Tips for Taking Self-Portraits

I have this idea for an upcoming project. It’s something in the collage vein, and it’s taking some time to coordinate, so I’ve been working on it here and there when I get the time. Anyhow, I needed to take some photos of myself for this project, and once they were finished, I figured I’d make use of my “done” hair and makeup, as well as the beautiful rainy day light, and take some self-portraits. As I’ve been parusing the blogosphere, I’ve noticed a lot of “self-portrait a day” challenges, and it got me thinking that maybe you all might be interested in a “How do I take good self-portraits?” post, so here it is. Woo!

Now, I’m pretty sure that we’ve all had our share of bad pictures taken of us. You know the ones – the ones that make you cringe both inside and out…the ones you try to hide from people, or even destroy…the ones that you fear will end up getting posted on Facebook by some old acquaintance you barely knew. Or your ex. Yeah, you know the ones I’m talking about. Sites like Awkward Family Photos and even Ellen’s Bad Paid-For Photos (as well as Bad Santa Photos, Bad Wedding Photos, and Bad School Photos) are aplenty. Well, why not counterbalance all of these bad photos by taking a bunch of good ones yourself?

Kate, circa Jr. High. And you are welcome for the hearty laugh.

A few years back, my friend Michael asked me for some advice on taking good self-portraits. At first I told him it was easy as A-B-C … (A) take A billion of them (practice makes perfect), (B) pick your BEST (best expression, best pose, best outfit, whatever), and (C) CROP until interesting (try not to cut off body parts at the joints, though – see above). While I still stand by that advice, it wasn’t until I had taken a few more self-portraits that I realized I needed to add a bit more detail, for the less photographically inclined.

1. Whenever possible, use natural lighting as it is very flattering – harsh shadows and squinty eyes are not. Avoid direct or mid-day sunlight if you can, and aim for diffused or reflected light – try shooting in the morning or evening, outside on an overcast day, or in a shadow on a sunny day.
2. Remember that how we see ourselves is different from how other people see us (I will dedicate a whole post on this some other day). So. Experiment with a variety of angles – tilt your face in different directions AND hold your camera in different places. Straight on at eye level is the least interesting, usually. Oh, and try not to shoot too much from below unless you like the look of double chins.
3. Think of people, memories, ideas etc. that will show positively on your face. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then write a love letter with your eyes – imagine that your lover, your child, your long-lost friend is looking at you through the camera lens and send them some love. Or look for happy thoughts written in the clouds (not all great portraits have to have you looking at the camera you know). Or, you can always try any number of different moods – contemplative, wistful, sexy, goofy, serious, etc. Play with it. Have some fun. Reveal character.
4. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Try not to clutter the image with lots of patterns, “trendy” hair and clothing (that you will regret when the trend is over), or things in the background that will “compete” with you. Unless you WANT to record these things for posterity, then by all means do so. But for timeless, shameless, “universal” portraits, KISS.
5. Above all, relax. If you don’t feel comfortable, it’s totally going to show in your pictures. So, when you notice your face is getting that “fake smile” feel, scrunch it up or make it really wide – heck, snap a few of these faces just for laughs! Sometimes I like having music on in the background so that I can sing along if the mood strikes, or just so that my enjoyment of a songs reflects in my face. Be confident – know that if you don’t like them, you can delete them, and nobody will be the wiser.

Experiment. Practice. Have fun. And every once in a while, break the rules – you never know what might happen! With any luck, you’ll end up with something that makes you feel pretty. Or handsome. Or both. 😉

A few of my past self-portraits.

Some others from the photo shoot.

The one I decided to run with.

And some that are a little… well… not-the-mom-shots. 😉

Anything I forgot? Something you’d like to add? Please feel free to comment below – I promise, I won’t bite. Unless you ask.