If you’re anything like me, I prefer to spend my time behind the camera rather than in front of it. But it can occasionally be fun (or necessary) to create a self-portrait. So here's our selection of top tips for taking self-portraits! 

<h4>Get a tripod, a self-timer, or a remote.</h4> 

Self-portraits are just that, you on your own, and although it can be quite fun to try and hold the camera up and snap your face you’re more likely to get one nostril and half a head. It’s pretty impossible to get creative with your composition when you’ve only got an arms length to play with. So get yourself a very quick and easy set-up and prepare the shoot as you would if you were shooting someone else. 

<h4>Use the light.</h4>

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<div><a title="24.9.11, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/32830690@N08/6178745349" target="_blank">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="432" height="640" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Portrait2.jpg"]</a></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>24.9.11</em>
Photo by Jens Winkler</p>
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Natural light is great for self-portraits, but it’s also fun to play around with a flash. If you’re looking for something a little bit more formal you might want to bounce the flash or add a fill-flash to an already well-lit scene to enhance the lighting conditions. Also play around with a flashlight to light your face from above or below – spooky but fun too! 

<h4>Play around with different lenses and focal lengths.</h4>

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<div><a title="Having Fun, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/croquembouche76/5578523122" target="_blank">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="640" height="480" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Portrait3.jpg"]</a></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Having Fun</em>
Photo by Philippe M</p>
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Just because you’re doing portrait work doesn’t mean you should stick to a fixed focal length. Use your zoom lens to do a close-up, why not try out a funky wide-angle self-portrait? Further to that, make use of the aperture priority mode on your camera to select your depth of field. And be sure to shoot at several different depths of field, blurry backgrounds are great for portraits but don’t feel obliged to stick to the standard portrait bokeh. 

<h4>Be aware of your body and facial expressions.</h4> 

How? If your LCD screen has a swing arm, make use of it and face the screen towards you while you take the shots. Better yet get yourself a big mirror and put it behind the camera. You’ll soon become aware of what works and what doesn’t. Also take a few shots and then take a look at the LCD screen, or better yet tether your camera to your laptop (that’s fodder for a whole other post!) 

<h4>Relax and have fun.</h4> 


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<div><a title="Untitled, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/experimentofthenature/5356227607" target="_blank">[imageeffect type="frame" align="aligncenter" width="640" height="427" alt="" url="http://thebeginnerslens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Portrait1.jpg"]</a></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;">
Photo by Andrea Cisneros</p>
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Be candid, let your guard down, have some fun! If you feel too stiff or look like a deer in the headlights then distract yourself by doing something else. Set up your camera in a casual location, put the camera on timer and just go about your business. Don’t pose; just let the camera capture you in your natural environment. You might get some really interesting natural shots that will be great with a bit of post-production cropping.  






Still not happy with the results? Think outside the box a little bit. There’s a ton of ways to get really creative with your portraits, so here’s a few ideas to get you started. 

[list style="orb" color="grey"]
<ul>
<li>shoot a silhouette portrait in a backlit situation</li>
<li>take a photo of your feet while wearing your favorite shoes</li>
<li>take a photo while playing with your pet</li>
<li>play dress up, get out last years Halloween costume</li>
<li>get some props – a fun umbrella, an old suitcase, an interesting chair, or a great pair of glasses are good starting points</li>
<li>do some creative editing with cropping – portraits don’t have to be just head and shoulders</li>
<li>use post-processing to improve your portrait</li>
</ul>
[/list]

Happy portraiting!  
