close iframe icon
approved icon sarahallegra avatar
sarahallegra
Banner

Vanity's Murder



behind the lens badge

This self portrait is the most recent addition to my Enchanted Sleep series on living with myalgic encephalomyelitis-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This photo touch...
Read more

This self portrait is the most recent addition to my Enchanted Sleep series on living with myalgic encephalomyelitis-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This photo touches on both the hair loss I was experiencing because of the disease, but in a larger sense represents all the things chronic illness takes from you. But it is not without hope, as I wanted the warm pinky colors to imply.


Yesterday marked my fifth anniversary of living with the disease, and as usual, I wrote blog post about it. I've also teamed up with a really amazing fundraiser trying to crowd-source funding for a drug that could be a potential game-changer for everyone with ME-CFS. As part of my effort in trying to aid their cause, I am holding a <b&bt;print giveaway<-b&bt;! Check my blog out for details on how to enter!





*Red Bubble
*Prints
*Blog
*Facebook
*Twitter
*Sarah Allegra Artistry
Read less

Views

5243

Likes

Awards

Top Shot Award 22
Featured
Contest Finalist in Imagination Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Fantasy Portraits Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Photoshop World Las Vegas Photo Contest
Staff Favorite
  View more
Outstanding Creativity
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
patrickwhalen_0122 Angel_Eyes79 claytonmstory Valentinacq_ prabinjordanshrestha larryboothe jorgealbertopealozapealoza +40
Superb Composition
Casitico57 gordylindgren BillCermak LensReady SamandGos Ragnsteinn01 NuWaver374 +37
Top Choice
captjer Ohshawnee Ananda_Jagoda TheBigBaldy P_Shani jonasweiss LIL-THANGS +15
Superior Skill
ADesign daydreamsbymary0710 ghick6252 Coveboy53 ugisugcha gshpilsky andreealetitia +4
All Star
deanferguson mypStudio7 DavePrender vitor Rmully JanLiz Shirleybrand13 +3
Magnificent Capture
eddiwest alexlevinsky RuneHolthen Anewimage jjones6307 VanderblackStudios sweetpea72
Genius
StevieWander amandapanda D-Laura
Exceptional Contrast
Mingyue Fleury
Jaw Dropping
TrueBlue leighjg
Virtuoso
Confalonieri SoulfullyALT3R3D
Love it
Albert-Serra-Photography

Emotions

Impressed
lawrencenicoll Svenergy72 SEE_PODIO_Pablo-Klik ADesign Antoniobarrios jettahlily008 SANNIcamera +21

Top Ranks

My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol16Top 30 rank
Soulful Selfies Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Sunrises And Sunsets Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Sunrises And Sunsets Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Thankful Photo Contest 2021Top 30 rank
Thankful Photo Contest 2021Top 30 rank week 1
Flying High Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Flying High Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
The Contributors ProjectTop 20 rank
The Contributors ProjectTop 10 rank week 1
Fun Manipulations Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Exploring Spirituality Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Exploring Spirituality Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Swag ProjectTop 10 rank
The Swag ProjectTop 10 rank week 1
Fairytale Portraiture Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Fairytale Portraiture Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Sunrise Or Sunset Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Centered Compositions Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Redefine Selfies Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Centered Compositions Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Redefine Selfies Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Centered Compositions Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Redefine Selfies Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Blue Hour Photo ContestTop 20 rank
The Blue Hour Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Tiny Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Tiny Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Golden Hour Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Dusk Or Dawn Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Dusk Or Dawn Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Dusk Or Dawn Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Social Exposure Photo Contest Vol 7Top 20 rank
Covers Photo Contest Vol 37Top 30 rank
Social Exposure Photo Contest Vol 7Top 20 rank week 1
Covers Photo Contest Vol 37Top 20 rank week 2
Covers Photo Contest Vol 37Top 30 rank week 1
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 2Top 20 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 2Top 10 rank week 2
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 2Top 10 rank week 1
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
We Love Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Silhouettes In Nature Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Silhouettes In Nature Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Golden Moment Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Creative Portraits Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Creative Portraits Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Creative Portraits Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Facial Profiles Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Facial Profiles Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 2
Facial Profiles Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Photograph What We Recognize Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Photograph What We Recognize Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Mix It Up Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Mix It Up Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Photographer Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 11Top 20 rank
Photographer Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 11Top 10 rank week 1
Imagination Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Imagination Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 3
Imagination Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Imagination Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Fantasy Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Fantasy Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Fantasy Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Lifes Largest Moments Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1

Categories


28 Comments | Report
leighjg
 
leighjg May 28, 2013
your work is stunningly beautiful... love what you do
adoptedone
 
adoptedone July 09, 2013
Amazing work as always!
lekahuie Ultimate
 
lekahuie July 12, 2013
Very Very Creative! All your work are amazing...
readysetgo
 
readysetgo July 12, 2013
Great work, love it.
annalaviolamilo
 
annalaviolamilo August 09, 2013
Excellent. Love your work. The very best of creativity always comes from within, personal experiences. Very moving post. Wishing you the very best on whatever you embark on through life.
dannygraham
 
dannygraham August 28, 2013
well done i love your photo editing abilities
SherranAndersen
 
SherranAndersen September 02, 2013
Congrats.
ArtQ
 
ArtQ September 03, 2013
Congrats on your finalist award in Photoshop World Las Vegas Contest.
snowdon PRO
 
snowdon September 04, 2013
Congratulations on being judged a finalist in Photoshop World Contest. Good imagination put into practice.
Steveilad
 
Steveilad September 08, 2013
Outstanding work
ToneZone
 
ToneZone September 09, 2013
Your work is creative and very interesting. I am happy that you are taking initiative with your health and not allowing the disease to run your life.
jleiweke
 
jleiweke October 02, 2013
Congrats!
tsambaproductions
 
tsambaproductions October 02, 2013
congrats
Lionel
 
Lionel October 02, 2013
Congratulations on the award
VHiggins
 
VHiggins October 02, 2013
such stunning beautiful and creative work! congratulations!
photofairy Ultimate
 
photofairy October 06, 2013
Thank you for sharing this beautiful and creative photo! I love your work!
TrueBlue
 
TrueBlue October 10, 2013
amazing photo just amazing .
jleiweke
 
jleiweke October 29, 2013
Congrats!
garycox1 PRO
 
garycox1 November 04, 2013
Lovely creative image
rachelstandring
 
rachelstandring November 18, 2013
incredible effects
Storm-Sox
 
Storm-Sox November 18, 2013
Stunning!
billebbing
 
billebbing January 07, 2014
Nice
GordonD
 
GordonD March 13, 2014
Always so creative. well done !
GJUNIORPHOTOGRAPHY
 
GJUNIORPHOTOGRAPHY September 01, 2016
congrats
mattdunn
 
mattdunn February 06, 2019
So very cool shot! Beautiful self-portrait !!!
ghick6252
 
ghick6252 February 20, 2019
Good Afternoon Sara. Your art never ceases to amaze me. Outstanding Creativity & Superior Skill. I do so love your work.
blzzard PRO+
 
blzzard May 11, 2020
Magnificent, Sarah. I've been an intractable pain patient for 20 years, which is an umbrella condition that includes adhesive arachnoiditis, myofascial pain disorder, peripheral neuropathy, cervical disc disease, & polyarthralgias. This photo could be read many ways, one of which might be losing pieces of oneself. Masterful work, & thank you for sharing your details.
StefanBankt
 
StefanBankt September 27, 2021
Spectacular photography.... Well done!🌸🌸🌸😊😊😊😊 🦅 🦅 🦅
See all

Behind The Lens

Location

I shot this self portrait in the yard of my home in Los Angeles, CA.

Time

About 5pm, just as the sun was starting to go down and the golden hour opened up.

Lighting

I find that as long as you wait for the right lighting outside, there's little you need to do to modify it. Patience is key!

Equipment

A Nikon D5100, a 50mm 1.8 lens, a tripod and remote shutter release.

Inspiration

I had been experiencing some hair loss as a result of my myaglic encephalomyalitis (sometimes called fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) which was very upsetting at the time. At the same time, I realized it was a rather trivial thing to be concerned about, so I created this image to allow myself to mourn my loss, which would help me to work through my feelings.

Editing

All the crows came from my personal library of bird images. I flipped my hair over and over to get individual curls for the crows to be flying off with. I blended several birds into my hair itself, did basic skin editing and enhanced the sunset colors.

In my camera bag

A Nikon D5100, a 50mm 1.8 lens, an old 35-70mm kit zoom lens, a lightweight, collapsible tripod, several cheap remote shutter releases and some snacks! You never know when your or your model's blood sugar might get low.

Feedback

Spend a lot of time making sure everything blends together believably. Spend time looking at the image at 100% resolution and higher, and also back out so you can see the entire thing at once. Pay attention to how the light would naturally fall on the crows and hair if they actually had been in the frame and try to replicate that as closely as you can. The little details will really help sell you image!

See more amazing photos, follow sarahallegra

It’s your time to shine! ☀️

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Already a member? Log In

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, and acknowledge you've read our Privacy Policy Notice.