Self Portraits | Basic Tips

Me + self portraiture have a love hate relationship, always have and probably always will. I know I make it look so easy ( sarcasm ), but the fact of the matter is it’s not always easy peezy. Below are some tips I’ve learned over the last few years that have really helped me hate self portraiture a lot less. Really actually I love self portraits…not because I’m vain or anything – but because you truly have the power to capture exactly what your vision is with ease and no strings attached. I also find it to be super therapeutic.

1 // Tripod

A tripod is a must! Yes you can most definitely just sit your camera on a flat/sturdy surface but you will be very limited as to where you can stand/sit/pose & also there might be a height issue haha I know this from experience. If your wanting to capture some fun outdoor portraits, mother nature unfortunately does not offer many shelving/table-esc options, so a tripod is needed outdoors.

2 // Shutter

as far as snapping away at yourself you have a few options as far as clicking that shutter – get a wireless remote for your DSLR the price range for a remote starts at only $10+. If your a canon shooter there’s a app you can download on your phone called “eos remote” which is a game changer for me, it allows you to live-view, focus, change settings from your phone! – however this remote app from canon is not compatible with all canon DSLR’s so check to see if this is a option for you. Last but not least set your DSLR on a timer. Which reminds me, some DSLR’s come with a screen that rotates and faces outwards ( my canon rebel t4i ) had this option and it was also a touch screen so I could focus the camera on Auto just by touching the screen. This is not a common feature on many DSLR’s though. I currently shoot with a Canon 6D and taking self portraits without seeing myself as I took them was a huge adjustment, until I downloaded the EOS remote.

3 // Find that light

Light is everywhere! This is one thing I’m always searching for, whether it be dappled light, hazy light, direct sunlight, back-light, light is key. Look around your house, get in front of a window, step into that tiny little shimmer of sunlight hitting your hallway, open up your front door & let that light shine through.

4 // Have fun & Get Creative

Have fun with it. Try new things, try different poses, & angles. See what different facial expressions work for you. Remember you are your own client, you don’t have to worry about making anyone happy but yourself.