful woman, I would kill for your skin!