Sunday afternoon I realized that it was sunny and there was enough natural light in the living room in front of the fireplace to take a few pics. So I quickly ran upstairs, put some curls in my hair, a little make-up on my face and carted everything to the living room to try out the camera.
Things I learned...
- This is going to take a lot longer than when my daughter took my pictures because getting the right shot takes a lot of trial and error.
- Learning where to set up the camera to get pictures that are not just head shots is important.
- Don't shake the camera, even on the tripod, because then the camera takes photos that are out of focus.
- I'm fat up close - gotta remember to get those pictures ALOT further back and the tripod set up higher!
- Haven't yet mastered taking a photo without all the extra background noise - thank goodness for being able to crop and adjust the exposure!
- I need more than two poses - it gets boring quickly.
- Smile like I'm smiling at someone instead of the camera - those shots look more natural.
- Patience, patience, patience. You take a shot. Wait the ten seconds. Go back and check the picture. Lousy shot start all over again.
- I will get better with time. Just need to keep doing this over and over and over again.
Clear as a bell right?!
Dark and WTH am I wearing?
Dark, too much furniture in the shot.
Sure, I don't need to include my head in that shot!
Way too much stuff in the shot and do I know another pose?
Also WTH is going on with my pants? It looks like the winds blowing!
The main thing I learned last weekend ~ this is going to take time especially since there is no one to tell me when I've got a hair in the wrong place, to stand up straight, to make me laugh, make sure my clothing is straight, etc. But I finally feel like I'm making progress and no longer HATE the camera! Marce so glad that you didn't take me up when I offered to give it to you!!! *LOL* Finally I didn't use the point and shoot at all last weekend and I'm so proud of myself for that.
Since I'm making progress there probably won't be too many more posts about learning to use my camera. I may ask a question here and there but I can tell you the whining is done. Plus I found folders on Pinterest that lead me to sites that I'm going to try and use along with YouTube. I.feel.accomplished *LOL*.
It's a long weekend - 3 day holiday, so beside lunch with my daughter today, I will be ensconced in the sewing cave making my sewing machines hum and my iron hiss!
...as always more later!
If you can, prop up a mirror next to (or behind) your camera. That way you can check yourself out and take pictures at the same time. I had a cheap full length mirror from Target (less than $20) that worked well for this.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I rarely posted these photos on my blog. Just know that they exist and the mirror helped :)
That is an awesome idea!
DeletePro photographers shoot in front of a sheet that drapes across the floor. It eliminates any problems with props, pot plants, candlesticks coming out of your head. Just using an old queen size plain light coloured bed sheet would do.
ReplyDeleteThe shots with your pants are sweet! You look happy.
Thanks but I don't really like the sheet as a background look. Personally, I like the shots that show a home background or an outside shot...I'm not going for the professional look but again that's my preference.
DeleteI was just about to say the same thing as neemie, a mirror next to our behind the camera is a great way of checking everything is straight and looking it's best. You'll probably end up laughing at yourself too, or is that just me?
ReplyDeleteneemie and Natalie have both said a great idea. I have also tried the large sheet but really don't have anywhere to hang it so this hasn't been as successful for me. As for poses, it is when I do a collage of makes I see that my hands are usually on either hip LOL and do try to think of other poses but so far no joy.
ReplyDeleteToo funny! I agree with Neemie, that's what I do all the time when I am at home! A full length mirror along side my tripod.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know the sites and youtube video you'll find useful - this topic is not boring to me, since I struggle with the same issue !
ReplyDeleteRose, as I use them and learn from them I will do a post on them since there seems to be some interest.
DeleteLOL, it was a good read, not boring at all! I feel like I've been there, done that and I'm still learning. I've published a few notes on what I've learned and works for me here: http://tanyetlamode.blogspot.pt/2014/01/taking-self-photos-for-dummies-auto.html
ReplyDeletetany, what a great post! i need to play with aperture!
Deletecarolyn i am just loving this. and your living room is beautiful. are you flipping the LCD screen towards you for these shots? it helps a bit-- though i love that mirror suggestion.
Thanks Tany I will definitely check it out! Marce, the LCD Screen still isn't working for me. I'm sure there is something I'm doing that's wrong and as soon as I figure it out I will use it more. I have to track down a mirror now though cause that is an amazing suggestion!
DeleteWoohoo!! Progress is awesome!
ReplyDeleteI love the commentary too :) nothing to add...I get mirror pics unless I can rouse the 15 year old off the couch!!
I really love how you've learned a new skill - and got so far so quickly BTW, your living room is adorable and you obviously have a green thumb. Isn't it shocking how horrid 75 per cent of those photos can be? That's why I take so few pictures lately. I'm not feeling particularly gorgeous at the best of times, and I can't bear to sort through the hideous shots :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristin but the green thumb belongs to my Mom which I didn't inherit at all!
DeleteCarolyn, I know that you take photos to show your sewing, not for the fashion angle. A blog I follow is a sewer in Portugal who is also a model (as you will see from her photos) and a fantastic sewer. she recently posted on how to take self-photos. You might find some of this very helpful. Julie
ReplyDeletehttp://tanyetlamode.blogspot.ca/2014/01/taking-self-photos-for-dummies-auto.html
I think that the window behind you makes this a tough shot for the camera. It's trying to compensate for the bright light. What happens if you put the camera next to the window and stand where your camera is now? You would then be getting the natural light on you and not the camera.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to improve on my photos so I am enjoying your posts. The rejects look like some I have taken. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBeing a terrible photographer I actually am fascinated by these posts. I am learning a lot. good realistic advice as usual.
ReplyDeleteTaking photos is hard, but once your have the right space and setting, plus about 3 or 4 poses, you can just repeat. I'm pretty sure I pose the same for all my photos. I also think having a slightly downward angle on your photos and looking up helps a little. Just slightly downward, so you don't look little :) Have fun experimenting.
ReplyDeleteA few pointers if I may. Put a piece of tape on the floor so that you will be in the same spot every time and the focus should be better. You know that you can turn the tripod head so that you can take vertical shots? Yep, then you won't get all that extra stuff in the photo. The flash is not the enemy. You should be able to turn it down so that it only fill and gives softer shadows.. It's more flattering than only light from above. I know that I can on my Canon which is not a dslr. You can also add an auxiliary flash that has a bounce head so that you can use it for indirect lighting. You can bounce it off the ceiling or a side wall or even a white board.
ReplyDeleteTry this site http://modernphotographyschool.com/digital-photography-school/XH31/15-sample-poses-for-taking-beautiful-photos-of-women. It helped me with posing which is really hard!
thanks for posting this. i hate when photos don't turn out as planned. it's so frustrating to see your own flaws... i wonder if models have the same problems;)
ReplyDeleteMy fave 'selfie' blogger is http://handmadebycarolyn.blogspot.com/. She gets great photos, and manages to keep her face out of it.
ReplyDeleteI know you feel like you are whining, but sometime someone else will get a new camera and google for help and find these posts and it will help them (that is how I found you, googling about plus size sewing.)
ReplyDeleteAlso, if your tripod can get any taller it might be a better angle- like try to set it where another person would be looking at you eye to eye and it might look more natural. (not that I am any good at selfies, but that struck me.)
Carolyn, I HEAR YA! I can relate to all that you've written about selfies, and all I can offer is that already mentioned mirror. Adding a mirror helps so much. Also, I have a remote control that is really easy to use and lets me take more photos without having to wait for the timer. It's called the Vello Freewave Plus Wireless Remote Shutter Release. Here's a link if you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/Vello-FreeWave-Wireless-Shutter-Release/dp/B006BGVRZE/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390097130&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=vello+free+wave+plus
ReplyDeleteYou do just fine with your pic's.... maybe you need to pretend your getting paid for the pic's your star in! LoL.... you will really smile etc.... then.! LoL. Just a suggestion....
ReplyDeleteJean C.
I started out using my back porch but the light would always angle in such a way I'd be visually cut in half. My best bet was noonish on a cloudy day. Some days I'm not even functional until then. Just recently I discovered that if I use the back of my house in the late afternoon sun I get perfect lighting, almost "fashion blogger" lighting but its just the back of my humble little southern country house, peeling paint and all.
ReplyDeleteIf you need help learning to focus I recommend putting a dress form or other tall thing where you will be standing and focus your shot then, take a few photos to double check the zoom and then go to town. I normally get 3-4 good photos out of 20-30 and about 3 more passable ones. Sometimes I'll use ones where I'm making a goofy ass face and just crop to a detail.
I'm having the same 'fitting in the box' issue with my newly thrifted tripod. I don't have a screen that you can flip towards yourself so cannot see what the pic officially looks like when after I set up the timer. So, there are a lot of pics, with my head, feet and arms cut off. For lighting, I have to unplug and plug in lamps as it is SO dark and cold here in winter and even darker indoors. I just saw on a blog today about little tripod lights that you can purchase! They look great, but have not researched them yet so don't know where to get them OR how much they might be.
ReplyDeleteNow that I am getting back into it, these posts are very helpful. Luckily I do have daughters still at home to do the photography but the time will come….
ReplyDeleteIt takes A LOT of courage to post online photos...such an inspiration! love this post :)
ReplyDeleteI so have to do better my friend. My pictures are hideous. Thanks for the amazing read as always.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing great with the pics! It's a tricky thing to take photos of yourself!
ReplyDelete