HELLO! I’m Farrah Jobling, guest Pollywog for September. I can’t tell you how honored I am to write a blog post this month. I am a professional photographer and I have been posting a monthly photo challenge in the TLP photography forum. This month I’m sooo BEYOND excited to be a Guest Polly, that the whole month is all about ME! hee hee. And…it’s also a GREAT time for a new SELF PORTRAIT! When was the last time you updated your profile pic?
Everyone loves to put a face with a name, but often times, we’re the ones taking the photos. It’s very important to make sure that you get in some photos – either in snapshots that others take or hire a professional photographer for a yearly family photo session. I always think to myself “Oh, I didn’t put make up on today” or “my hair is a mess.” I always have a dumb excuse to not be in a photo. I miss my grandmother terribly and when I look at photos of her, I NEVER wonder if she is wearing make-up or even notice if her hair was brushed. Trust me, your kids and grandkids and friends will be too happy to see photos of you to notice what you’re wearing. Even you won’t notice! In a year from now, you’ll look at your photo and think, “man, I looked GREAT that day!”
Ok, enough sappy stuff. Let’s get you in front of the camera! Another great way to get in front of the camera is to take some SELF PORTRAITS! Self portraits can be intimidating, but they can also be SO fun! This month’s photography challenge is to take a self portrait, so here are a few ideas to get your started and some tips for great photos!
Tip #1 – At Arm’s length
I used to love to take the selfies with my point and shoot camera everywhere I went and with whomever I could. I love those totally candid moments and I inevitably end up cracking up every time I look at them. At family parties and events, I’m always handed a camera and asked to take photos. I’ll take a photo of every guest and all the details, but I love to make sure that I’m in EVERY shot! It’s always fun to see their reaction to the photos. Now, I don’t have a point and shoot camera of my own, and my Canon MkII is too HEAVY for the arm’s length photos! Also, the quality from the front camera of my iPhone is so poor that I rarely use it. But, if you can pull these off, GO FOR IT! I love them!
At the top of Mt. Bierstadt – 14,060 feet
The Garden of the Gods – a HUGE perk of living in Colorado!
Tip #2 – Use a tripod and remote trigger
Set up your camera and focus on some sort of fill-in for where you’ll be, then switch it over to manual focus and get into position. Use the remote trigger and voila’! A beautiful self-portrait! If you don’t have a tripod, then any flat stable surface will do. Any number of remote triggers will work, there’s even an app for that. Don’t have a remote? Then try the self timer- works just as well.
Tip #3 – Lighting
Experiment with your lighting to find the most flattering light or just try something new. I often love to catch some sun flare when I’m outside, or play around with my studio lights. Go for something more dramatic like the photo above, or something fun, light and airy. Never be afraid to experiment and have fun. The lighting can be your best friend or worst enemy, so the more you get to her, the better friend she’ll be!
My sweet Berry Pie and me. We love snuggles!
Tip #4 – Have FUN
Who said a selfie always has to be a headshot? I love to take photos of my feet to show places I’ve been. Other details are also fun – BE CReATIvE! Never be afraid to try something new.
Oh the places we go! I love to see where I’ve been and from my perspective.
Now…the best part!!! We want to see YOUR self portraits!!! Post your self portraits in the Photography Forum for a chance to win a $5 gift card to The Lilypad!
Meg says
I love the idea of putting myself in more shots! I’m always behind the camera instead of in front of it. You are SO talented! Thanks for sharing your expertise and ideas with us!