Painting With Shadows

The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

Reality Attack

01:15 , ,
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To accompany my exhibition, Staring Back, I decided I’d give a talk on “Faces, Portraits and Photoshop” this Tuesday at the Mill on the Fleet.

I’m being lent a projector to rig up to my laptop, so as well as putting up images to illustrate the points I’m making, I can also graphically demonstrate some of the techniques used by the media industries to manipulate photographs and create impossible ideals of beauty.

It seemed like quite an interesting thing to do and posters have been put up, press releases have been released and I’ve already had a few people tell me they’re really looking forward to it.

It’s 1.15am on Sunday night/Monday morning and I’ve suddenly had a massive reality attack

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I’ve given loads of talks and presentations on a variety of subjects before now.

I’ll be fine.

Honest.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
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18 comments

mapstew said...

Yes, you will be fine. I get this Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! before most gigs! :¬)

(BTW, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!)

:¬0

1:36 am, May 24, 2010
savannah said...

you good now?

you'll be fine!

trust me on this one key thing!

xoxoxoxo ;~D

2:17 am, May 24, 2010
Jennifer said...

I can't wait to read how more than fine it went and how more than fine you were.

2:23 am, May 24, 2010
Anonymous said...

Ahhhhhhhh- lets all do it together!Before I have to do something like this I usually do more of a blaugh......
I have the utmost faith in you!

3:45 am, May 24, 2010
Ponita in Real Life said...

So now that you've gotten that out of your system, you'll be fine!!! xoxoxo

4:17 am, May 24, 2010
Keepin' afloat - barely said...

A few more of those and you will have used your quota for this event. Deep Breaths and away you go! You will be fine - it is a subject about which you are passionate and well versed! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!! All betterrr...

4:46 am, May 24, 2010
Mary Witzl said...

You've done this before, so you KNOW you can do it again!

I'll bet when we get back to Scotland, you won't do anything like this for a couple of years until we're ready to move on again, right? Sighhh.

4:54 am, May 24, 2010
Hindsfeet said...

well, if nothing else, Kim, it comforts me to know that even someone as articulate as you are can still feel *Aaaaaaaaaaa!* before something like this...

...if I wasn't all the way across the pond, I'd be there with bells on, cuz I know it's gonna be great..

...Hope you'll post a bit afterwards, especially a bit on what you touched on here....about how the media manipulates images into "impossible beauty"....maybe you could post a sort of "before" and "after" for us (pic before manipulation/pic after manipulation)...that would be pretty interesting......

5:23 am, May 24, 2010
A Daft Scots Lass said...

Like you said - You'll be fine!

If you have prepared and speak from the heart, you cannot go wrong.

All the best. Fingers crossed - althought you don't need it.

How is the show going?

7:30 am, May 24, 2010
Eryl said...

I wish I could come along but I don't think I will be able to, but you'll be fine, of course. I couldn't do it, but luckily you aren't me, good luck.

10:23 am, May 24, 2010
Kim Ayres said...

Mapstew - I'm usually fine until an hour or 2 before hand. Panicking 2 nights before is less common (fortunately)

Savannah - I'd feel better if my laptop didn't keep playing silly buggers...

Jennifer - Once I get going, I'm sure I will be fine. Going on past experience, I fall into a Kim-Performing-Mode, and that takes over

Starrlife - fortunately, while I might get nervous, I've never thrown up before appearing in front of people

Pointa - I'm not sure I've...
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
...got it all out of my system yet...

Keepin' Afloat - chocolate would be better than deep breaths, but as I'm on a sugar free diet at the moment, it's not an option. So screaming will have to do...

Mary - unless you become my manager and start setting up exhibitions and presentation tours :)

Hindsfeet - there is the world of difference between being able to write articulately and confidently and being able to stand up in front of people and present articulately and confidently.

Meanwhile, if you want a sense of the kind of manipulation I mean, take a look at these older posts of mine: And the winner is... and The Camera Never Lies

Gillian - I think the exhibition is going OK. I haven't had hoards of people phoning me up for me to do their portrats yet though

Eryl - It's a long way to come, besides, I've probably shown you most of what I'm intending to do anyway. But thanks for you good wishes :)

12:57 pm, May 24, 2010
Katie Roberts said...

Well said! (you'll be fine - but you know that) RELAX!!! :O) (by the way thats a joke - can you be ironic with text?)

ohh, to be there...

1:29 pm, May 24, 2010
Anonymous said...

Screaming is good for the psyche, but not so good for the throat. That's it! Give a silent lecture and use Powerpoint slides!

3:09 pm, May 24, 2010
Unknown said...

It is unfortunate that it can't be u-streamed so I could watch it.

I will breathe deeply and say a few aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhi's for you. I'm pretty sure it won't help, but I'm nothing if not empathetic.

4:00 pm, May 24, 2010
hope said...

Felt good to get that out of your system? Just remember not to yell it at your audience. :)

You'll be fine...I have much faith in you and your talents.

5:47 pm, May 24, 2010
Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

Think about when you're in an audience. When it's not going well for someone up on stage, you feel horrible for them, don't you. You will them to get it back together and find their feet again and you are happy when they do. I reckon 95% of any audience is like that. They are on your side, they will forgive you if it's not perfect because most people are just glad they're not speaking in public. The good will of the audience is the first thing we forget when we stand up to speak but if we remember it it seems not so bad after all. Give yourself a wee bit of time to relax before you hit your stride and save your major points for them. You'll be brilliant, Kim. I know it. Good luck! xx

3:22 am, May 25, 2010
erika said...

They will love you. Everybody does :)

7:16 am, May 25, 2010
Kim Ayres said...

Katie - once I got going, I was only nervous for a few minutes, then I forgot to be and it was non-stop for an hour and a half...

Charlie - silent lectures? But where else would I get the chance to talk non stop without interruptions?

Carole - your empathy is always appreciated :)

Hope - Hope has Faith... where's Charity?

Sam - it went well in the end. I've given many presentations and taught evening classes, so once I got going, Kim-in-presentation-mode kicked in and away I went :)

Erika - love's a bit of a strong word, but no one walked out or threw anything at me, so I take it as good sign :)

5:34 pm, May 27, 2010

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