The self portrait has been around for many many years. Well since man picked up a drawing implement, our faces and bodies have been a constant inspiration for art. Monet famously painted himself and lets not touch on the legend of the Mona Lisa being somewhat of self portrait.
Most photographers (I would bet all) have taken self portraits (Selfies in modern language) as it is a bit of indulgence and a fabulous way to learn about pose, lighting and so many other elements that come into photography. I am no different. I spend a lot of my ‘other’ life as a burlesque performer posing for photographers but sometimes I like to grab my camera and pose for myself. If anything just to keep my skills up to date.
When you are planning your self portrait, a tripod is a must. Hand held can too amateur in my mind and you cant play as much. Though they can allow for some intimate portraits so be sure to play around with it. Dont be so quick to dismiss. Tripod allows you to set the scene and mess about in front of the lens without having to keep one hand holding a camera.
Hand held self portrait with Nils photobombing me at the right time. Check out his photography skills at http://www.nilsbratby.com/
I have a remote for my camera but most decent digital cameras have a timer option. This can be good but takes a bit of practise to get the timings right. Before I got my remote, I spent many an hour attempting to jump into the right pose before the trigger went. Most images captured were blurred into a mess. So thanks to good old Ebay I was able to pick up a remote control trigger release for next to nothing. I opted for a remote one rather than the wired kind as they can often be unsightly in images, plus the remote is easier to hide due to its small size.
Handheld self portrait. Not quite right but I rather like it.
There is so much you can do with self portraits. A lot of fashion bloggers have become masters of the selfie. One blogger I love Miss Plum. whilst not all of her images are ‘selfies’ she does have a lot she takes herself. http://plumdiddlyumcious.com/ Her blog is beautiful with masses of imagery. She is honest, without hipster twatty-ness that often accompanies blogs and whats more, a delight to meet in person and her blog name is a perfect fit for her. By the way Miss Plum…congratulations on the engagement.
Another blog worth looking at for self portraits to show another style is http://www.rockalily.com/blog. Owner ReeRee maintains her blog regularly and frequently posts outfits she posts. Self portraits dont need to be artistic measure, they can simply be to document something.
Anyway, I digress.
To make a self portrait more interesting, think about your pose and clothing before hand. Use props if needs be. Since I moved into my new house, I have become quite the avid gardener. My new garden is a source of inspiration for me. With the creeping vines, the changing colour of the leaves and the variety of plants….I have taken to using it as a backdrop for my recent shoots. So it wasnt long before I was doing my self portraits there.
Vintage fashion – self portrait Khandie Khisses
I used my old vintage leather jacket for added texture…and would you believe it a Peacocks dress. That 60s dagger collar dress was from cheap high street store Peacocks, in the sale for £12 no less. Its a bloody good fit and has fooled a few friends into thinking it is vintage. I do own a very similar real 60s dress like this too… The pug is my rescue pup (one of two rescue dogs I own) called Miss Pickles. She is a very placid dog for the most part with the cutest face. Elvis-Houdini (the other rescue) didnt fancy posing for me this time. But a prop, even a living one can add an element of interest to your portraits. Plus who could ignore such a cutie watching me like she did!?
I threw the images through Lightroom for a bit of minor post production. A mix of my 50mm and 18-105mm lens. Whilst I adore my 50mm (it is rarely off my camera), I often neglect my lens 18-105mm that came as part of my initial kit lens. Never sure why. Perhaps I am still dazzled by my new 50mm. Anyway…using natural light seemed the perfect choice. Be sure to watch the light as it can change very rapidly outside. Cloudy days are darker for sure but the light is also softer. On a cloudy day, I tend to shoot as close to midday as possible to ensure maximum light.
Natural light portraits are great, you can really experiment with reflectors and bouncing the light. Windows, mirrors and pale surfaces can act as big reflectors.
Enjoy!
Love
Khandie x
