how does one choose a self-portrait?

brighteyesphotos · Jan 6, 2007

I have been wanting to do some self-portraits. Short of the corny camera up to face in mirror shot (kinda like my side view mirror shot), what other poses or expressions would you choose? What did you do for your own self-portrait? Share them or give me a link too if you can! I've been doing a few but trying to get inspired by a few ideas before I venture more into it. What are some of your favorite self-portraits done by other people?

markc · Jan 6, 2007

There's a long thread of self portraits in the "Off Topic Chat" section.

I hate doing selfs. I want to be able to see what I'm getting in the viewfinder. I think the best way is to have some help. Get a stand-in who's your height so that you can get the post and lighting right. When you've got it, you switch and they hit the shutter for you, or you use the self timer and move fast. A remote helps there, so you can just drop it once you are posed.

craig · Jan 6, 2007

Consider a close up of your hands or your eyes or any favorite body part. This comes in handy for photographers who do not like "being on the other side" of the camera.

cal_gundert05 · Jan 7, 2007

I just took a bunch of pics with my toy camera and chose the only one that had my entire face in the photo. :blushing:

danalec99 · Jan 7, 2007

Mirrors can come in handy.

<< My avatar here is a self portrait.

Here's a quick shot from a few weeks ago while I was waiting for my son to be born:

Jeremy Z · Jan 9, 2007

I like the mirror shots, personally, but with the camera up to your face is a no-no. First of all, it blocks a huge part of the face, and isn't that the main point of a self-portrait? It also gives the impression: "Gee, I saw myself in the mirror and thought 'Why not?' "

I don't think it's bad for the camera to be in the picture; you're a photographer after all.

The best ones are where the camera is in the picture, the camera is taking the shot, but it is made to look like a prop in the photo. I can't recall specifics, but a National Geographic photographer did an outstanding one a while back. I think he had an arm casually leaning on the camera, which was mounted on a tripod. He wasn't in a position to trip the shutter, so it was a self-timer shot.