seven tips for taking self portraits

A few days ago, Wynona, one of my favourite photographers, posted a list of self-portrait tips on her blog. I loved her ideas, and thought I could share a few of my own as well. I haven't been doing self-portraits for very long -- about 2 years at most -- but I've learned a few things that make the process easier and the results more creative. Here are 7 pointers I like to keep in mind.

1) First, a tip for focusing your shots: I always take my selfies by placing a tape measure on the spot where I plan to stand, and pulling the tape up to face level (you'll need one of those stiff, metal measures for this because the tape has to stand upright). Then, I autofocus on the top of the tape, pull it down so it's not in the photo, turn on the self-timer, and stand just behind the tape for the picture. The results are very precise if you're careful not to move the tape measure when you retract the tape.

2) Keep a mental list of potential props -- beautiful, thought-provoking, or meaningful objects that you can use in your photos. You probably have dozens of them in your house right now -- my collection includes family heirlooms, old Christmas ornaments, childhood toys, and used gift wrap -- and you can find hundreds more at thrift shops or dollar stores.

3) Brainstorm. Begin with a message, mood, or prop, and use that as a launching pad for your photo ideas. Don't limit yourself to concepts that are realistic or feasible; just focus on freeing your imagination and thinking in fresh and unconventional ways. For each idea, sketch out a few possible compositions and record potential locations, outfits, lighting sources, and so on.

4) If you want to shoot something at dawn, sunset, magic hour, or blue hour, plan ahead so that you and your equipment are ready when the light is at its best. Time passes very quickly when you're taking photos, and you want to make the most of that light before it's gone.

5) Review often. There's nothing worse than taking fifty shots before realizing that they were all out of focus or poorly framed. I like to put my Canon's review time on Hold so I don't have to press the button each time I go to look.

6) If you can, place a large mirror behind your camera so that you can test out poses and expressions. It won't show you exactly what your camera sees, but it can alert you to bad shadows, crooked hair, and awkward posture.

7) Take self-portraits after a powerful life experience or after reading a compelling, thought-provoking book. These things can create a lot of emotional energy that will translate into your photo and give it extra impact. Alternatively, try playing music or an audiobook in the background while you take your photo.

I'm going to leave you with some selfies I took in 2010. Click on any of the photos to visit its Flickr page.









Oksana { Facebook. Flickr. All images are copyright; please ask before using. }

a day at the museum

Hi! Welcome to my new photoblog, a place for outtakes, experiments, inspirations, and general photography-related discussion. This blog will eventually become part of a larger website for TTOAE, but while the site is under construction, you can find my photos on Flickr and stay up-to-date on my Facebook fan page.

To kick things off on this blog, I'll post a series of shots that I took at the Museum of Civilization several weeks ago. The museum's exhibits are brilliantly designed, with dim, moody lighting that creates a terrific atmosphere... and very blurry pictures. It was tough to work with, but the lighting yielded some pretty interesting results.

The photoshoot was all about making the most of shadows...


...of reflections...




... of artificial lighting...


and of pre-made compositions...


I'm not used to taking pictures of subjects that have already been composed for me, so this was the biggest challenge -- putting my own spin on the subjects and trying to look at them in new and different ways.

Many times, real and artificial elements were mixed together, like this backlit photograph that was placed inside a real vintage windowframe:

... or this digital image projected onto old barrels:


Other times, the displays were 100% real, and their vintage charm spoke for itself...





Aren't those little shoes adorable? I could have used a pair, because my flip-flops were killing me.


Thoroughly inspiring trip -- different from my usual nature and self-portrait fare, but very fun nonetheless... and a great demonstration of how well the 50mm works under poor lighting conditions. I'm planning more museum shoots in the future!

Oksana { Facebook. Flickr. All images copyright; please ask before using. }