Manage technical considerations
The practicalities to being in front of your own camera
When shooting self-portraits with a DSLR, it’s best to use a tripod so that you don’t have to handhold a bulky camera at an awkward angle towards you – pressing the shutter while also trying to focus.
“Technically all you need for a self-portrait is a tripod and any type of remote control/ delayed shutter release through the timer,” says Julia Wimmerlin. “Focus can be a challenge, and you need a reference to focus on. In the studio I have a dummy adjusted to my height. I pre-focus from the tripod, and if the photo is static I will just switch off the auto-focus once pre-focused.”
Once Wimmerlin’s camera is set on a tripod and the focus is sorted, it’s all about the right pose. “I use an intervalometer, which is a part of my remote shutter release – a device that plugs into the camera to control how often, how long and how many shots are taken. I may set it for a 3-5 second interval that allows me to imagine the scene and live through it inside my head, which will reflect on the facial expression. With a few attempts I usually get the shot I need relatively quickly.”
For Taya Ivanova, “the hardest part is having to go back and forth to get the right shot. If I want to shoot from an unusual angle, I have to set up my tripod, make sure the lighting is perfect, pose, make sure the photos are in focus, etc. If even one of these aspects is imperfect, I change how I’m taking photos or work with the obstacle.”
For an easy lighting setup, it’s best to start with natural sources such as window light. Consider the direction and size of daylight, and position reflectors or modifiers to refine the results. To avoid the complexities of setting up flash, you could mount an LED light on your camera’s hotshoe.