How to Take a Self Portrait More Easily

Self portraits can be a creative and fun way to express how you are feeling, keep a record of your life, or simply practice your photography skills. But there are special challenges that go along with this type of photography since the photographer cannot be both behind the camera and in front of the lens at the same time! I’d like to offer some tips to help you take better self portraits with your digital camera simply by using a tripod, a self timer, or a remote.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A digital camera
• A tripod
• A self timer
• A remote

1. 
   Tripod

   One of the best and easiest ways to improve your self portraits is to purchase a tripod. You can only do so much with an arm’s length self portrait or a by setting your digital camera on a stack of books. A tripod will allow you to balance your camera (thus reducing the chance for blur) and you can also be much more flexible with your set-up.

2. Along with a tripod, it is useful to use a self timer. This way you can press the shutter button and then have enough time to get into position. Many self timers have a variable time delay (for example, 2 seconds or 10 seconds). Check the manual for your digital camera to see where the function is located in your menu.

3. 
   Remote

   A step above the self timer is a digital camera remote control or remote shutter. Many cameras (even point and shoot models) have special remotes you can buy that allow you to take a picture from various distances. Furthermore, you are not limited by a timer and you can control focus much more easily because the camera will actually be pointed at the right subject (you). Check the manual for your digital camera to see whether your camera is set up to be able to use a remote.

Tips & Warnings

• There are several kinds of tripods. You may choose to buy a traditional tripod that stands tall on 3 legs. You might also want to consider a smaller and more mobile tripod like a tabletop tripod or a flexible gorillapod.
• When buying a remote, consider generic brands because often the camera manufacturer’s official remote can be very expensive or unavailable.
• Remotes come in many different sizes and levels of functionality. Some remotes allow the photographer to be a much further distance away from the camera (for example, 300 feet).
• Be careful when mounting your digital camera to a tripod so that it is totally secure and will not fall off.
• Be sure if you purchase a generic remote that it will actually work with your particular digital camera model.