Image Criticism

With respect to the image of myself recently added, Wieland Willker emails:

Some feedback on a negligibility:

As someone with an interest in photography I am sorry to say that the image on your blog is bad in almost every respect:

1. Everything is tone in tone (brown).

2. Your face is difficult to make out. Next to your face on the left is a hectic pattern, on the right is a bright window. Overall your face comes out bad due to bad light and is not well enough separated from the background. Also it is too much on the top.

3. What is the problem with your hand? Show it either in full or not at all.

Well, JMHO ... To say something positive also: I think it is a good idea to present a photo! :-) Make a new photo, choose a light, non distracting background and use diffuse light. I know that portraits are not easy, but your site looks overall quite professional. It deserves a good photo. Or: Why not use this one? http://www.theology.bham.ac.uk/staff/MSG%202.jpg
perhaps changing the background a bit. It is already a 1000 times better.

Come on, Wieland, don't hold back! Tell us what you really think about it! :)

In spite of everything Wieland says, I like the picture I've used here, perhaps because of its original context. It's actually not a portrait at all (unlike the one Wieland links to) but a shot from a BBC / Discovery documentary I took part in called Mary, Mother of Jesus. I suppose I like that picture over other ones because it's a picture of me attempting to articulate my thoughts about the New Testament as clearly, honestly and responsibly as possible, something that I would like to think is something I always aim for, including here in the NT Gateway blog. Although I was only a participant and not a consultant on Mary, Mother of Jesus, it is the programme that has had most impact on my life outside of the academic sphere, as I mentioned once in an article the SBL Forum published called The Pleasures and Perils of Talking to the Media. And the fact that you can see my hand in shot is because I am earnestly trying to explain some point, and I prefer that to a grinning head.

So for now, the image stays, I'm afraid. Sorry, Wieland.