As you may know, I take my own photos for the blog. Sure, taking photos of yourself is awkward, but it's also incredibly rewarding and fun. I'm often asked why Kevin doesn't take my photos, and the short answer is: I don't want him to. There are days I want to throw my tripod at a wall, but I like the challenge.
I'm no expert, but here are my 3 biggest self-portrait tips:
-Find your light. Rearrange your tripod and take test photos until you find the best lighting at the location you're at. Try turning your body, pointing the tripod in a new direction, etc.
Remember: avoid direct sunlight!
Look at what a difference a slight angle makes:
-Compose your shot and know where you need to stand. To avoid cropping yourself, pick a spot within the frame that you know will accommodate your desired shot. I look for cracks in the cement, a leaf/rock on the ground, or even dried bird poop that can act as my foot marker. Fancy.
Also, try finding interesting walls/backgrounds and compose your shot to show it off.
-Keep at it. If at first you don't succeed, don't break your camera.You will get comfortable with what poses feel natural to you (my go-tos are below), learn what settings you like for your camera, and yes, you'll have days where the pictures turn out awful and you have to delete them all. That's ok.
the 'casual' walk
the hair-touch
the dropped pencil
the dropped pencil WITH the hair-touch
Most importantly, have fun!
It's your chance to be a 'model', photographer, editor, and bodyguard all at once.
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