Showing your face

[Anika Mae]

I might use my own post from here:

http://www.saafe.info/main/index.php?topic=2593.0

There's some pretty good stuff in that thread, so let me know if you're ok with your bits being used.

Brandy went from showing her face to hiding it and said that it didn't make any difference to her business, but I'm not sure if I've heard from anyone else who did both. Do any of you have that experience?

Also, Ian or anyone else, do you have any tips about making sure your blur can't be undone?

[Steele]

If you want to use anything from my post, you're very welcome

[amy]

Well I've gone from showing virtually nothing above the shoulders, to showing some bits of face to almost all of it, although I would hasten to add that for one reason and another I would be very hard to recognise from my pictures in the Real World, and I almost count them as a double bluff. I can't say it has really affected my business one way or another although clients do like them and the progression has been more because sadly, I do think my face and my hair are some of my better features, having as I do a curvy belly, teeny legs and slightly wobbly arms (as befitting a woman of 37, but I can't just fill my site with photos of tits  ). I always take it as a compliment when clients say I look just like my photos, bearing in mind how many times I've heard about ladies who don't.

I do feel happier and more at ease with the pictures I have now as I think they reflect me far better than my older ones (although that isn't necessarily all to do with showing my face) plus this is my only job and the only one I envisage having for a good while yet, I don't have children and I am not in any particularly public role linked to anything else. I would agree with and emphasise what others have said - once anything gets on the internet it is there forever and it is far easier to blur and then change your mind than the other way round. If I was younger and intending to have a family or another career in a few years I doubt I would be quite as forthcoming.

[UrbaneAspects]

I have to differ...

I have had so many people figure me out from my photos...one in which a shadow was cast over my entire body and face. Guys would look at it, stare at it, dissect it...and then call me and say, "I didnt know you were an escort".  Now, I do admit the town I live in has a small working boy community, and I happen to be one of the very few Black ones...but still, they noticed and I got scared and lost relationships. No big deal.

I still show my face now, but its because I really dont give a f**k. i understand women are different, but not that much different. If you do decide to show your face, make sure you are 100% comfortable, and that you dont give a f**k about what people think. People like, friends.....

[Anika Mae]

Good point that. The gay community of a city is smaller and more closely knit than a small town, so if that's what you're working with the chances of being recognised go up a lot.

[xw5]

Also, Ian or anyone else, do you have any tips about making sure your blur can't be undone?

Certain blurs are easier than others for people to undo - see the man who was identified having sex with children despite doing a spiral blur - but as photo enhancement techniques improve, you don't know if the one you choose will be undoable.

So I would suggest the basic rule is that you can't unblur wearing a mask or painting over what you want to conceal in a photo editing program.

[Amber Sweetpetite]

I really don't think it makes any difference. I've gone from blurring to showing to blurring to showing. I've been recognised mostly when I show my face BUT I have been recognised when my face was blurred with a totally different hairstyle!

[JennyJazz87]

I guess some people hide their face because they don't want friends and/or family to know they work as an escort, however some either don't care or have told those people.

 I myself don't need to really hide my face as I have very little family and most if not all of my close friends know what I do for a living.

  I guess another part of it is being recognised in the street or something like that, but such a thing is rare.

So it really depends I think.

[Your Tera]

I used to show my face in my private gallery, until I realized guys were saving my photos. The idea of my face being in some stranger's collection quite freaked me out and I deleted all photos showing my face, then took the originals and greyed-out my face so that future thieves would not have more than my body. Also, blurred out a very distinctive tattoo I have on my breast-- and cut it out completely of some photos....

[AngelEyes]

I agree with lots of what has been said. A lot depends on personal circumstances such as the type of place you live in community wise and the possibility of friends/ family finding out .

I think as Amy says it depends what parts of your body you feel comfortable with as well. I much prefer my body to my face  if I am honest even though I have stretch marks and whatever.  So, I think blurring my face works to my advantage personally .

My theory is that clients will like my body and then when they do see my face on the website they won't be too disturbed and put off ha ha   A supposed clever marketing ploy of mine.

My other more serious reason is that Aw is  so very public and I  wouldn't feel comfortable showing my face no matter how beautiful I may or may not think it and especially with the private gallery.
 
I  show my face on my website just so clients can get a chance  see what I really look like and then when they turn up I really do look my photos and they can't say I don't.  

I think one of my biggest worries is someone finding me  near where I live as I live in a small community and word gets about. I have  this strange idea that someone will see me, and then book me as a joke and spread the word.

Imagination running riot...........

[Your Tera]

I haven't noticed any difference, and I do have a face photo available on AW, should they ask nicely! ;-) 

[Krystle]

I used to blur my face in photos but now I don't care as all my friends and family know what I do.

However, when I did blur my photos earlier on I used http://www.picnik.com to edit my pics. First of all I applied 2 lots of pixelation to my face followed by a blur.

I like this effect myself 

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff420/sarahmclennan/lol.jpg)

[JennyJazz87]

I used to blur my face in photos but now I don't care as all my friends and family know what I do.

However, when I did blur my photos earlier on I used http://www.picnik.com to edit my pics. First of all I applied 2 lots of pixelation to my face followed by a blur.

I like this effect myself 

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff420/sarahmclennan/lol.jpg)

Hehe that's pretty good actually. If I ever want to hide my face I think I'll use that !