Self portraits are hard

mpaulie · July 24, 2009

I have the itch to keep shooting but no one was around so I sat my mug in front of the camera and pressed the remote shutter.... got up to chimp, adjusted angle and position of the camera, flash power, Aperture, Shutter, focal length.... rinse and repeat. It was hard to have something resembling a smile after doing that for about 30 minutes.

C&C welcomed

1

2. With some selective focus

3. Selective focus and tilt

adbsgicom · July 25, 2009

I did this a couple of weeks ago. Looks like you have one flash coming head on, which is never (or almost never) good for a portrait. Try bouncing the flash off a side wall, or get a cable or second flash to slave off-angle. My little avatar head was shot with two flashes off-angle (one bumped up about 4x the other).

divamum · July 25, 2009

Yup - they're tricky! You've made a nice start with these (WAY better than my first attempts, as anybody who's followed my progress can confirm!)

Some observations:

- to me these look ever so slightly overexposed, with a noticeable "hot spot" right on your face (particularly your left/camera right cheek). Which was probably caused by the next point

- The shadow behind you gives a clue that the flash was on camera, which doesn't necessarily offer the most flattering modelling shadows. As previous poster suggested, if you can't get the flash off camera, at least bounce it, ideally off a side wall, as that will give more directional light than from above, and not result in "racoon eyes". You can also use a reflector (even some pieces of white card or foamboard) and bounce the flash onto that and then back onto your face; if you have TWO reflectors (one for the other side to fill in the inevitable shadows), you can simulate a quite nice softbox+reflector set up that way. A 3rd one in your lap will reflect light back up onto your face and help reduce racoon-eye shadows.

- you can also reduce that shadow by moving further away from the background. Space sometimes limits that, of course, but 4-6ft away is good. The other thing is to hang a dark, fabric backdrop - the shadow disappears into that (I use a fuzzy blanket - it looks solid black, like velvet, unless it's badly overlit

)

- once you've figured out how to get the bulk of your light somewhat off to the side (45 degree angle to camera is usually the most flattering), read up on the differences between broad and short lighting. It's actually not that difficult (and you'll probably get examples of each when shooting SP's, since you'll start naturally changing sides if only because you get bored!), but it's worth understanding the difference and how it affects the result.

- SP's result in lots and lots and LOTS of dud shots. I mean.... LOTS (like, several HUNDRED, lots). I get sick to death of chimping each shot (my space is small and I get fed up with carefully clambering through my rig) so I'll fire off a dozen or more in rapid succession making small adjustments to my expression and pose as I go, and then chimp - if one of them is even passable... I'm thrilled

) Next time I do this (coming up soon, I hope - I actually NEED some shots at the moment) I'm going to try shooting tethered so that I can cut the chimping part out of the equation and try to reduce the absurd numbers of shots taken to get a decent one)

It does get easier with practice. What used to take me 4hrs or more I can now fire off in 30 minutes. And the ability to practice on an always-available (!) model is INVALUABLE. I couldn't have done the portrait shoots I've done if I hadn't done all the SP sessions. I learned SO MUCH about portrait shooting in general. Yes, it's more fun to shoot a model (or to have another photgrapher take pix of me!), but SP's are definitely a good way to learn....

Have fun with it!

mpaulie · July 27, 2009

Thanks for the input!! Tethered is a great idea if you have the capability to do it for SPs

I have an off camera flash on it's way in the mail as well as a shoot through umbrella so that should help me out big time. Since I will be able to take the flash off camera now I've be researching on different lighting techniques and how they light and cast shadows across the face.

I should go get some kind of a backdrop like you mentioned as well, hopefully I will return soon with some improvements. Thanks a lot!

divamum · July 27, 2009

mpaulie wrote:

Thanks for the input!! Tethered is a great idea if you have the capability to do it for SPs I have an off camera flash on it's way in the mail as well as a shoot through umbrella so that should help me out big time. Since I will be able to take the flash off camera now I've be researching on different lighting techniques and how they light and cast shadows across the face.

I should go get some kind of a backdrop like you mentioned as well, hopefully I will return soon with some improvements. Thanks a lot!

Check around your house for backdrops before dropping money one one - old curtains, tablecloths, even a sheet, will all work well. My two favorite backdrops are a deep red microfiber curtain panel I picked up at Goodwill for $2, and the aforementioned fuzzy black blanket - unless I actually overflash the background, it just looks like a solid black velvet drop. I think it cost me $6 at Ross ...

The new flash will make a BIG difference - have fun with it!

LukeWoodford · July 27, 2009

Good on you for trying. I have never managed to do a good one. The first is my fave out of the 3.

D'Buggs · July 27, 2009

Probably one of the toughest challenges to date, for me... IMO, SP's = PITA.

> But everyone needs one.

divamum has given you some good advice and I'll leave ya with that - Look forward to seeing the next shoot.

Self portraits are hard

Comments