7 Steps to Amazing Self Portraits

Are you ready to promote your selfies to self portraits? 

It’s time to turn that nice camera of yours around and get some amazing photos of yourself. Your clients can’t have ALL the fun!

To take better self portraits, here’s a list of (optional) things you’ll need:

• A good quality tripod - I know plenty of photographers who simply prop their cameras on anything they can find, but that’s not my jam. I LOVE a good tripod. In fact, I name mine since they’re often my personal brand photographers. Currently, my tripod’s name is Pierre. He’s fancy like that.

• Knowledge of how to use the manual settings on your camera is ideal, but as long as you know how to use aperture priority you’re good to go!

• A remote trigger. Honestly, I’ve been taking self portraits for years and have never invested in one. They aren’t expensive and I know a ton of photographers who swear by them. But I’ve been doing fine without one for so long that I’ve adopted the mindset of, “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” 

• A stand in model. You can have fun with this one if you’d like. I’ve seen some super crazy objects used as stand in models. Like creepy mannikins and doll heads on sticks. I can definitely see the validity in that! Being able to see the way light falls on something with similar contours as your face can be very helpful. For me, I trust my knowledge of lighting enough that I just use a light stand. It’s portable and it can easily be adjusted to my exact height so I know how I’ll look in the frame.

That’s it! You’re ready to go!!  So, let’s get started.

Step 1: Position your stand in model for where you’ll be positioned.

Step 2: Set up your shot with your camera on a tripod.

Remember to keep composition in mind.

Step 3: Adjust your focus to make sure that it’s locked on your stand in model.

Step 4: Dial in your settings with your aperture higher than usual.

If light permits, I usually try to keep it at or above a 5.

Step 5: (Skip this step if you have a remote trigger) Set your camera to self timer.

I also make sure that the self timer mode on my camera is set to take 10 pictures at once. 

Step 6: Replace yourself with the stand-in model.

Step 7: Have fun with it!

No one is watching except your tripod so feel free to let your hair down. Make sure to move and adjust your poses so you have a variety of shots to choose from. 

Boom! Self portraits!! 

If you enjoyed these tips, make sure to follow me on social media for more advice and encouragement.