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14

Top 5 Tips for Taking Your Own Self Portrait

The bane of my existence is taking a self portrait every year or two. I like to do it so that you’re not seeing a photo of me that isn’t ‘true’ and it’s also a good opportunity to practice lighting and posing. I don’t have a tripod at the moment so hand holding at arms length is my only option, and my goodness it’s a good workout for that arm. It takes me a good hour to take a self portrait that I deem viewable by humans, lol, so I’m glad it’s over.

Here are my top 5 tips for taking your own self portrait

1. Get Pretty. You don’t have to dress as if you’re going to a ball, but just find a top that you like, brush your hair (should of taken this advice myself..), slip on some lip gloss and then be done with it.

2. Find The Light. My preference is my ‘office’ upstairs which has a huge window/door and light white curtains. The curtains act as a diffuser for the harsh sunlight which is perfect for naturally lit portraits. I don’t like direct sunlight and you want the light to fall on your face or to the side, rather than on your back.

3. Discover Your Angle. I think everyone has one, the one (or more if you’re a supermodel) angle of your face that you prefer over others. Whether it’s front on, left or right side in, chin up or chin down – move your face around as you take your photo to see what you like for yourself.

4. Relax Your Eyes. Yes, your eyes. They will ultimately tell how you’re feeling in the photo – too much eyeball and you can look TERRIFIED. Too little and you’re suddenly Sleepy without the other dwarves.

5. Have FUN! Self portraits don’t have to be your standard headshot, try adding more white space (or more blue space in my case above), smile, frown, poke your tongue out, wave, shake your head, look up, look surprised, think of your happy place, look at the camera, answer your phone, bring in a prop – just let it go and make it a fun photo shoot so that you’ll end up with a photo (or photos) that you will be glad to use for the year.

Happy self portraiting! (Post a link to your self portrait if you’ve taken my advice!)

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Park Confessional • October 14th, 2011 at 5:11 pm

Hey there, I have just discovered yur blog off Blog Chicks, and I read your birth story which you listed as your favourite post ever.

Let me just say – halle -frickin-lujah!! Another mom who had had a drug free birth experience and speaks with joy and wonder about it!

I get embarrassed at BBQ’s when people ask me about my son’s birth because when I say things like “amazing”and “drug free” I can see them writing me off as a loonie or hippy freak and moving off to scoff more potato chips.

I am now pregnant with my 2nd and feel excited about giving birth (OK, yes, there is anxiety in there too, just a smidgen though). I have a long way to go still but at least I’m not resorting to stereotype and becoming hysterical about the whole thing. It’s such wasted energy and we women really can be our own worst enemies sometimes.

I will be reading more – I blog at http://parkconfessional.com/ if you want to trade more stories 🙂

Tracey • October 14th, 2011 at 9:33 pm

Weeee, I lovee you 🙂 I totally relate to the ‘hippy’ comments – it’s not like I was trying to be a certain way or force myself to ‘do it natural’, it just happened the way it happened and I am so grateful for that opportunity.

I’d love to swap links with you!