Self portraits

[Minds Eye]

I can't get the camera to focus properly when I take my self portraits, any tips ?

 

[reznap]

I can't get the camera to focus properly when I take my self portraits, any tips ?

There's no easy way. Maybe put a coat rack or something else where you'll be sitting or standing. Get focus on that, and then mark where it was on the floor - so you'll know about where to stand to be in focus. The rest is trial and error and hit or miss, and you get a little better with practice.

 

[oldmacman]

I can't get the camera to focus properly when I take my self portraits, any tips ?

Pre-focus the camera before taking the shot and then turn of the AF so that it does not hunt for focus as you get into position. How are you taking the shot: a wireless/wired release, or timer shot?

 

[reznap]

I can't get the camera to focus properly when I take my self portraits, any tips ?

Pre-focus the camera before taking the shot and then turn of the AF so that it does not hunt for focus as you get into position.

Common sense... but yeah.

Also remember to remove the lens cap before taking the photo.

 

[Minds Eye]

self timer 10 secs

 

[Minds Eye]

I tried with a guitar on a stand but I always feel the shots are terribly out of focus.. maybe I should try a camera with manual focus...

 

[o hey tyler]

I can't get the camera to focus properly when I take my self portraits, any tips ?

Pre-focus the camera before taking the shot and then turn of the AF so that it does not hunt for focus as you get into position.

Common sense... but yeah.

Also remember to remove the lens cap before taking the photo.

You'd have to remove the lens cap to focus it in the first place, silly! :thumbup:

 

[oldmacman]

I tried with a guitar on a stand but I always feel the shots are terribly out of focus.. maybe I should try a camera with manual focus...

Oops... this is the kind of situation where we are trying to be helpful, but are not asking the right questions. We likely should have asked the type of camera you are using up front because you may not have manual control over focus.

Also, is there anything in focus in the shot? That could tell you what the camera is settling on. You can use your photo software to show you where your focus points are as well (if you have access).

 

[Minds Eye]

I use a Canon IXUS (Elph in the US),

I know I know it aint much of a camera but I have got some decent outdoor shots of buildings, scenery, architecture and outdoor portraits of my friends

when it comes to indoor self portraits it is a pain to get decent focus

I do press the button gently to get it to lock in on where I will be standing (guitar on a stand for reference) but I think since I am quite tall I need to get something of better comparable height to get the right focus (its not focussed on where my face will be I guess)

thanks for the suggestions, if nothing works I will borrow a camrera with manual focus and try, maybe a film camera if a digital one is not available

Flickr: Sheikh Yerbouti's Photostream

 

[Minds Eye]

also I notice some shots are at f/4.9 ...my camera does not have aperture priority and this seems to be an issue when taking indoor portraits since it does not focus sharply on the face while keeping the distracting backgrounds in focus.. (like an SLR would I guess) outdoors I mainly shoot at an angle where the background is the sky so it is not distracting and the face is better in focus

 

[Canosonic]

Well this problem is solved with a wired(less) shutter release on SLR's. Don't know if the ixus has one. Self portraits can't be done in any other way. Well except MF and the way reznap said.
Which exact IXUS you have?

 

[ghache]

i took some portrait of me and the wife using the small nikon remote,
i did shot at f4-5.6 something like this to have a decent dof, . I placed my wife where she was suposed to be standing then used the point focus selector to select to focus point around where was going to be my face. i took my place and used the remote to release the shutter.

 

[Minds Eye]

D'oh! why not use someone else to stand in my place!! sheesh... it would still be a self portrait once I set the timer and replace the subject...

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Off topic, but I like your Flickr name. It took 5 minutes for it to sink in from a foreign (to me) name, to a good laugh. :thumbup:

 

[Minds Eye]

hehehe even my friends need a few secs to figure it out hehehe what can I say.. I plead guilty to being a Zappa fan...