I’m going to start by saying if you’re reading this to see me, Logan Whiteson, pretending to be pregnant for this article, you’re going to be disappointed. I do not wish for such pictures to float around on the internet for all to see. So instead, I will write about tips and tricks for general photography but also a few specifically for self-portraits.
Camera
The type of camera used is highly dependent on the vibe of the shoot, for a professional look I recommend a DSLR or mirrorless camera, however for a more casual look a point and shoot or phone will do just fine. I personally use my Canon T7 and most of the Photo 1 and 2 students use a Sony AX III.
Settings
Your settings depend a lot on the lighting, but partial sun in the afternoon, on a Canon EOS Rebel T2i I used: ISO 64, Aperture f2.0, and Shutter Speed 1/320 which worked for a majority of the shoot. If using an amateur or professional camera, make sure to shoot in RAW, which allows users more flexibility in editing; JPEGs and PNGs are both compressed files which means there’s the depth to work with in the photo.
Focus
When using a timer for self-portraits, it may seem easier to lean over or stand in front of the camera to click the shutter; however this will cause the camera to try and focus much closer than you will want, instead, walk all the way behind the camera focus it to the background, click the shutter and pose where you want, preferably not too far from the background. Even using this trick, if you can’t flip around the view finder it might take a few tries to get the right shot. While I shoot in manual or aperture priority, I love autofocus and rarely find myself needing to adjust it in manual.
Composition
Composition is making sure that the image is interesting and intentional. Having people of clutter in the background can cause distraction from the subject. This also includes making sure your picture tells a story. Try to play with foreground and background. What elements of art and design are in your image.
Editing
Please, please, please edit your photos. ALWAYS sharpen images even just a little bit, make sure the white balance is correct, I personally hate messing with white balance at the moment and prefer to just change it in Lightroom. Other important edits are correcting exposure and saturation. Whites, blacks, highlights and shadows definitely make a big difference in editing but can be dropped for a simple amateur job.
