Some of you have been following along with my fifty two self portrait project, and honestly when I began I never dreamed of the amazing encouragement I've garnered over the weeks. I'm now eight weeks in, and I've already learned so much! A few of you have asked for advice and tips on taking selfies, so here are some of the most important ones.1. Practice, practice, practice. Don't be concerned when your beginning attempts are disappointing--mine all were! It's been incredible to look back and see how far I've come simply by practice.
2. Be inspired! When I started this project, I browsed through literally hundreds of photos on Flickr, eagerly absorbing inspiration and ideas. I've found that starting with an idea I find on Pinterest or Flickr, then making it my own, works beautifully for me.
3. There will be hundreds of outtakes. Seriously, don't sweat it. I took dozens and dozens of pictures today before finding one I liked. (the one above!)
4. Use a tripod. Really. It makes the whole process exponentially easier. They're not too expensive, and besides the investment will be one of the best you make, photography-wise.
5. Be bold, be brave, experiment! Don't be afraid to look silly! Shake things up a little; use movement to it's best extent in your photos; have fun in post-processing. I love trying new editing techniques and styles in Gimp (or use Photoshop, if you are so blessed.)
At the end of the day, taking self portraits should be, above all, fun! Doing this has expanded my comfort zone, and helped me develop my brand and sense of photography style. Go out and try it, sometime, and maybe start a self portrait project of your own. I'd love to see the results!
xo and all that jazz,
simi.
