As I mentioned last week, we’re in the midst of redesigning this site. I sent Ray’s mockup to some trusted friends, and got some excellent feedback. Basically, there’s just one outstanding issue. Like this one, the new site will feature a photo of me. The new photo we were going to use was this one, but the unilateral feedback was that it was too formal for my site. I agreed.
I realize we’re entering, even for me, a shamefully egostistical zone here. However, I’d like some help choosing the photo to use on the new site. My focus group of friends and colleagues was very mixed in their opinions, so I thought I’d poll the general population. After all, you have to look at the thing every time you visit my site:
| Which Photo Do You Like Best? | |
| Photo #1 – Frowny face close to the camera Photo #2 – With hand at chin Photo #3 – Really bright teeth Photo #4 – Wearing suit, barely | |
| Free polls from Pollhost.com | |
DarrenBarefoot.com 
You’ve already got my comments about photo #2 ;).
For “Bright Teeth”, you could always digitally alter yourself (then send the picture out on christmas cards).
Even though I voted for Bright Teeth, Frowny Face came a close second.
Bah! Frowny face is in *last place*! OK, I know: paste the bright teeth on frowny face! Maybe with some of the hair from #4? Or…random! Rotate between all of them.
Randomize! They’re all good!
I like the current photo. Good angle.
If you feel compelled to change, go with 2 or 3, in my opinion. 2 is enigmatic and ironic.
3 and 4 are just so conventional.* And 1–well, why would you?
Photo #3 or Photo #1.
Photo #4 is great except for the evil black cloud sneaking up from the right and photo #2 … well I’m glad the surgery to remove the extra digit went well but maybe not something you need to tell the world 🙂
I’m a fan of the current pic as well. Shoulda included that one in yor voting choices!
Thanks for letting us see the voting results, BTW.
I don’t know quite how to phrase this, but…um…in #2, your finger is a little too close to your nose for comfort. In fact, it looks suspiciously like it has breached all decent nose-finger barriers on the left side.
You know my comments my friend, and I’m still in favour of #1, but rotating them through is a pretty good idea as well. I think that would be fun. Maybe you could set the picture according to your mood that day.
Yeah I don’t like #2 at all, but I wasn’t bothered by the finger/nose thing (how Seinfeldian — NO PICK! NO PIIIICK!) I just don’t think it fits the tone of the blog (mind you, I don’t know Darren personally).
Photo #3 is my fave, it’s warm , accessible, suggests a friendly, but smart individual, and it looks like a hell of a PR shot. Plus it’ll be a snap to extract. (Extract was how I made that ‘ominous cloud’ disappear)
#1… not my favorite.
But it ain’t up to me.
Rotating will be difficult to pull off given the way I’ve extracted the photo in the draft and made it an integral part of the background. I’d have to rotate all or part of the masthead graphic, which would be a cumbersome download. If I were going to do rotating Darrens, I’d do a series of photos in the same perspective and lighting, with no background, and rotate them in their own dedicated box. I’d guess you don’t have a stock of photos like that lying around, eh DB?
Funny. I like #3, the current leader, the least. Your head is too skinny (I think it is the haircut). You have a big brain, so show it off. #4 is the best photo of you but I don’t like the current cropping choice and I agree with the black cloud comment above. #1 is amusing because it suits the inquistive/information side of your blog but is it an all round accurate portrayal? #2. is too playful for the tone you usually write with here.
Well… you asked.
I voted #3, but really wanted to vote for a random photo. You’re a dynamic person (or so I hear), and a dynamic photo would be nice 🙂
Oh dear, i’m afraid you don’t look too good in any of them.
definitely 1. It’s the “entertaining” one. I get the impression of you thinking something like “hey, what’s this funny camera-like thing doing here?” like the view you get of someone’s confused face in an unknown security camera or a door peephole.
It doesn’t look frowny to me, it looks perplexed. I’m fond of the perplexed look.
And the word perplexed, for that matter.
I go with #1. (#2 is a close second.)
#3—too cheesy.
#4—”Please let me work at your bank. I’d be a model employee.”
I love the photo on your current site. But 3 and 4 are also good. 1 is BAD. 2 looks like you’re about to stick your tongue out through your fingers.