Beautiful Campaign: How to 'shoot' yourself
/One of the hardest things about being in front of the camera (besides the posing - which we discussed yesterday), is getting someone or something to take the pictures.
I'm pretty lucky - my husband works 9-5, so he takes pictures of me on his way to work, right after getting home from work, or on the weekend. Most of my shoots with him last about 5 minutes. When we first started I had to tell him exactly where to stand, how much to zoom in or out, and how to get the best angles for me. I had to check every couple of shots to make sure he was getting something usable. Over time we have gotten more used to each other, and we have finally hit the point that he will coach me or tell me when an angle is not working. I still check the frames between each pose to make sure I am getting stuff I like, and I will still direct him to get detail shots or a shot specifically of my bum, but he is certainly ready to take the training wheels off. If you are lucky like me and have a husband who is willing and able to give you 5 minutes of his time - train him!!! It helps to not bash his efforts, thank him for his help - show him your favorite picture from what he shot and tell him why you like it.
This is the shoot when things clicked for my husband - these images were for a magazine and I needed them to be good. I fell in love with the images and he gained a ton of confidence seeing me so proud.
For those who are not so lucky to have an adult human being to take your photos - you are going to have to get a stand in. There are two things you need: 1) a tripod, and 2) a remote shutter release. You don't need anything expensive, but you do need both to take good photos of yourself with an angle you will like.
In general women look best when shot with a slightly downward angle. They do this in movies and selfies and even some fashion photography. The downward angle plays off our cheek bones, makes the chin look smaller and more angular, and enlarges the eyes as we look up toward the camera lens. Now, most tripods just don't go that high. So you will need to stand downhill from your tripod, set it on a box or chair or other surface. You can also sit or kneel on the ground and set up your tripod - you want about 1-2 feet difference in height no more! *This is primarily for closeups that include your face*
For full body shots, set your tripod on it's highest setting. Zoom the camera in at least half of it's focal length and stand in front of it at a point that there is room above your head and below your shoes in the frame. The reason you want to zoom in, is that this will create natural softness in your background and make you stand out. Always check after taking 1 or 2 pictures to make sure that you like your position in the frame and your pose. Adjust as needed. You can do one or two artistic shots with a lot of background, but really you are showing off the clothes, so keep it fairly tight.
I left some extra room in this shoot since the snowy gray background was the perfect contrast to the bright pants.
Want to get all creative? Low angle shots are great for showing off pants, shoes, or a cool hem detail. This angle is often seen in fashion shoots because, if done correctly, it elongates the body. To get this angle, you are going to have to lay your camera on it's side. You will need to prop the camera at an angle - you can use a book, an article of clothing, or bean bags work particularly well. To check your angle, you are going to have to lay down on the ground and look through the view finder until you get the position correct. This is an angle where you DO NOT want to look at the lens. Look up at the sky, off towards the horizon or down towards your hand. This angle is never flattering to the face.
Don't forget to take the detail photos that really make your garment POP! Set your tripod on the same level as your detail, zoom your camera in, and shoot straight on.
Now that you have some tips and tricks, I hope you get out there and photograph all the fabulous things you have been sewing up!!!! And don't forget that this is the last day to score the BundleUP! collection at a steal of a deal - only $44 for 11 patterns - tell your husband you want it for mother's day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *if he gets you a gift certificate, it will be redeemable through Monday!!
