Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Ready for my close up

Mes Amis

Today I has been mostly... well, preening myself. I was meeting with awesome photographer, Ross Fraser McLean* who has given me a new set of shiny author portraits. Playing on my love of noirishness and so forth, we have four shots (and a fifth colour one which is not yet here and is still being toughed up to remove graininess etc) that convey different moods and ideas. Most of them quite dark.

This first photo is pretty much my favourite. Its dark and just sinister enough to convey that noir mood.




This next one sees me get a little more smiley. Which is nice. I've been told I need to smile more in pictures. Most of the time I think I just look ludicrous in pictures where I'm smiling, but Ross managed to catch the right moment.










This next one finds me more relaxed. Its actually a reasonable portrait which is unusual. A testament to Ross's skills as a photographer that he can get me looking vaguely human at all.

Speaking of vaguely human...


This final shot is rather terrifying, even from my point of view. Looking like some kind of Terminator (but not quite as big as Arnie) from the 1970's in that leather coat, I really rather like it. Even if the sad truth is that people who meet me are going to be rather puzzled at the reality of what I look like.

Oh, well... its been a fun day though. We pissed about with Top hats, too, and generally had a lot of fun putting these together and selecting the final four from a selection of several hundred shots. I've known Ross's skills for a few years, and would happily direct you to his website where he's got images from his travels down the years. I even wrote a short story to accompany of them a few years back

Anyway, with thanks to Ross for these new images. And speaking of your humble beardy host's overinflated ego, you might notice we now have a facebook fanpage on the go. Check the link on the right. And go tell me you like me.

We'll be back with the usual nonsense very soon indeed. In the meantime, in case you missed yesterday's announcement, THE GOOD SON has now gone digital in the UK and you can snap it up for the Kindle for only 99 of your shiny, earth pennies. Gowan... give it a go.

Au revoir

Russel
*no relation, although we used to work together which got confusing when work documents were signed RM or R McLean

6 comments:

John R said...

First's the best, I'd say; makes you look like Brian Cox.

The actor. Not the physicist.

Elizabeth said...

I actually like the third best, followed closely by the first.

Russel said...

John - That's actually a very cool comparison. Ironic, too, given the Dundee connection.

Elizabeth - yes, those are the that will most likely be used. The second is to appease people who always ask for one of me smiling and the fourth... well its the jacket that makes it. Its also a different kind of shot from the others which is why we chose it.

I like 'em all in different ways, of course. As much as I can like photos of me...

Steve Weddle said...

not the second
psycho

Unknown said...

I saw no4 on twitter and wondered if it was Checkhov. Hey, when I need to get mine done can your mate do something with a double chin?

Unknown said...

I saw no4 on twitter and wondered if it was Checkhov. Hey, when I need to get mine done can your mate do something with a double chin?