Common Craft Blog
The Buddy Icon Issue
By leelefever on June 27, 2005 - 11:45am
My appearance has a way of changing over time and I often find myself with a buddy icon picture that doesn’t match. I’ve heard from multiple people lately that I need to change the picture since it doesn’t look like me now. I agree and I just uploaded a new picture last night.
Old:
New: 
I’ve been struggling with this whole process. The buddy icons are really important to me – that single picture is how the online world sees my appearance. If I think about it too long, it gets to be too big in my mind – too big to fit my requirements.
A few weeks ago, I decided I would try to take a good picture, so I drug my wife to the back yard with a camera and took pictures. What a weird and goofy feeling that is. There is something inherently narcissistic about taking pictures of yourself for such a purpose, in my mind at least. The results didn’t fit with what I wanted.
Luckily there are people like Kris Krug in the world, whose photos have a way of capturing the world in wonderful ways. At GnomeDex, Kris took a photo of me that I think makes for a good buddy icon and I’m thankful for not having to do it myself. It reflects a more serious and thoughtful version of me, as opposed to the more consistent happy, gregarious, goofy side of me, but I'm OK with it for now.
Thanks Kris!
The Buddy Icon Issue
Nice new icon - that's the Lee we know.
Kris should be known for taking buddy icon-able shots. He's great at capturing candid portraits. Mine came from him too.
The Buddy Icon Issue
The new shot has better lighting, looks more natural and has a nice mood to it.
I don't think it works for you. The old one has eye contact, which is important for someone who's an expert on social networking. The photo should give a sense of you as a vibrant, active consultant helping organizations find innovative ways to engage and activat their customers/audiences/employees.
The new photo looks like you've spent a long day doing all for someone else, and you don't have any energy left for the potential customer who is visiting your blog.
The Buddy Icon Issue
Yeah, that's a good picture of you. And, your previous icon was definitely looking dated.
Still, I'm a little suprised that you didn't choose this picture ;-)
The Buddy Icon Issue
im really glad you like it feva. i have one i personally like better (a film shot)... i'll try to upload it tonight.
*actually, i don't objectively like it better but do think it may be a better icon. once it's up i'll link to it here and you guys can tell us what you think*
The Buddy Icon Issue
Yeah, I'd love to see it Kris. It looks like this could be a group activity.
Eric, I really appreciate your candor.
As I'm going around and updating all the photos, I'm thinking that I should really only have to do it once. Maybe one day...
The Buddy Icon Issue
ok, here's my vote...
http://photos15.flickr.com/21753711_d069301eae_s.jpg
muhuahaha!
The Buddy Icon Issue
I think I'm gonna go w/ Eric on this one - the old one works better. Given what you do, I'd say the more gregarious the better...
Although that is a great shot of you, it just doesn't scale down to icon size very well.
danah boyd has talked about IM pictures before - one complaint she always has is how she's constantly bright and shiny on her IM picture, even if that's far from how she feels...
The Buddy Icon Issue
I guess I'm a bit opposite of danah in this picture, being all serious looking. In real life I'm usually happy and jovial. I suppose my buddy icon should reflect that, maybe without the red hair (thanks for playing though Kris!)
The Buddy Icon Issue
Lee, whichever photo you choose, you gotta fix the dimensions. My monitor shows your new portrait on the main page squeezed horizontally by about 25%. I *know* you don't look like that.
jay
The Buddy Icon Issue
Thanks Jay. I think you may be looking at the Technorati profile picture in my right nav. For some reason, Technorati has to defy convention and have icons that aren't square. I may have to cut the pic down to make it look right...