This is the second in my series to work on this year. It was originally supposed to be a full portrait, but it lacked the intensity I wanted. If I’m going to be honest my face isn’t too good for moody close ups, and let’s face it I’m no model! haha, but I quite like this closer crop.
It does kind of mess with my original plan that all photos in this series should be the same dimensions, but I suppose that would be quite limiting anyway, and I should really go with what looks and feel right.

I had no intentions to shoot this today, but I got my sketch book out and realised in terms of the story it makes more sense to have it second than third. Originally I had planned to wait until the weekend, but as it had been raining and there is loads of space in the living room as the side board is still behind the settee from Christmas I decided to shoot today as I was planning on washing in my hair anyway.

After tea I donned the dress I’m wearing for the first part of the series and went out into my garden to collect mud, leaves and twigs. I mixed the mud (From one of my plant pots) with some tap water to get the right consistency, and I dried the leaves off with a hair dryer. I then pinned various foliage in my hair, and rubbed some of the mud on my face, neck and hair. I was hoping that by the time I’d set up the camera and tripod the mud would be a bit more dry (Luckily it was!)

Getting my eyes in focus is always tricky when I’m doing close ups like this, but I managed to get them in focus in most of the shots. Ironic that this was one of the few times where I managed to get my eyes in perfect focus and then ended up cropping them out anyway.

None the less this is shot number 2 of my ‘In Isolation’ series done. I have technically taken and edited shot 3, but I’m not 100% sure on it, and I think I am going to try to reshoot it at the weekend. I don’t dislike the image that I have created, I’m just not sure the body language is quite right in it. I might be over thinking it though, as when I opened it up tonight I instantly thought it worked as a follow on picture. It’s not like there is a rush though, so I think that I am going to reshoot and see which I prefer. I’m not used to this kind of luxury in my photography!