Before Kyeli’s surgery, we had our first professional photo shoot with the lovely and talented Trisha Renae, who does family photography in Austin. It was a lot of fun, and I think the photos came out great! See for yourself, then scroll down to the bottom, because I have an important question for you. I’m having a lot of trouble making up my mind, and I could really use your help.
Pace
Here are three professional-looking ones of me and one of my cleavage. Don’t say I never did anything for ya. (;
P1 |
P2 |
P3  |
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P4  |
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Kyeli
Kyeli is so beautiful. I am totally bookmarking this post.
K1 |
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K2  |
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K3  |
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K4  |
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Pace & Kyeli
And here’s the two of us together. A mix of professional and sweet (just like us).
PK1 |
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PK2  |
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PK3  |
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PK4  |
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Pace’s icon conundrum (and how you can help)
I love our illustrated icons. Kyeli, however, wants her icon to always reflect how she actually looks in real life, so whenever her hair, piercings, or glasses change, she wants her icon to reflect that, and it’s too hard to keep updating the illustration. That’s why she changed her icon on most sites from the illustrated one to a recent photo of herself.
One of the reasons I loved our illustrated icons is because they matched. Now that they don’t match anymore, I’m considering changing my icon all over the internet.
On the one hand, I want to keep the illustrated one because it’s cool, memorable, it stands out, and people are used to it.
On the other hand, I want to have a photo of myself because I think I’m cuter in a photo than in the illustration, and also, the Freak Revolution is all about being authentic — maybe that will come through more clearly with a photo?
Pace’s illustrated icon  |
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PH1  |
PH2  |
PH3  |
PH4  |
I’d love to hear what you think about my pros and cons, and which of those icons you like best.
Thanks so much for your help!
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
I like PH4 best… I am not sure why, it just evokes a feeling of “this person is really open and genuinely CARES”… which is the vibe I got from you in real life. I think that picture is the most beautiful pose with openness, honesty and a sprinkling of curiosity about what the world holds.
.-= MoonsLark´s last blog ..Love- Love- Love what have you done to me =-.
If you go with photo over illo I vote PH4 as well, but more because you look like you’re up to something or about to be, in a very good way, which makes me more curious to know what.
.-= Scraps´s last blog ..the Medicine Cabinet in Your Kitchen =-.
Great pictures!! I love… well, I love several of them, actually… but K2 is a favorite because it looks like Kyeli’s really laughing, which is delightful. PK2 is a favorite for the same reason–it looks like you’re both genuinely smiling/laughing, which makes me smile. So many great pictures!
For your quandry: I always thought you and Kyeli had really cool illustrated icons, but I’m partial to photos, personally. Even if the illustration is a great likeness, I don’t really feel connected to the person until I can see her photo. The photos of you have a certain warmth and draw-you-in-ness to them that the illustration doesn’t quite have as well. So I’m in the “yay, photo” camp. As to which one: I’m partial to PH1 & PH4. I love the open smile in PH1, and I love the glint of an idea or inspiration you can see in PH4 (the “up to something” look Scraps mentioned!). But all 4 are great, so it’s shades of awesomeness rather than a strong preference.
Yay for new photos! :)
.-= Marissa Bracke´s last blog ..Figuring out what to write about when you think you have nothing to write about =-.
BEAUTIFUL pictures!!
I have to say that I love PH1 and PH4: I feel like your face and eyes are more illuminated, and I can see you better. :) :)
.-= Rachael´s last blog ..I’m Doing A Thing! And… Another Thing! =-.
PH4 is probably the best – it looks like the original for the illustration. PH2 is my second fav – makes you look very sweet.
Cleavage!
*hugs*
Love, love, love PH3. Also really like PH4. This post is super happy.
.-= Betsy Wuebker´s last blog ..Knowing What We Know Now =-.
What a happy post!
I like PH4 for iconography (lol) best. If I didn’t “know” you, that would be the most present and comfortable for me. You look fun and trustworthy.
You are both so, so beautiful. Thank you for sharing your love.
I vote PH4.
I like PH2 best! and may I say, you guys are probably the cutest couple I have EVER seen in my life.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Daily Outfit 7-23-10 =-.
Lovely pictures! Your happiness shines through :)
For that reason, I say go with an actual photo and celebrate your beauty. My personal faves are PH1 and PH4- they both look very natural and, although I’m not sure why, I definitely get more of a glimpse of your personality from these two.
.-= Hannah´s last blog ..Ways That Life is Like Skating 1 =-.
Yay! Thank you so much for your sweet compliments and helpful advice.
PH4 seems to be the popular favorite so far, but I have a weird thing.
Does PH4 look girly enough?
I mean, if 100 people looked at the icon, would 100% of them say “That person is female?” I think it looks about 99% girly, but I’m not sure it looks 100%. Being trans, I’m especially sensitive to that. Honestly, I’m kind of neurotic about it. With a gender-ambiguous name and a less-than-100%-obviously-female icon, I might get misgendered by people who don’t know me yet, and that’s something I would very much like to avoid.
I’m with Marissa all the way – no surprise. I like your illustrated icons but all of these photos are beautiful, and I feel more connected to what you guys are about by looking at these photos. Good luck choosing!
.-= Sinclair´s last blog ..You cannot be less than you are =-.
Pace, I think that PH1 is girlier than PH4, but I’m not sure WHY I think that. I just do. :)
.-= Rachael´s last blog ..I’m Doing A Thing! And… Another Thing! =-.
Oh, actually – PH4 would be girlier if you got your CLEAVAGE in the shot. ;)
.-= Rachael´s last blog ..I’m Doing A Thing! And… Another Thing! =-.
I like your smile the best in PH1. And it looks the ‘girliest’ of them all to me, for whatever that’s worth.
I vote for PH4. An excellent expression.
.-= Melanie Baker´s last blog ..Lessons from the unapologetic fringe =-.
LOL, I think PH1 is the least girly of the bunch. Gender is so weird.
So then which one do you like best? Which one just yells PACE when you see it?
.-= Rachael´s last blog ..I’m Doing A Thing! And… Another Thing! =-.
If I were you, I would crop PK2 for an icon. You look so happy and confident and it’s very flattering.
These are all lovely photos of the both of you!
Pace – I think I love PH4. There’s just something about your expression – very warm, like there’s nothing I could say that you wouldn’t get.
I *do* understand your concern about the girliness factor. But because I already know you, it’s really hard for me to look at that shot and predict how people who don’t know you would see it.
Have you tried cropping PK2 to be your icon, as bifemmefatale suggests? You’ve got a great smile in that one, and maybe it would feel girlier to you?
Love you guys! Can’t wait for the big reveal! ;)
.-= Victoria Brouhard´s last blog ..What Makes Decision-Making So Damn Hard =-.
I’ve never met you in person, so i thought i’d throw out an uninfluenced by knowing you opinion. The pictures are all lovely, but I really like PH4. You look so transparent, warm and open. There’s a softness to your expression that’s definitely very feminine.
All lovely photos! I think my favourite one of you is P1, but I don’t think it looks as nice cropped in PH1. I vote for re-cropping P1 to show more neck/shoulders. xoxoxo
OOOH! Pace 4 and Kyeli 2!!
Those, at least to me, seem to capture your spirits most. Your vibrancy and warmth and happiness. I know the illustration is neat and unique, but they still don’t come close to being YOU.
First, PK2 is AWESOME!!! I love that!!
My faves of you are P4 and PH4 because the lighting shows off your amazing skin. They all look fabulous. I don’t know whether it is more “authentic” than an illustration, but I agree with your point that illustrations are cooler as part of a matching set.
My fave of Kyeli is K2 because it’s like she’s saying, “look, I must be depressed! I’m touching a wall! don’t I look depressed? HAH!!” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SItFvB0Upb8)
(and I agree with Rachael – crop P4 to include some cleavage!)
What great photos! You both look so happy and loving! :)
I am going to go outside of the box here and say that PH1 is my fave of your potential headshots. I love your smile.
I like PH2 best. There’s a quiet glow there that the others don’t have, that I find very appealing.
I like PH1 and PH4 best. PH1 feels a little more “classical”, though, so my vote goes for PH4.
Nice photos :)
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..Writing-reading fanfiction meme =-.
I’ve always liked the cartoon icons. They’re memorable and distinctive. And even if the details change over time, sometimes an illustration can capture your essence more crisply than a photograph.
(That said, I agree with everyone above: Those are GREAT photos!)
You guys look so awesome! And I love Kyeli’s laugh :-D
I think, like others have said, PH1 is lovely — but to me, it doesn’t quite invoke “you” (it looks bubbly and fun but without the depth and complexity and thought that I associate with you, Pace). I like PH4 best — and to me, it’s not at all gender-ambiguous, but that may be because I know you…
On the other hand, I really like the cartoons. I’m not sure how they could reflect Kyeli changing, though. You need some sort of nifty software tool, like the Sim-maker on Sims 3…
(Now I’m imagining a Sim Kyeli and Sim Pace. You’d totally be rocking my Sims’ cosy little world and persuading them to quit their day jobs and discover new lifetime goals. :-))
.-= Ali Hale´s last blog ..Turning Inspiration Into Action =-.
Aww I’ve been eagerly awaiting these new photos! And Pace & Pyeli is just too funny. :) I’m all for PH2, for some reason. And I think it’s great to see a real photo of you, since my brain connects your smile with the real you faster than with an illustration.
I LOVE PK2 and PK3 – your awesomeness shines right on through the screen. And makes me miss you like crazy too! And for Kyeli I like K2 – such awesome smileyness.
Yay big cheers for new photos, this is so much fun!
.-= Nathalie Lussier´s last blog ..Will You Go Nuts If You Eat Too Many Nuts =-.
I love PH3. You look about to make some mischief! ;-D
Thanks for the feedback, everyone! PH4 was the winner of the popular vote and I like it best myself, too. Today I changed it everywhere over the entire internet. Phew!