I took a selfie.

[manny212]

Not everyone is a Kathy Thorson...I look silly when I smile.

Everyone looks good wearing a smile.

I did a little craft project to make some modifiers for my speedlights. Woke up and went right to shooting. Here's a little smile for you:


Selfie 2 by The Braineack, on Flickr


and the setup:

ok we need to tone this smile wayyyy down . Too distracting ! :razz: Nice light on both really .

 

[binga63]

I don't know if it's the lighting causing it but your eyes looked doctored in photoshop....and btw I hate smiling as well

 

[kathyt]

I don't know if it's the lighting causing it but your eyes looked doctored in photoshop....and btw I hate smiling as well

Oh come on binga. One little smile? Just a tiny one?

 

[leeroix]

Nice. I just took one similar. -Im wishing I had more lights... maybe for christmas...

 

[mmaria]

lighting aside, you look much better when you're smiling

 

[MiFleur]

Your pictures are technically fine to me, good lighting, sharp etc... a little something bugs me, it is the fact the the glasses cut the eyes on the top of the iris, either pull your glasses up or remove them... the expression is better on the second shot, you did go for a subtle smile but if you try another selfie, just try to relax more, I don't know why, I feel some tension!

 

[Braineack]

Took some lighting advice from another thread and gave it another go:

I would suggest something more in line with this diagram.

I only have two lights so I used a reflector (white foam core) in place of the rim light. I also moved the tripod back and threw on the 70-300 at 135mm.

and the results:


Selfie 4 by The Braineack, on Flickr

iso 200, 135mm, f/6.3, 1/100sec

 

[kundalini]

Took some lighting advice from another thread and gave it another go:

I only have two lights so I used a reflector (white foam core) in place of the rim light. I also moved the tripod back and threw on the 70-300 at 135mm.

and the results:

Selfie 4 by The Braineack, on Flickr

iso 200, 135mm, f/6.3, 1/100sec

The issue I see is that I don't see any character, the Braineack is missing. Have some fun with it and try to avoid the 'deer caught in the headlights' look.

The other thing is the position of your eye wear. All three entries have the top of the frame cutting across your eye. Subtle adjustments of how you place them on the bridge of your nose or hang on your ear will probably correct this. It may not feel natural to how you normally wear them, but they will photograph better, I think. Along those same lines, try slight tilts of the head left or right may also help. Try pushing your chin forward.

Your best pose is #1. Notice the line your shoulders created. This adds dynamic characteristics to the portrait. Whether I am standing or sitting for selfies, I make sure my weight is shifted so that I am not flat. I have an 18x12x8" sturdy foam packing block that I use to rest a foot on. This automatically causes me to shift my weight. When sitting, I put my weight on my hip, not my ass. These little changes do make a difference.

The lighting is okay in all. I was going to say that it could be dialed back slightly in the last one, but then I noticed you were shooting at 1/100sec. x-sync for the D5100 is 1/200. That would change the shot quite a bit, for the better IMO. It doesn't appear you needed that much ambient light. You just have to keep playing with it until you get a few combinations that you like. Soon enough you can setup and dial in your exposure to be pretty damn close on the first frame. Rinse and repeat.

Keep shooting.

 

[Braineack]

But i don't wanna have fun! I really dont want to be taking selfies, but i have no other subject to shoot; I absolutely hate pictures of myself. I was doing these as an exercise in lighting/portraiture and it makes it very difficult to do it this way.

In all these shots i was posed about the same, I think in #1 I had really dropped my leading shoulder and that's what you are seeing. otherwise, my biggest concern was stretching out my neck fat.

I really appreciate all the other tips/advice/comments. I'll keep at it, it's definitely getting easier and more predictable the more I practice, and that was really the goal.

Considering this:

was my first ever attempt at this a few months ago, I'd say I'm coming along.

 

[kundalini]

But i don't wanna have fun! I really dont want to be taking selfies, but i have no other subject to shoot; I absolutely hate pictures of myself. I was doing these as an exercise in lighting/portraiture and it makes it very difficult to do it this way.

How else are you to practice? You have three choices. 1) Become comfortable in your own skin, 2) Beg for a model (not recommended) or 3) Get yourself a monkey.

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