10 Self Portrait Tips For At Home Photography
Hey Everyone,
Happy Thursday. Last week I challenged myself to shoot a series of self-portraits for my photography brand, #CourtsEye. I had so much fun doing this but ran into a few obstacles along the way. I wanted to share with you some quick tips on shooting self-portraits. These tips will help you cut back on your timing and prep you for your next shoot.
Carve out a specific hour or two a few days in advance to plan your photoshoot.
I made the mistake of not planning ahead of what I wanted my shoot to look like. I spent the first few hours of the day, brainstorming and this definitely cut into my shoot time.
Pinterest and the IG Saved Boards are your friends.
Next time, I’ll plan ahead and make an individual Pinterest for each shoot. Pinterest boards can help serve as a central location for ideation and inspiration. You can also save your favorite looks on Instagram and create specific boards as well.
Set out your looks and accessories the night before.
It’s important that you pick out your hair, makeup, clothing, accessories, and any props the night before. This way when you wake up you’re ready to roll. It’s one less thing to worry about.
Wake up early and start setting up your equipment.
Most folks don’t realize how much time it takes to set up your equipment and get your gear in order. I recommend waking up early to get a head start on this before you start getting dressed.
The self-timer on your camera and a tripod will be your best friends.
The tripod allows you the option to be hands-free while you shoot. While the self-timer gives you a few seconds to set yourself up for poses.
Turn on the camera grid.
If you’re a beginning photographer, turn on the camera grid. This will help you get a sense of your composition for each photo.
If you have the option to flip out your camera screen, use it!
This option allows you to get an idea of what your photos will look like. Also when you pair this with the camera grid, you can see what’s working and what isn’t.
Use autofocus, please!
I cannot tell you how many of my pictures came out blurry in the beginning because I forgot to switch to autofocus. Autofocus allows the camera to focus on the object in front of it, aka you, on its own.
If you don’t have a lighting kit, no worries.
Make sure you’re shooting when there’s plenty of natural light in your space. Also, I like to turn on every single light in my house and place it near me. I use lamps, open the blinds, and anything available.
Lightroom is the best for organizing your photos and editing them
Once you’re done shooting, I recommend using Lightroom to organize your photos. In Lightroom, you can sort through your favorites and edit them.
Also if you’re not good at editing, try a few LR presets.
Lastly, don’t get discouraged! Your poses won’t be perfect in the beginning. Still, have fun and be patient with yourself! Initially, it may seem weird stepping in front of the camera, but for me it made me realize I actually enjoy it. Especially when I’m blasting Megan the Stallion and no one can watch me try out crazy poses. I encourage you to figure out what works for you.
Also, here’s my set up for the shoot below.
Happy shooting!
Courtney
