• me personally I think this might just be a tad too much what with the cracking - Mr. E.
  • Don't think I'd seen this one before. It's quite lovely. - Mr. E.
  • I have mixed feelings about the use of flags in art. - Mr. E.
  • Goofy one provides nice balance against the more serious ones. Smart. - Mr. E.
  • Another that might just be a bit too over-processed. - Mr. E.
  • Should I say which ones are good too? Cuz there's a bunch : ) - Mr. E.
  • This one would be cool big. :) - Cecily75
  • yes! must. but if you do this one, skip the first crackle one. - Cecily75
  • this one! Cause stories sell photos, and this has a good story. :) - Cecily75
  • I love this, but don't you have another naked in abandoned building one too? I feel like the older one was more strong for some reason. - Cecily75
  • yes, please. - Cecily75
  • oh hell yes. - Cecily75
  • I'd buy this xxx - x Louisa Rose x
  • this one is awesome, but I'm not sure how saleable it is, you know? It is one of my favs though. - Cecily75
  • Oh yes. This one is magnificent. - Cecily75
  • I think this one is magical and I love it. Will look awesome large. - Cecily75
  • this one is so intense, and would be great, but it's so different from the others I'm not sure it "goes" if you know what I mean. - Cecily75
  • oh yes. - Cecily75
  • This is my all-time favorite photo of yours. I would think it was very sell-able. - craftyexpat
  • yes yes yes. - Cecily75
  • yes yes yes. - Cecily75
  • I'm guessing this will sell tons. - craftyexpat
  • wait. There it is. This one! This one! - Cecily75
  • Oh yes. Must must must. - Cecily75
  • I love this one too, but not if you do the nudie. :) - Cecily75
  • YES. - Cecily75
  • yes! - Cecily75
  • yes yes. :) - Cecily75
  • i sort of do too, but it makes it noteworthy. Also, it's just a gorgeous image. - Faerie Girl
  • The crackle is such a strong effect, i don't know if you need more than one. I'd vote for #1 over this one. - Faerie Girl
  • Love this one. - mihow
  • ; ) yes. - siobhan123
  • This is really great. - mihow
  • Probably my favorite on here, tho, just getting started. - mihow
  • I actually like this one better than the nude in the same room. - siobhan123
  • yes - siobhan123
  • Another great one. Another possible favorite. - mihow
  • I agree w/ C - siobhan123
  • Obvious yes - siobhan123
  • i like. - siobhan123
  • This "goes" with the show. - siobhan123
  • I agree, it's a beautiful shot but it feels sort of out of place next to the others. - like_shipwrecks
  • This goes without saying... it's on the postcard. :) xo - Bas Bleu
  • for sure- i mean i BOUGHT it! - The Flooz
  • 100% - The Flooz
  • i'm a fan of this one - The Flooz
  • I love the dark/light contrast of this one, fantastic one - [Ligeia]
  • this one for sure ^^ - [Ligeia]
  • This was in the book and it's a must <3 - [Ligeia]
  • really classic, love the natural tones. - [Ligeia]
  • another must - [Ligeia]

Need input please!

OK. So I have this show coming up in February (opening Feb. 6th!!) with the sweet and wonderful www.flickr.com/photos/estrellasluna/, 2. Vacant Memories, 3. A Million Little Remedies / Day 363 year 2, 4. I Want You, 5. "Lay me down, let me down" / Day 317 Year 2, 6. "Pools of sorrow waves of joy" / Day 292 Year 2, 7. "I feel like I know her but sometimes my arms bend back…" / Day 281 Year 2, 8. Doors of Perception, 9. Whispers from the Past / Day 273 Year 2, 10. I can't keep this from you / Day 263 Year 2, 11. "I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity" / Day 243 Year 2, 12. "The old familiar sting" / Day 233 Year 2, 13. "You're the reason for my laughter and my sorrow" / Day 225 Year 2, 14. And you're to blame / Day 180 Year 2, 15. The Angel of Kingsessing Avenue / Day 112 Year 2, 16. "The angel opens her eyes" / Day 111 Year 2, 17. "Love is an ocean that I can't forget" / Day 109 Year 2, 18. Misguided Angel / Day 89 Year 2, 19. "Come you masters of war" / Day 24 Year 2, 20. Junkyard Angel / Day 14 Year 2, 21. "I have been half in love with easeful Death" / Day 12 Year 2, 22. "Scale that wall and smoke that vine" / Day 7 Year 2, 23. "I'd sell your heart to the junkman baby" / Day 3 Year 2, 24. When the roses fade ... I'll remember you, 25. Evolution / Day 351, 26. And it all went out the window / Day 345, 27. FUTAB on acid / Day 301, 28. "The country music station plays soft" / Day 293, 29. I Celebrate Myself / Day 290, 30. "When I am in the darkness, why do you intrude?" / Day 210

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

Comments and faves

  1. Mr. E. [deleted] (53 months ago | reply)

    Notes on the image itself? I have some ideas. For instance 7 and 8 are both excellent and different but the background scene being similar might look to others as too much of the same. 29? The money-maker. Print off ten of those, they'll be snatched up quick.

  2. sadandbeautiful (Sarah) (53 months ago | reply)

    Thank you! Yeah, notes on the images are fine...I figure if people keep their 'box' really small I can decipher what is going on...if I end up getting several notes on one, for example.

  3. d.rex (53 months ago | reply)

    From the "how stupid you are" department... :-)

    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/279214292/i n/set-721575...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/338759802/i n/set-721575...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/423351025/i n/set-721575...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/477100161/i n/set-721575...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/492906913/i n/set-721575...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/278477297/i n/set-721575...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/288781707/i n/set-721575...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/424369585/i n/set-721575...

    One general thought: if I were going to buy a self-portrait of a stranger, I think I'd be more likely to buy an "anonymous" photo (i.e. one that could be any woman). But what do I know?

  4. d.rex (53 months ago | reply)

    Now I suppose I should suggest eight that I'd take away to make room for the 8 above. That's not as easy! Let's see...

    2,5,6,7,18,21,22,30

    I don't dislike any of those...but I'd put the 8 listed about ahead of those 8.

    Good luck with the show!

  5. ★

    Trisha G. added this photo to her favorites. (53 months ago)

  6. ZL - Limits & boundaries (53 months ago | reply)

    I was in the middle of a nice entry and I accidentally closed the window. I have to go to work, but I'll comment on this when I return!

  7. craftyexpat (53 months ago | reply)

    I've added notes to the ones I think are best. I personally (and you know I have no taste so take this with the proverbial grain) would not buy the ones that have the crackle-y finish. It's just too much. And as someone said above I'd be more likely to buy one that is anonymous, just because if I don't know the person it's kind of weird to have a photo of them hanging in my house, you know?

    All of these are wonderful, though!

  8. mfophotos (53 months ago | reply)

    Are you selling prints directly? #6 is a definite fave.

  9. sadandbeautiful (Sarah) (53 months ago | reply)

    Heading out the door for a bit, but thank you!

    Just a note...this is totally fluid and there are no 'right' or 'wrong' answers...obviously I can disregard all of you if I want. LOL.

    PLUS, we don't know how things will look in the store and also how they will look with Christy's work.

  10. bellybutton girl (53 months ago | reply)

    my 0.02: my personal "musts" would be #3, #8, #10 and #14. i think there are also a lot of other really strong and beautiful images in your selection.

    i agree that if you go with a cracked image it's probably better to only go with one, and personally i think it has more punch and context on #1 than on #4. as far as the similar setting in #8 and #9 i think you can get away with it, just don't place them next to each other on the wall.

    lots of people argue as d.rex does that anonymous images sell better, and i think it's true to an extent, however i also see a lot of work sell where the subject is quite specific and they are not known to the buyer or audience (which is usually considered the main reason an identifiable portrait sells).

    one thing to bear in mind is that you can't guarantee what will sell and what won't when you're having an exhibition (even look at which photos you post that don't get comments or get only a little response that you love - our own tastes often do not match with those viewing the work, unfortunately), so the best rule of thumb i find personally is to include the work you're most proud of and that represents you best.

    although the images that d.rex mentioned as alternates are good images and i can see his reasoning for interchanging them with some of the ones he's listed, my concern with many of those substitute images is that, to me, they don't come across as so strongly your work. if i saw them in an exhibition i would not necessarily know them as your work, whereas a lot of the images you have selected above have a strong identifiable style (and not just because of the use of TTVs of the wings). and this is by no means meant as a criticism of d.rex's selection, so i hope he is not offended. these are just my own thoughts and can be disregarded or taken on board as you see fit :D

    good luck with it!

  11. mrbbqcook (53 months ago | reply)

    All i can really say is i like almost every picture i've ever seen of you Sarah...... But if i had to pick from this group it would have to be # 27 it just stands out !!!

  12. siobhan123 (53 months ago | reply)

    I know that you asked for opinions, but this is difficult for me to do.

    What opinion do you want? Do you want my opinion of what I like or what will sell?

  13. siobhan123 (53 months ago | reply)

    I just learned how to post a "note."

  14. Bas Bleu [deleted] (53 months ago | reply)

    Your work is going to look perfect on the walls, and will outshine mine for sure. But, I love you and am excited to be showing with you, so I don't mind at all. :) xoxoxo

  15. d.rex (53 months ago | reply)

    I do see where you're coming from...the ones I suggested definitely lack the textures and TTV that have become a big part of Sarah's work. They're all from her first year of 365s, which probably has a lot to do with that. To me they are very much "Sarah", perhaps because I was much better at keeping up with my friends' streams back then (I actually went looking for one image in particular and came back with those 8 that jumped out and me).

  16. sadandbeautiful (Sarah) (53 months ago | reply)

    I really appreciate the input here, everyone!
    Don't stress over it...tell me both what you like (i.e. what you would love to see in the show) and also what you think would sell.

    I'm glad this discussion got started, d.rex bellybutton girl.

    I was thinking about this while out. At first it makes total sense like, 'of course it would be weird for someone to hang me on their wall!' but then...then I think of my self-portraits and how they are not me. They are not snapshots of me (the ones I consider art, anyway). They are images using myself to tell a story, create a mood. So in that sense I don't see how it matters who the woman in the photo/work is. I mean, think of paintings and even photographic portraits of women you've ever seen become 'famous'...they become popular because there is something familiar in them; something we recognize; something that draws us in.

    The portraits Dorthea Lange took, for example (obviously in no way comparing myself to her) are of people we don't 'know' but we connect with them. We might hang a print on our walls.

    I don't know. Ultimately it is what I feel most proud of and think is important. Not everyone will "get" each picture or what I might be trying to say. That's the way it goes. It is fascinating to see what people connect with or don't connect with though!

    I don't even know how many images I will end up hanging...I figure I'll print/frame at least 30 if not more and then Christy and I, along with the owner of the gallery (artist Roldan West) will spend a long evening arguing over what goes where. ;-)

    d.rex That's interesting that you associate those early images so much with me...they feel so foreign to me now! I do like a few and am going to consider some of the ones you mentioned, but others I thought, 'no way'! LOL.

  17. d.rex (53 months ago | reply)

    That's a fair point on the subject of anonymity. Ultimately, it's really hard to know what people are likely to buy. In the grand scheme of things, the sad truth is that I don't think a lot of people buy photographs of people at all...but here's hoping you prove that theory wrong!

    Oh, and if you listen to only one of my suggested additions, make it the first one, OK? It's awesome.

    One last note: any idea if there are copyright issues you should be worried about with the poem-on-stomach image? I have no clue, just wondering...

  18. .tara. (53 months ago | reply)

    I associate your earlier images (Year 1) with you, too. Moreso than the more recent ones. I guess because it showed how you evolved into YOU, and it showed such a big change in your self-confidence, among other things. If I had to pick I would also pick ones more along the lines of what Dave picked. However I am not going to pick or give m opinion because ultimately you have to go with what YOU feel good about. If you really want my opinion I think you are great with TTV and textures but I would hate to see most/all of what you put up that. I am not shy in that I am not a huge texture fan, and I like TTV but I think it is definitely more specialized than even seeing a face, and I think your work is SO beautiful and you are SO talented that you do not need to hide it behind all those filters/textures/TTV stuff. :-( And that is probably not what you wanted to hear so you will ignore it and that is fine, it is why we all have opinions:-) All I hope is that whatever you do pick, you do it because YOU feel good about it. Now even because you think it will sell but because you feel good as an artist about it.

  19. The Flooz (53 months ago | reply)

    i agree with on his first one and this one

  20. ZL - Limits & boundaries (53 months ago | reply)

    OK, here are my thoughts that I began earlier and accidentally deleted...

    1. I think all of the texture stuff is ok, but not awesome. I prefer a well-composed, well-lit, photograph with interesting subject matter to the textures any day. There are some ttvs that you do really well and some that I think are just too exaggerated and I lose the subject in the texture.

    2. I prefer a theme for a "show." You have several well-themed "portfolios" throughout your work. If you choose to utilize photos with TTV textures, I think it would make sense to do all of them with that...but I think your strongest photos are without textures. If you choose to utilize the angel wings, I think that should be your entire show...but I think they are a bit cliche and you have stronger photos than that.

    3. If I were the boss of you and made all your decisions I would say...go with nudes only. Forget the clothing, your nudes are fantastic. Ditch the wings and the textures and any clones or heavy PS and go with naked, beautiful, expressive you. OR go with naked, beautiful you inside broke-down palaces. Those are your strongest photos and you have quite a good portfolio with them.

    4. All of that being said, I went through all your nudes and selfies and everything and found a bunch I love. A few of them are a clothed you that I think would work well with any of the above images and they show a lot of expression. Many of them are more of the body art you, naked with little else in the photograph, gorgeous shapes. One of them is you in a broke-down palace. And I think I might have chosen one that is already up there.

    My faves:

    With clothes but very expressive and wonderful:
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2546826804/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2447476276/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2588703112/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2199371327/ in/set-72157...

    With textures that aren't too distracting:
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/1243183225/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2432559706/ in/set-72157...

    Broke-down palace or including other compositional elements:
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/1678474381/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/572315075/i n/set-721576...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/1391639141/ in/set-72157...

    Naked, wonderful you, with very little else in the photo:
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2308644696/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2406650876/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/2421169067/ in/set-72157...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/279214296/i n/set-721576...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/279214306/i n/set-721576...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/404962374/i n/set-721576...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/542767332/i n/set-721576...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/542767278/i n/set-721576...
    flickr.com/photos/sadandbeautiful/533597322/i n/set-721576...

    Now that I have your attention...when are we going to do a print exchange!?!

  21. bellybutton girl (53 months ago | reply)

    @d.rex: thanks for not taking my comments personally :o)

    @sarah: to clarify, my feeling about the images above being more what i think of as your style in my eyes is, as i mentioned, "not just because of the use of TTVs or the wings", in fact i agree with a few comments here that i'm not a massive fan of textures and ttv (you might find one textured image in my stream and no ttv :P), and i do agree with .tara. that you don't "need to hide [your work] behind all those filters/textures/TTV stuff" .

    for me the images above, especially those i singled out as the ones i felt strongest, stand out to me as yours because of the strong and often dramatic composition, the concept behind the images, and the tones. only one of the ones i mentioned has ttv, and i believe all would be just as strong as final images without any sort of texture or ttv treatment (but i also don't like to tell people how they should or shouldn't process their work because it's such a personal and subjective thing and i process my work in my own style and respect others choices to do the same :o) )

    the earlier work d.rex has linked to (and admittedly i wasn't lurking around your stream when these were originally uploaded so many of them i have not seen before - and in fact i just realised why i don't see your photos in my home page: although i follow your work and know it because of the fspasg, i had somehow overlooked adding you as a contact! i actually came across this post because of your twitter *shakes head at the oversight and adds you immediately*), whilst beautiful and well executed, strikes me as somewhat cliched. and that's just a personal opinion, so again, please feel free to take with a proverbial grain (as someone else said).

    oh, and with a theme like molly said, i would usually at least partly agree, but a) self-portraiture is a theme in itself, and b) i'd be careful about getting too specific with a sub-theme when you're exhibiting so many images. i think when you're doing a show of 10-12 images you want there to be a uniformity and a nice tight theme is good, but there's potential to look like a bit of a one-trick-pony if you have 30 images all with too-similar style and content / concept. you also have to remember that buyers are (probably) only going to be buying one piece each, so the images themselves should be strong pieces that can stand alone but also compliment each other well, especially in what sounds like a small space.

  22. sadandbeautiful (Sarah) (53 months ago | reply)

    d.rex Re: copyright issues...not sure. I asked the editor about that when this image appeared in Fitness Magazine...didn't get a response, but they printed so I'll contact her again and see if they looked into it and what the result was.
    Thanks so much for your input, Dave! I'm not expecting to sell tons...it is hard to get folks to buy art any time. Of the TTVs I have showing in a local store, the first one to sell was a self-portrait (number 22 above)...it sold before the owner was done hanging all my work. It is anonymous, however, so that goes to your point. LOL.

    .tara. Thank you, Tara! I find it fascinating what people associate with 'me'...I go in phases, I think, but I don't believe my self-portraits specifically are that texture or TTV-heavy. Hmm. Above I only have two with heavy texture and a couple more with subtle ones. The two heavy texture ones seem to be causing issue with those who have commented so far, yet for me, the texture was such a vital part of the pieces...it is relevant to the meaning of each and was definitely not used as a way of 'covering' the image but of enhancing them.

    The Flooz Thanks sweets! The first one Dave picked is a definite 'in' I think...but see that one you mention is pretty, but the actual quality of the image isn't very good in my opinion.

    'o wau no Thanks very much for taking all that time to go through my work! As BB Girl says, since I am going to be hanging up to and possibly more than 30 images, those themes don't work...and the theme of SP is already there. I also do not want to go too heavy on the nudes as this is not a traditional art gallery...the owner has all kinds of families, children, etc coming in there and while he is okay with nudes he indicated he didn't want it to be too 'in your face'. Not totally sure what he meant.

    bellybutton girl D. Rex is very level-headed and will always discuss things intelligently w/o getting personal. He also rocks. :-)
    Thank you so much for your input! I'm definitely thinking along the same lines as you, across the board. I feel the same about my earlier work, which is why I kind of shuddered when Dave linked to so many. It feels like lifetimes ago...it was part of a very important process for me at the time, of, like Tara mentioned, gaining confidence in my body and in myself. They are important for me in that regard, but personally. I also was not as good, technically, then. So the quality makes me cringe. I do have some back there I think stand up...my basement tapes series, for example.

    I really really appreciate all of you taking the time to give me your opinions and suggestions, whether through notes, comments, emails or any combination!! I am going to give this another day to simmer, then make a new mosaic of what I think I'm going to go with.

  23. Imhara (53 months ago | reply)

    Number 28? Should definitely stay. If you were to keep one and one only, it would be that one. It's just perfect.
    Anyway... That's all I wanted to say! ^^ :)

  24. sadandbeautiful (Sarah) (53 months ago | reply)

    .tara. I just looked at this mosaic again...there are more with textures than I realized. LOL!
    xoxo

    Imhara Thank you!

  25. d.rex (53 months ago | reply)

    See now I think the one with the pearls (that I linked and Flooz liked) is actually much higher quality than this one (http://flickr.com/photos/27965491@N00/242116 9067) which I think is a bit too blown out in places. I really like the super-softness of the pearl image.

  26. sadandbeautiful (Sarah) (53 months ago | reply)

    bellybutton girl You aren't on my contacts list either!! wtf? *fixing it*

    d.rex See, that image is supposed to be blown out in places. Overexposed...overexposure...narcissism...tha t was the point. LOL.
    Sigh.

  27. ZL - Limits & boundaries (53 months ago | reply)

    I left out any of the works that contained other people for model release and legal purposes...I had considered what nudes might do as the only type of selfie you hang...I do hope you choose to include the tutu one with you on the bed, smiling. I love it. I'd buy it even if I didn't know you.

  28. d.rex (53 months ago | reply)

    @sarah - Right, I knew that. That's what I meant. :o)

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