As photographers, I think we need to step up our game when it comes to selfies. Let this discussion be about how you make your selfies and any advice you might have.
Of course, please post your selfies!
I'm sure everyone has an opinion how to take a good selfie. What I do might not even technically be considered a selfie. I like to use, at minimum, a tripod and timed trigger. For the last couple of years, my wife and I have been taking our own photos when we go on trips. We want something better than just a snap shot and we can't rely on the skill of strangers. Over time, we've gotten a little better at taking our selfies. The steps I take are basically:
- Initial setup: Camera, flash (if necessary), tripod.
- Trigger setup: 3 second start delay, 3-5 shots, one second apart
- Focus Composition: Frame photograph and set focus on where the subject will be (easiest when you're doing a selfie with another person)
- Take the shot: Position yourself into the frame and trigger your shutter.
- Check and retake
Other tips:
Use AF to confirm focus and then set the lens to manual, so that the camera does not choose something else when getting into the frame. Here, I focused on my wife before getting into position beside her. If there's not another person, then you can focus on another object within the DOF where you will be. Very important for focus! If you need to, use the Live Preview on your LCD, dihitally zoom in and manually focus on the ground where you will stand. Of course, don't move your camera or lens resulting in a change in composition.
Pets are hard. You may need to take multiple shots to get them to look at the camera. I don't remember how many shots it took to do this, but I did have to throw a rock towards the tripod to get them to look the right way!
Increase the number of shots and decrease the interval time between them if you intend there to be any action in the photo. We took 7 shots to get this one just right. It takes a little luck and a lot of patience.