First, we're happy to announce that the team has identified and fixed the issue with the YouTube conduit; you can now find and add videos from YouTube to your library and posts. As always, thanks for your patience!
The other news we have today is about a new addition to the Six Apart family: TypePad Micro, a new free level of TypePad that is streamlined for microblogging. We see a new form of blogging emerging that lives between the quick status updates of Twitter and Facebook and the long-form posts of "classic" blogging; TypePad Micro is designed to meet that need. You can read more about TypePad Micro in Chris Alden's post on the Everything TypePad blog.
A lot of the new capabilities we've added to TypePad this year were actually inspired by some of the best things about Vox: favoriting, member profiles, a dashboard to follow other bloggers, and easy ways to post content from other social media sites. But the things that make Vox different from TypePad are still there: Vox has always been -- and still is -- the best place for "friends and family" blogging, where you're in control over who sees what. TypePad, on the other hand, is built for the blogger who wants, no, craves, attention.
Do you have a passion or interest you want to share with people beyond your Vox neighborhood? If so, we'd love it if you tried out TypePad Micro. Maybe you've always wanted to start that obsessive blog that's just about waffle restaurants. Or want a place to share videos of your favorite band (Jonas Brothers, anyone? Anyone? ...). TypePad Micro's great for those topic-specific blogs. Take it for a spin and let us know what you think.
On the Vox front, our designers are working on some cool new themes (coming soon!). We'd also love to hear your thoughts about where we should take Vox in the coming year. What are the key things you'd like to see for Vox? If you've had a chance to use TypePad this year, what are the features there that we should bring over to Vox? And, if you're thinking big thoughts, how could we connect the Vox and TypePad communities in order to bring together bloggers and their shared passions? Your feedback is really important to us, so please leave a comment here, or shoot me a message.
And again, thanks for your patience as we found and fixed the YouTube bug!
~ daisy
As many of you have noticed, the YouTube Conduit is not working. I am so sorry about this; I know how frustrating it is.
The team is looking into how to get this fixed and I will update you as soon as I hear something. In the meantime, not all is lost... There is a work-around for posting videos.
When you're in the Compose Screen, just click on "embed." Ignore the fact that it says "Widget" before everything because you can definitely use this to embed videos as well. You'll just need to input the embed code from the video, enter a title (if you want) and hit OK.
It might not show up perfectly in your compose screen, but when you hit "Save," your video should appear just the way you wanted it to.
Hopefully this will allow you to keep posting videos while we figure out what's happening on our end.
As always, thanks for your patience.
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Alexandra Romanov - The Last Czarina - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
Alexandra Romanov – The last Czarina of Russia (1872-1918)
The last Czarina of Russia, Alexandra Romanov was born in Germany. Converting to Russian Orthodoxy upon her marriage to Nicholas II of Russia, she became a passionate convert. She was unpopular with the Russian people, because of her German birth and her notorious relationship with Rasputin. Russia withdrew from WWI and the accompanying Bolshevik revolution forced the Tsar to abdicate and the family went into house arrest.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair
Lighting:
Key light: 1000 Monoblock, softbox camera left
Fill: Monoblock, softbox camera right.
© Alexia Sinclair
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Catherine the Great - The Enlightened Empress - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
The German born princess emerged from obscurity when she was chosen to become the wife of the future Emperor Peter III. Changing her name to Catherine, she read widely and familiarised herself with Russian conditions and values. Her fervent embrace of both the Orthodox faith and Russian culture, won her much love from the Russian people. Her husband Peter, on the otherhand, was said to have the intellect of a child. Once he succeeded to the Throne, a group of conspirators, headed by Catherine’s current lover, proclaimed her autocrat. Shortly afterward Peter was murdered.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair
MUA/Body Painting: Leeby Sotherine
Model: Chadwick Models
Lighting: 600 monoblock camera right, 1/2 power.
Post: Alexia Sinclair
© Alexia Sinclair
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Marie Antoinette - The extravagant Queen (1755-1793) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
Marie Antoinette was the Queen of France during the French Revolution. Born in Vienna, she was sent to Versailles at the age of fourteen where she was married to the future King of France, Louis XVI. At this time, France was the most powerful nation in Europe, and the royal palace of Versailles, the most opulent. Four years after her arrival she became the Queen of France.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair
Lighting: Softbox camera right & left (of model), key and fill respectively (1 stop differentiation).
Post: Alexia Sinclair
© Alexia Sinclair
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Elizabeth Báthory – The Countess of Blood (1560-1614) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
A Countess in Transylvania, Elizabeth Báthory, was known as the "Countess of Blood" and is considered the most famous serial killer in Slovak and Hungarian history. Báthory is also credited along with her relative, Vlad the Impaler, as the two historical figures upon which Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula is based. According to legend, Báthory struck a servant girl and drew blood when her pointed nails raked the girl's cheek. When the blood touched Báthory's skin, she became convinced that it had improved her complexion. The Countess reasoned that if she bathed in the blood of young virgins and drank their blood, she would rejuvenate. The killing spree commenced. She began to roam the countryside by night, hunting for suitable girls. Elizabeth is said to have bathed in their blood in a huge marble bath.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair
Lighting: Softbox camera right & left (of model), key and fill respectively (1 stop differentiation).
Post: Alexia Sinclair
© Alexia Sinclair
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Cleopatra - The Seductress (69 BC – 30 BC) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Cleopatra VII was the last Pharaoh of Egypt and the last of the Ptolemaic line. After the resolution of rivalry with her siblings and her alignment with the Romans, seventeen year old Cleopatra became the Queen of Egypt. It was said of Cleopatra that, when Gaius Julius Caesar marched upon Alexandria, Cleopatra, had herself smuggled to Caesar inside an oriental rug. When the rug was unrolled, Cleopatra tumbled out. It is said that Caesar was bewitched by her charm and that a scandalous love affair commenced that very night. After Caesar's assassination Cleopatra realigned herself with the Roman general, Mark Antony.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.
MUA/Bodypainting: Leeby Sotherine & Sahra Bull
Lighting: Softbox right (key) softbox left (fill) 1 stop difference between the two.
Model: Melanie P
Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair
© Alexia Sinclair
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Elizabeth I – The Virgin Queen (1533-1603) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
The daughter of King Henry VIII, Elizabeth was born into royalty at Greenwich Palace near London. Henry, hoping for a male heir, declared Elizabeth illegitimate, accused her mother of adultery and had her beheaded. Succeeding her sister to the throne, Elizabeth ruled with the knowledge that effective rule depended upon popular support. Advisors urged the queen to marry to strengthen ties with allies and to produce heirs to the throne, yet Elizabeth chose instead to marry England. Strategically aligning herself with the catholic figure the Virgin Mary, Elizabeth secured a shift of power through her embodiment of symbolic virginity. Purified, she was transformed from an illegitimate protestant woman to ‘the virgin queen’. Her purification began with a physical transformation by cutting off her hair, whitening her skin and adorning herself in pearls; symbols of purity and wealth.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.
Hair: Illustrated
MUA: Leeby Sotherine & Sahra Bull
Lighting: Softbox left (key) softbox right (fill) 1 stop difference between the two.
Model: Louise Van de Vorst, Chadwick Models
Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair
Rings, Orb, Sceptre, Pearls and Crown & Chess set all composites.
© Alexia Sinclair
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Agrippina - The Poisoness (AD 15-59) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
Julia Agrippina II was a Roman Empress. Born into nobility, she was the sister of Caligula and great-niece to Tiberius, niece and wife of Claudius and mother of Nero. Agrippina’s infamous reputation was that of an Empress and a poisoness.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.
Arch: Triamphal Arch, Volubilis, Morocco (Roman Ruins)
Lighting: As the lion was shot in a circus cage without strobes, the model was shot to look as natural as possible next to the lion. Softboxes camera (key) left and (fill) right not much differentiation just enough to all most flexible use of the model in post.
Model: Kate T, Chadwick Models.
Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair
© Alexia Sinclair
Alexia Sinclair uploaded this image to flickr, click the image and follow the link to the original page
Boudica – The Celtic Queen. (AD 26 - 61) - Part of the Regal Twelve series.
Boudica was born into a royal family around AD 26 in modern day England. Growing up, she attended a warrior school, learning to use a sword, spear and shield and her weapon of choice, the chariot. Boudica married Prasutagus of the Iceni tribe and they had two daughters.
The Romans had invaded England in AD 43 and brutally humiliated Boudica and her daughters. Sources say she was publicly stripped and beaten whilst her daughters were raped. Infuriated, Boudica became the leader of a violent uprising against Roman rule. She led an army of 100,000 against the occupiers, slaughtering some 70,000 Romans.
Photographer: Alexia Sinclair.
Retoucher/Post: Alexia Sinclair
© Alexia Sinclair
