How to take Self Portraits like a Pro

Alongside a blogger, I’m also a Fashion and Product Photographer. Being a Photographer, I’m very particular about how I want my picture to be clicked.

It is not always easy to make the other person understand your perspective and theme of the pictures you want of yourself. So, as a result, I have started shooting self-portraits using my Nikon D3400 with 18-55mm lens, a tripod, and a remote control.

Here are the links of the gear I use for this, they are quite affordable and sturdy!

Table Of Contents

Tripod

Photron Tripod Stedy 450 with 4.5 Feet Pan Head + Extra Quick Release Plate + Foam Grip + Carry Case

CLICK HERE TO BUY

Remote control

Nikon Ml-L3 IR Wireless Camera Remote for DSLR Camera D5000 D5100 D5200 D7000 D7100 D3000 D3200 D90 D600 D610

CLICK HERE TO BUY

Let’s see some examples!

Can you guess where did I take this self-portrait? In my own drawing room! You don’t need a fancy cafe or beautiful outdoors to get the best self-portrait.

All you really need to focus is to find a perfectly lit area or corner in your home. We all have a certain corner in our home where the sunlight falls softly from the window nearby or filtered through the curtains.

The key is to find a spot where the sunlight isn’t very harsh, so as not to create too much of brightened up highlights in the picture. I prefer to shoot in the golden hour, from 3-4pm. When you’ve found a well-lit spot, clear out some space.

Remove any furniture that can come inside your frame, clean the floor or even spread a bedsheet to sit on. Next, you need to be wearing the right clothes.

Avoid wearing anything with intricate work on it because the whole purpose of a portrait is to bring the focus to the face and eyes dominantly, not the fancy clothes. Go for solid colours, pastels are the best (My personal favourite).

Makeup totally depends on you. It can be either be a raw looking portrait, a slight touch-up or a full-on glam look. Before starting with the tripod and camera setup, you should have a clear theme in your mind.

What kind of portraits do you want? What do you want them to signify? At first, this might seem like a puzzling question. Let me shine some light on it!

Also Read: How To Shoot Flatlays With A Color Palette | GarimaShares

Use books as props

If you are a nerd and you love books, you can take your shots reading a book, wearing nerdy glasses or simply sitting with a pile of books by your side.

View the whole set of images from this session here!

If you want the picture to portray a powerful, independent personality, then using a fan can come in handy. Blowing beautiful hair usually showcases strength (I used a fan for this shot!)

Also Read: How To Shoot Flatlays With A Color Palette | GarimaShares

Use Household items

If you’re thinking to get a bit creative, then you can use props which are sparkly or of complimentary color to bring in a pop of color in the picture.

In this picture below, I used a tablecloth to get this beautiful pattern on my face.

View the whole set of images from this session here!

Use Fairy Lights

Well, fairy lights don’t need an introduction. You might have seen them in pictures a million times. For self-portraits, you can hang them on the wall behind or right beside you. I used fairy lights on the wall in this self-portrait-