How to photograph yourself beautifully: some tips for home photography. How do you always look good in photographs? How to learn to pose beautifully for a photo? How to smile beautifully in photographs? How can you take your own photo?
Before you look in detail at the question of how to take a photo of yourself, you should understand what you can use to take a “Selfie”.
Recently, it has become very fashionable to photograph yourself using such an indispensable device as a mobile phone. In our case, a smartphone. Mobile phones have been equipped with cameras for a long time, and most of the latest copies are equipped with two cameras. At the same time, the front camera, that is, the camera above the screen, is specially designed for taking selfies or selfies.
In order to understand how to properly photograph yourself on your phone, you should pay attention to the modern market of accessories for mobile phones. Quite recently, very useful things began to appear in our country - tripods for selfies. The device is very primitive, but really useful. So, thanks to these very tripods, the question of how to beautifully photograph yourself disappeared, and it also became much easier to take pictures in a group, since the capabilities of the phone’s camera began to be used much more fully.
Just for fun, I would like to note that selfie tripods are very interesting from a marketing point of view. Since the specimens that can be found here are 100% Chinese cheap goods, they first appeared in the eastern parts of Russia and began their movement through large cities, capturing the surrounding areas. At the same time, while in Europe these same tripods were sold on the streets for 3-5 euros by illegal immigrants, in stores in Russia and Ukraine you had to look for them and they cost at least $10. Fortunately, now the prices for them have fallen, they began to buy more of them and automatically understand how to photograph themselves correctly.
Another good option for beautifully photographing yourself can be a webcam. It would seem very convenient and fast. But not everything that is fast can be good. Most often, pictures from a webcam turn out soapy and blurry, and most of these cameras are not designed for high-quality color reproduction. Therefore, webcams should not be accessed.
An action camera can be an excellent assistant when asking how to take beautiful photos of yourself. The most common of these is the GoPro camera. These original, powerful cameras are equipped with wide-angle lenses and excellent matrices that can produce a bright and rich image even against the sun, so if you have such a device at your disposal, you should choose it. Moreover, if you have one of the GoPro cameras, then you probably have a tripod stick for it, which performs the same function as a selfie tripod.
And, of course, the most important and perhaps the best quality for photographing yourself is a SLR camera. It would be very, very good if you had a tripod and a radio remote control. These accessories perfectly meet the needs of how to properly photograph your own face, as they give you any necessary time to occupy the required place and pose, and also do not restrict your distance from the camera. However, if you don’t have such accessories, then don’t despair. In order to photograph yourself beautifully, you will need to choose a good background, light, preferably natural from a window, and place the camera on any plane - table, chair, window sill. If you have a non-professional version of a SLR camera, then you will not have any problems with the lack of a radio remote control, since the camera has a shutter delay function of up to 10 seconds, and in some models up to 30 seconds.
It’s also worth remembering that no matter what method you choose, you can photograph yourself using the reflection in the mirror! Any of the accessories described above will be suitable for this method. The main thing to remember is that a photo in the mirror is not cheap! It has its own charm and charm, so just think a little about the composition of the frame, and also choose a room with good light, or, on the contrary, take a photo at the right time of day.
I think you already understand that there is no point in asking how to photograph yourself. There are many ways to do this, you just need to shoot! But, do not forget about the nuances:
- If you are a girl, you shouldn’t make a bow on your lips, it’s not natural;
- You should not prop up your own breasts, this is clearly visible in the photo and causes a smile, not delight, it is better to play with the angle, this will give a better result;
- If you are a girl, you should not shoot from low points, such angles are more suitable for guys;
- Guys, don't try to take photos of yourself in beige and other light colors, these are more feminine colors;
- You should also not color your selfie photos in various shades of blue, red, brown, purple and others. This is usually done in one or two clicks using plugins that perform the task purely technically. And you will be interested to know that these shades are a cheap parody of the colors used by classic photographs. Plugins cannot reproduce these colors, and even if they could, it would not fit with the composition;
- When taking selfies, avoid dark rooms and generally poor lighting. Whatever cameras are in phones and tablets, they begin to make noise and spoil photos in difficult conditions.
Today we will tell you how to take photos with your phone correctly. Although some rules are quite applicable for shooting with a camera. If you use our tips, your shots will definitely improve. You will be able to stand out among the stream of completely identical photos on Instagram or any other social network.
Professional photographers know that the horizon line must be even if it is present in the frame. Previously, this was a big problem - you had to track the position of the air bubble in the level on the tripod. Now it’s enough to turn on a special mode, which can be present in both the smartphone and the camera. It consists of either displaying a digital level or showing a grid of nine rectangles. With these auxiliary tools, you can notice in time that the horizon line turns out to be inclined.
Cropping with a 3X3 grid
However, the horizon line should not be straight in one hundred percent of cases. Sometimes you can take a beautiful photograph by deliberately blocking the horizon. This is required, for example, when filming action scenes. You should also remember that modern cameras have high resolution. If detail is not very important to you, then in the future you can crop the photo in any graphics editor. This way you can easily correct the horizon line.
The background should not spoil the picture
But this rule must be followed strictly. What is meant here is not that the background should not be disgusting. No, in theory you can even take photos at a landfill. You need to not let the background spoil the picture. What does it mean? For example, inexperienced photographers may photograph a person in such a way that a tree branch appears to be growing from his head. If you see something similar on your smartphone screen, then ask the person to stand a little to the left or right so that the tree is to the side. The person’s body and head should clearly stand out against the background of all other elements of the photo!
Please note: The blurred background is called “bokeh” by professional photographers. Lenses are often chosen based on how beautifully they blur the background. Of course, this only applies to portrait optics that have a minimum focal length.
Don't use digital zoom
At one time, we managed to get used to the fact that digital cameras allow us to zoom the picture. But such a device uses optical zoom, and therefore the picture quality hardly drops. Smartphones are only equipped with digital zoom. And many of us continue to use it. But in vain! This practically kills the image, destroying clarity and detail. Stop using digital zoom! Forget about him!
If you read about smartphones with the best camera, then note one pattern. Recently, more and more devices are equipped with a dual camera. Some of them have lenses of different focal lengths. If you have such a device, then optical zoom is available to you. You can use it without any worries.
Flash doesn't always help
If it’s dark around you, you’ll have to use a flash to take pictures with your smartphone. Typically one or two bright LEDs are used. Some people are lazy to turn off the flash, using it absolutely always. This is completely wrong! Firstly, when taking photos regularly, it drains the battery. Secondly, it focuses on the details around it, rather than on the object itself. Thirdly, there is uneven lighting in the frame. And some flashes also spoil the skin color, which is completely unacceptable when shooting portraits.
Use flash only when absolutely necessary. Even professional photographers try to shoot in natural light. And if they use a flash, it is especially powerful and with a large number of settings.
Don't forget about HDR
Nowadays, almost any phone has several shooting modes. Among them you can often find. In this mode, the smartphone takes two frames with different exposures. Then they are mixed into one photo, the automation eliminates too dark and very bright areas. If you don’t overdo it with the exposure difference, you can get a very beautiful photograph in which there are no indistinguishable objects.
You need to use HDR when shooting scenes in high contrast conditions. For example, without HDR, you might end up with a photo of a room where the window has turned into a bright white blur because the lighting behind it is much brighter. Also, without HDR, it is difficult to get a high-quality photograph of a building if the sun is directly behind it.
The church in this photo would have looked very dark without HDR.
Remember that each smartphone handles HDR mode completely differently. It all depends on the camera module, RAM and processor. Some devices are not equipped with this function at all. Others in HDR mode require you to hold the smartphone motionless for a couple of seconds. And only a third work perfectly, taking both frames almost instantly.
Adjust exposure
Many smartphone owners prefer to shoot in automatic mode. Moreover, they only use the shutter button without knowing about any camera settings. This is an unforgivable mistake! For such people, photographs often turn out too dark or too light. And all because the exposure was not adjusted during photography.
In short, exposure is the overall brightness of a photo. Usually the smartphone sets the correct exposure, but sometimes it still makes mistakes. If you see that the phone wants to take a photo that is too dark or very light, then you have two options:
- Try aiming at something else to get a normal picture. After that, keep your finger on the screen. By doing this, you will lock the exposure - now it will not change until the moment you take the photo.
- Try manually adjusting the exposure. Each Camera app has a different way of doing this. The exposure changes downwards (decrease in brightness) and up (increase in brightness) in 1/3 stop increments.
On the right are the white balance, ISO and exposure settings
Whatever method you use, you will be able to get a frame with exactly the brightness you need. It’s even easier for owners of smartphones that can shoot in RAW format. They should not be afraid of overexposure - in the future these images can be properly edited in a special program. But very dark pictures will still be worthless - if you increase the brightness through the program, the digital noise will increase.
Use burst shooting
Just five years ago our advice would not have included this item. The fact is that previously it took a smartphone a long time to form an image. But now the processor power is enough to create two or three frames in one second. This type of shooting is called serial shooting. It should be used when photographing dynamic scenes. In burst mode you will definitely not miss the most beautiful or funny moment!
But you should not use this mode on an ongoing basis. The fact is that after each shooting in burst mode, you will have to spend some time deleting unnecessary frames. You won’t store dozens, hundreds, and subsequently thousands of almost identical photographs? Also, when shooting in burst mode, you won't be able to adjust the exposure. In short, use this mode only when shooting some action scenes.
Don't forget about the panorama
Some landscape photos don't turn out beautiful when taken in normal mode. Try using the Panorama mode. In it, the device automatically creates many pictures, combining them into one wide image. In particular, this is how 180- and even 360-degree panoramas are obtained.
A typical panorama stitched from several photographs
You can also take several shots of a very wide landscape yourself. You can combine them into one image using a computer - you will need Adobe Photoshop or Kolor Autopano Giga.
Don't forget about physical buttons
Most often, smartphone owners take pictures using the virtual shutter button. But in this case, the device oscillates, which can cause the photo to be blurred. If you want to learn how to take beautiful pictures with your phone, then try to remember that you can use physical buttons. Of course, not every smartphone now has a separate shutter key. But instead, the volume buttons perform the same function. Most often, they operate in exactly the same way as the shutter button on a digital camera works. You hold down the key - the device focuses, then the button is released - a frame is created.
Use a timer to take selfies
The easiest way to take selfies is to use a timer or voice command. In this case, at the moment of creating the frame, the device will definitely not move. And everything will be fine with clarity if you use a separate Bluetooth button (it should not be on the monopod). But let's about creating a beautiful selfie We'll talk about it in a separate article.
Rule of two thirds
Earlier we mentioned a special item in “Settings”, after activation of which a 3x3 grid appears on the screen. It will help not only level the horizon. With its help you can make your photo more artistic. The fact is that a person’s gaze most often falls at the intersection of these lines. Therefore, it is in these places that the most important objects should be located. For example, you can place the heads of people, birds or anything else in them. Of course, this doesn't apply to every photo.
Use filters wisely
You shouldn’t add one filter or another to all your photos. First of all, you should think about whether the photo can do without a color filter altogether. Now people understand that most often the presence of a filter indicates that the smartphone used to take the photo has a very bad camera.
Filters may even be available in the Camera app.
In many cases, filters do not decorate the photo, but only hide some important details. We are all already tired of how many photos are supplied with different filters. Their abundance on social networks is starting to irritate. If you want people to pay attention to your photos, try to apply filters in the rarest cases.
Summing up
If you have carefully read this article, then get ready to forget about thinking about which phone takes better photographs. Now you understand that, first of all, the beauty of a photo depends on the photographer. If you follow the tips above, you will get good shots even with an 8-megapixel camera.
Be extraordinary. If you have a good camera, then buy a tripod and experiment with photography. Lighting is important; it must be daylight or come from a fluorescent lamp. Distorts the complexion, the shape of the eyes and the roundness of the forehead - flash. But it is good if the photo is in twilight and the room is equipped with diffusers. Don't try to put on a smart face: improvisation is good, but in moderation. Work with the lighting - take pictures of yourself from different angles, but if you stand near a window in sunny weather and place the lens opposite, the photo will turn out to be overexposed. Don’t be shy about the camera – you are alone, and no one can see you, let loose and have fun. The correct exposure, and in this case the angle of the lens, can radically change the picture. The photo above will make you a tadpole and short, the photo below will add a double chin, the rectangular ratio will add several kilograms to the outline of the figure. Take photos against a contrasting background without using zoom. Consider remote focusing if you want to see the background blurred, but your reflection clear. In this case, you need to install the camera on a plane or use a tripod, see how the photo is displayed at the selected distance, and use the automatic shutter after a specified period of time. If you have a new generation digital camera and is equipped with a variety of functions, then play with positioning. Set the number of shots and click frequency on the camera, press delayed start, and when you start shooting, change your poses, facial expressions, gaze, and posing style. Viewing photos on your computer screen will certainly captivate you: some can be processed efficiently in Photoshop if, for example, you have problem skin on your face or extra pounds on your waist and hips. When planning a photo shoot, take care of your makeup and hair styling. Come up with poses and style. The most successful styles of self-photographing are reflections in a mirror or at arm's length. When taking pictures in the mirror, turn off the flash and wipe the surface if it is dirty or marked with marks. Provide a clean background: nothing superfluous, no scattered things, beds or clutter. Evaluate the future frame and setting, look up and take a photo. The mistake of amateurs is in lowered eyes or a fixed gaze at the camera - you need to look straight or maintain the planned style: the languid look of a temptress with a slightly open mouth, surprise, fear, ridicule, etc. Take a photo of your illegible reflection, for example, in sunny weather, capture the shadow of your own silhouette. At the same time, you can come up with a fancy shape: stand on one leg, rise on your tiptoes, spread your skirt to the sides, take the pose of Marilyn Monroe, etc. Fortunately, digital technology does not limit us in the number of pictures, and you can at least “take a photo”.Do not use flash; it distorts the image. Experiment, collect photo collections and make collages, soon your fans will bombard you with likes and make friends, and you will feel like a real star.
Simple tips with examples and photos
First answer, why do you need a photo shoot? If for low-grade sites and magazines, then this article will not help you. Here we will talk about how to take really beautiful photos. Something to be proud of. The kind that makes them famous and that 50 years later you won’t be ashamed to show to your grandchildren. Let's leave the technical side of the issue, let's talk only about places, clothes and poses for photography.
How to avoid taking photos
Let's start with common truths that everyone seems to already know, but still thousands of “photo masterpieces” appear on the Internet every day.- Remember these 5 main taboo rules:
- Never take pictures in the toilet! Never!!!
- Avoid horizontal and unnatural poses.
Lying, crawling, wringing your hands, bending over on an unmade bed, on the floor of an apartment, on carpets - this is, to say the least, ugly. If you really want to lie down somewhere, then it is better to choose a flower meadow. - Do not dress vulgarly: parts of your underwear should not fall out from under your clothes, as well as some parts of your body. It’s easy to determine this line: there shouldn’t be anything in the photo that you wouldn’t want to show to your current or future children, or parents.
- Do not wear very tight clothes for a photo shoot, so as not to get a “sausage effect” instead of beauty.
- Don't stick out your lips.
10 tips on how to take beautiful photos
1. Take pictures in nature. It is difficult to take good photographs indoors without special equipment.
2. The pose should be natural. Remember: any pose in which you are uncomfortable will turn out poorly in the photo.
Natural pose
3. Don’t make a languid expression on your face! A sincere smile or laugh will make even a bad photo more attractive. During filming, remember something very pleasant and smile that very mysterious smile of Mona Lisa, which makes any woman’s face more beautiful.
4. Try to take pictures not from the front, but half-turned. Try not to look into the lens - this will make the pictures more interesting.
5. When photographing, what is closer to the lens looks larger, and what is further away looks smaller. Therefore, for example, it is better to photograph overweight people a little from above to make the figure look slimmer.
Avoid "straight" poses
6. The photograph will be more interesting if the lines of the shoulders, tilt of the head, legs, etc. are not perpendicular. Avoid straight lines and "straight" poses. However, there is no need to bend too much or take unnatural poses. Everything in moderation!
You don't need to wear green to a photo shoot, otherwise your face may take on the same shade. Mike Newming
8. Portrait photographer Mike Newming advises: "You shouldn't wear green to a photo shoot, otherwise your face may take on the same shade." However, the opposite also applies: if the face is too red, then wearing green clothes will help hide this defect.
9. In makeup, pay special attention to blush to make your face look more expressive. It is better to avoid sparkling and pearlescent shades.
10. When you feel too self-conscious, just do a jump-up (jumping photo). Jump higher a few times and let the photographer select the “sports” shooting mode to get several shots in a row. After this, you can relax and the next photos will turn out better.
But more often than not, the “jumps” themselves turn out to be the most successful photographs. Use a little imagination to take interesting photos.
. Jumpik is relaxing.
And for those who want not only to take photographs, but also to win beauty contests or create their own lookbook with photographs, there is one magic secret on how to learn how to quickly and easily select clothes, place and poses for photographing: imitate those who like.
Choose a famous “style icon”, preferably from the last century, and start imitating her. Imagine that you are her. The one everyone admires. For example, . Do you think Grace would crawl on an unmade bed in front of the camera or bend indecently in the toilet? Look at her photos, poses, clothes, makeup. And when you take a photo, think, what would Grace do?
The most beautiful photos of girls are usually taken during... But the fact is that not every representative of the fair sex has a familiar photographer, and besides, there is not always time for such photo sessions. But girls need new photographs quite often. At least to update your avatar on a social network or, for example, to send your photo to a new admirer. So what to do in such a situation when a new photo of yourself is simply necessary, but there is no one nearby who could photograph you? Let's take a closer look at how to beautifully photograph yourself if there is no one else to photograph you.
How to photograph yourself beautifully?
So, there are several different ways to take your own photo. The choice of method depends on what photographic device you currently have. Let's consider each of these methods separately and in all possible detail.
Webcam. Taking a photo with your webcam – what could be easier, it would seem? But that was not the case. In general, when you urgently need a new photo of yourself at home, thoughts immediately turn to the webcam. This is really very convenient, since the photo will immediately appear on the computer, where it can be quickly processed and used for its intended purpose. But there are a few “buts” that make a webcam not the best choice for . The quality of such photographs often leaves much to be desired - blurry, unclear, poor lighting... This does not play into your hands at all. But if there are no other options and you need to take pictures with a webcam, then try to sit in a room with good lighting, perhaps even near a window. And don’t forget that photographs against the background of unmade beds, carpets and other home furnishings that are not particularly attractive can hardly be called beautiful, even if you look charming in them.
Telephone. Since in our time, mobile phone manufacturers have begun to equip their brainchildren with high-quality cameras, many girls don’t even have to think about how to take a photo of themselves - they stretch out their hand, click a button, and you can already admire the next picture. But here the weight is not so simple. One photo out of ten taken this way will look really good. Therefore, remember that when photographing yourself with an outstretched arm, you need to hold the camera at eye level, while not lifting your head or lowering it too low, it is better to take such pictures half-turned. In addition, now you can often see photographs of yourself in the mirror. This may not be new, but often such photos look very good. The main thing is to remember to turn off the flash and look not down at your own phone, but at the mirror, so that everyone can see your beautiful eyes and positive smile in the photo.
Camera. If you are the happy owner of a camera, perhaps even a professional one, then taking a photograph of yourself will not pose any problems. Of course, in this case, the rules mentioned above apply - you need to choose good lighting, a beautiful place, and so on. But since the quality of the photographs will still be much better, there are fewer problems on the path of the amateur photographer. In addition, there is another option for how to take a good photograph of yourself - if you have a tripod, then you can simply set the camera on the self-timer with a timer, having first thought through your pose. The pictures will turn out very beautiful, with the whole landscape, and not just your face. In addition, here it will even be difficult to guess whether you yourself took photographs or not.
So we figured out how to properly photograph yourself. Don’t forget about a beautiful smile, as it is the key to a successful photo. And use Photoshop, because with its help you can make a good photo simply excellent, but, most importantly, do not overdo it.
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