camera shy

[Rodger]

Anyone else camera shy?


Tonight I realized that over the past year I've spent right around 2.5K on photo gear, spent a ridiculous amount of time reading photography blogs, spent even more time taking friends' senior portraits (which I really loved doing), yet I can't take a senior portrait of myself that I like.


When I take self portraits, only a veryy slim amount make it through the selection filter haha.


Anyone else like this?

[Sean Setters]

The problem is that you can look through the viewfinder and see what you're about to shoot. You can direct the subject so that they look good within the confines of your shot. However, when you're alone in front of the camera, you aren't looking at yourself. In order to increase your chances of success, try putting a mirror up right behind the camera. That way, feedback will be instantaneous and more easily correctable.

[Keith B]

If you have a laptop you could shoot tethered and in Live View with DPP.

[Rodger]

Thanks Sean and Keith.


I'll have to try both of those ideas.

[lcnewkirk]

I rarely like seeing myself in photos. Theyrarely look like the "me" that I know from looking in mirrors, etc. Somewhat like when you hear your voice recorded and it sounds totally different than what you hear yourself. That said, I still wish I had more photos of me! Buying a dslr was really my wife's idea last year, just before our son was born. Turns out that I've taken probably 99% of the shots! We have tons of good photos of the two of them, and like four good ones of me with him.


Lewis

[Feanor]

I've found that my experience of taking photos of people has helped me know how to pose, and time my posings (why does that word work when taking pictures of others but sound incredibly camp when talking about yourself?!?) so that I look my best.


But then again I do have a bit of a standard photo-face which can get boring.

[Sean Setters]

My mother always told me I was beautiful...my dad always said I had the perfect face for radio.


[*-)]

[piiooo]

Anyone else camera shy?

I used to havethis feeling that photographing myself would be a form of narcissism and waste of time. Inspired by Sean's self portraits and encouraged by one of the forum's competitions I tookthe plunge.It's actually a lot of fun.It also allows learning and experimentingto greater extent, because you asthe photographer and you as asubject are more compliant and less likely to loose patiencewith each other.Sometimes I wish there was two of me [][]

[Keith B]

I've actually never done the self portrait thing. I use to stand in a lot helping out other photogs on shoots and either they sucked or I have big round doughy moon face (I think it was a little of both). In there defense the lighting was usually set up for woman, but still.


So I'm a little gun shy. I am contemplating a self portrait now though for an "about me page on my site".

[Sean Setters]

Anyone else camera shy?

I used to havethis feeling that photographing myself would be a form of narcissism and waste of time. Inspired by Sean's self portraits and encouraged by one of the forum's competitions I tookthe plunge.It's actually a lot of fun.It also allows learning and experimentingto greater extent, because you asthe photographer and you as asubject are more compliant and less likely to loose patiencewith each other.Sometimes I wish there was two of me [img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img][img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img]
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Great observations...and spot on. Sometimes it can be frustratingly slow getting the image you want, but it's a wonderful way to experiment and learn.