Eye Opener Press: Many readers are curious to know more about the person who wrote the story they have just read or are about to read. For that reason, publishers like to include a head shot and brief biography of the author on the cover of the book. Can you tell us about the adventure you had just getting your photo taken?
Brenda: Yes. I asked Jayne Bowler, who has worked as a professional photographer, to take my head shot photo. Of course, she wasn’t going to take just one photo; it was more like a couple hundred. I told Jayne that since my book takes place primarily outside, it might be nice to have a natural backdrop.
Eye Opener Press: That seems unusual. Aren’t most author photos taken inside?
Brenda: Many authors have their photo shoots taken inside because factors like lighting, weather and wind are harder to control. Jayne actually took lots of indoor photos of me, too. She took some of me in front of a neutral tan colored wall, and some in front of a beautiful fieldstone chimney that frames a fire place.
Eye Opener Press: But you had some taken outside?
Brenda: I did. Jayne and I had been waiting for a nice sunny day, but the rain had been coming down for days with no promise of improvement in the forecast. So, we decided to do the shoot on a gray, drizzly day. It’s actually not as bad as it sounds because on overcast days, a photographer doesn’t have to deal with the shadows that the sun creates. And there’s no need for squinting by the person being photographed.
Eye Opener Press: What type of outside settings did you use?
Brenda: The building I live in has outer walls of nicely weather wood shingles so that was one back drop we used. Jayne also shot some of me in front of a giant green evergreen tree and a few with a garden area in the background. Of course, we both got pretty damp, and it was chilly, but Jayne remarked I looked so much happier outdoors. (I was!) After the shoot, she had to cull out all the shots where I blinked, the ambient lighting didn’t work, or the wind blew my hair in my face.
Eye Opener Press: How many did she give you to choose from?
Brenda: She sent me about six shots she liked. But then she followed up by giving me a flash drive with twenty shots. I found one shot I liked against the weathered shingles best. The team at Paper Raven agreed. Another block got a check on my list of book publishing tasks.
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