I used to be colorblind...

...But I met you and now I find
There's green in the grass. There's gold in the moon. There's blue in the skies.
That semi-circle, that was always hanging about, is not a storm cloud; it's a rainbow.
And you brought the colors out...

Pardon the cheesy classic musical moment... ;)

Completely black and white outfits were long the fave fashion fare of mine. Then, a few years back, I was introduced to the incredible power of color, and my life was forever changed. Most people don't realize how much a special shade can make you look totally fab - it's an instant pick me up.

That said, I did revert back to "the good old days" and go "black and white" for church on Sunday. It's definitely easier to pull off a color (black), that usually washes me out, when I've been to the beach and got a bit o' sun.

What I'm Wearing:

Black knit top - by Very Important Pieces from K&G

Flowered silk skirt - by grace from Savers

Black sandals - by MUDD from Kohl's

Silver and pearl necklace - from Target

Oh yes, and that is, once again, the "artsy" water tank, covered in pitch and graffiti...

You may remember this post last year, where I shared the beginnings of my adventures in "self fashion portraits", which are practically mandatory for fashion bloggers. I've learned a lot since then (and produced a lot of "blah" pictures ;) and I want to reiterate some of those tips. Remember that AmandaBeth Fashion Week is just over a month away - so if you don't have a friend or family member to shoot your pics (or just prefer to do them yourself, like me), now is the time to get practicing! 

1. If possible, shoot outside. This will greatly improve the quality of your photos and should allow you to turn the flash off. If you have to shoot indoors, find a place that has as much light as possible.
   
2. Paint yourself on a simple "canvas". You don't want a busy and distracting background, unless you are lucky enough to pose in the center of Paris or some other famous city. I like to find a surface that is in a "neutral" shade and has some texture to it (helps keep the photos from looking "flat").
   
3. Pieces of furniture can be great accents, but don't go crazy. You don't want the size and color of the furniture to "compete" with you in the photo. I was walking around the water tank the other day when I stumbled against the bench, placed where you see it now. Nobody seemed to know where it came from, but one of my cousins accused me of placing it there for my self portraits. Not a bad idea... :)
   
4. Choose a flattering angle. Most people look best when being shot from above, so extend the tripod as much as possible. I actually shot lower in these photos and, accordingly, had to make some adjustments. Poses work differently from different angles.
   
5. Find you best pose! OK, this is a funny one, but it's amazing how much of a difference can be made from how your turn your face, position your hands, and et cetera. For example, I find that (for me, anyway) straight-on shots tend to be harder to pull off. Turning your face and/or body to a 3-quarter position usually works better. Also, tilting your head down or up tends to be most flattering to all your facial features.
   
6. Take a million photos. You can delete most of them later, but trust me, only 1 in 5 will turn out how you want it. Don't just take 2 and be done with it, and always check whether you like the photos on the computer - they don't look quite the same on your camera view-finder.
   

I hope these give you some ideas to try out - I am so excited about seeing everyone's fashion pictures, starting on June 21st!

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Oh yes, and I just have to share a picture of my new little nephew (Melissa and Jordan's baby), William Locksley. I love him to bits already and only wish I could be there to cuddle him! :)

Happy Tuesday! :)


Image: niednagel.com