How do i take a self portrait?

[littlevoice]

Does anyone have any advice on taking a self portrait that i can post on my blog?

[Michael_Lambert]

Tripod and the self timer is your best bet.

Pick up a cheapie little tripod if you dont already have one, Setup your chair or whatever you are going to be sitting on and manually focus on it set your apature to around 5.6 and set the timer, run to your chair and take a set make a face and enjoy!

[Mark_Cohran]

What specifically do you have an issue with? Focus? Exposure? Composition? Get a friend to stand in for you. Focus on them then set the lens to MF. Determine the appropriate exposure and set your shutter speed and aperture in M mode. Set the self-time and then trade place with your friend.

[Mark1]

Puch the button, and run really really fast to get in front of the camera! jokeing!!

Good advice so far. Tripod and timer, after that is really up to how creative you are.

[weka2000]

Or use a object to get the focus right if you dont have a 2nd body :lol:

[littlevoice]

i set up my tripod and took indoor pictures at Michael's suggestion. i believe the lighting was too low, because all of the pictures were in focus, but under exposed. I will attempt it all again tomorrow with better lighting. Thanks for the tips!

[littlevoice]

I could use some composition suggestions, i looked and felt kind of dorky posing there :-)
Any hard fast rules about shutter and aperture for indoor, low light pics?

[Mark_Cohran]

I could use some composition suggestions, i looked and felt kind of dorky posing there :-)
Any hard fast rules about shutter and aperture for indoor, low light pics?

There are no hard and fast rules for exposure - of course, while you don't have to worry about camera shake when your camera is on a tripod and can use as slow a shutter speed as your aperture and ISO will allow, you do have to worry about subject movement, so I wouldn't go too slow. As for aperture, you want to use one that will give you a sufficient depth of field so your subject (in this case you) is well in the focus zone with some latitude for error since you're never going to get in exactly the same position twice.

[littlevoice]

Here's what i came up with after everyone's great advice. Please let me know which one you think i should post to my Blog
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp198/heathiebug/018-1_edited-1.jpg
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp198/heathiebug/034-1_edited-1.jpg
http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp198/heathiebug/037-1_edited-1.jpg

[400dabuser]

Does anyone have any advice on taking a self portrait that i can post on my blog?



Easy, look through the viewfinder/live view and make a marking somewhere on where it is directed at. Then, all you need to do is put the timer on, and then position yourself

[Michael_Lambert]

I think you did well, the second shot looks great.

[Johnsoir]

They seem a bit soft? could just be the old CRT's here at school. Exposure looks good, as does posing, might want to fix the background in the top corners and lower half of #1. I think it might need a good ironing. And maybe just a little bit too much saturation on #2 (for me personally).

I don't know what kind of feeling your trying to give through this photo, but if it's just a basic portrait it looks great.

[ThomGascoigne]

1st shot is beautiful.. And so are you ;)

[tomd]

Agree with above. :D

#1 is the best.

[Fellipe de Paula]

number two is simply wonderful. I really loved the color tone. And you got a very beautiful expression either!

[Mark1]

Great first attempt! I like 2 the best as well. Good color combo.

[CloudINC00]

Looks like you did a good job. My advice was to buy either a mannequin head or even full body. It will help you later with your studio when you're experimenting with multiple lighting and shadow casting.

[weka2000]

#2 :D

Your eyes and the blue chair are a great match

[Sere81]

#2!

[irenesarah]

i love the 2nd one! :-)

[johnstoy]

same here, #2 is my choice...

[littlevoice]

i went with the majority and posted number 2... i have received lots of positive feedback thanks again :-)

[zoeysmom]

second one. hands down.

[Chris450D]

you should be in front of the camera more often :)

[Road_Rebel]

thanks for making this topic, it will help me alot

#2 for me btw :)

well done

[TheEye]

#2 for me.

[robloeffel]

another vote for 2. Great job with the contrast (blue) chair.

[babuszka]

I like your attemps.

[Aj`]

I was tring to do a self portrait last night, i wanted to stand in front of a white door, i had my camara on a tripod and had self timer on, when i taken the picture of myself it just was not clear enough, is this becuase i was focusing on a white door and then by the time i got to my position it wouldnt have been focused on my face,

[Trick Fotoez]

i like number 1 the best

[PixelMagic]

Yes, very likely.

If you have something like a straw broom put it in the position where you want to stand (the bristles would represent your head and shoulders). Also if you set the focus to manual mode you can lock the focus down on the broom (the camera will beep when focus is achieved). Then simply remove the broom, activate the self-timer, and stand in place.


I was tring to do a self portrait last night, i wanted to stand in front of a white door, i had my camara on a tripod and had self timer on, when i taken the picture of myself it just was not clear enough, is this becuase i was focusing on a white door and then by the time i got to my position it wouldnt have been focused on my face,

[Aj`]

thats great thanks

[Nightowl64]

go for number 2...

[harroz]

2,2,2!! :-D

[dennisoralls]

number two is simply wonderful. I really loved the color tone. And you got a very beautiful expression either!

Completely agree. That expression leaves me wondering. Great job!

[Skunkshocker]

I like the first shot, it catches you in a natural emotion, not preparing for the lens as much. I also liked the lighting and how your skin tone was captured in it. #1

[CreedThoughts]

anyone ever tell you that you kind of look like Tina Fey?

[Hinson]

littlevoice, number two nailed it for me. The pose, expression, the cropping, pp, it just works. In one, you're not looking at the camera which takes out the 'personal' feeling and in number three the expression is not one that invites folks into your blog and the color is IMO bad.

[littlevoice]

New Self portraits to post.... I ordered this gorgeous new backdrop and didn't have a model to pose for me, so I took a cue, and with all of the good advice offered here, I am pleased with the results. Thank you to everyone for your input.

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp198/heathiebug/StudioBW-3-4-2.jpg

http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp198/heathiebug/StudioBW-35-2-2-4.jpg

[Hinson]

Heather, love the expression in the second one. Not too fond of hte way the hand is posed though. Looks a bit awkward. But not at all bad for a self-portrait.

[littlevoice]

Yes you are right Hinson.. the hand was awkward.... something was bugging me about that one! I switched it out, and downsized the images. Thank you for the insight :-)

[buurin]

#2.. I really like the compositon.

[Paul Li]

Like #1 from the new set, but overall my favorite out of all of them is #3 from the first set. I'm a loner here...:(

[phillip@PrettyUglyOnline]

#1 for me.

[carshop]

2 for me
love they eyes