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How To Take Better Self Portraits – Looking for a new skill to learn? Self-portrait photography can be just the thing – it requires minimal equipment and is also a great way to help boost your self-esteem and create beautiful art in the process.
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How To Take Better Self Portraits
The various lockdown restrictions in place in the UK since March 2020 have meant that many of us have been left with sterile Instagram pages, sharing an endless stream to make up for the lack of events we had to share on the social media. Where once there was street style, selfies have become one of the only ways for those without a volunteer photographer to photograph themselves. Other photo opportunities outside the house were largely limited to particularly visually pleasing trees and faded sunsets.
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Now, as the world begins to open up again, there are many more opportunities for Instagram-worthy content. But sitting while someone takes a picture of you can be pretty intimidating, especially now that we’re all so out of practice. So why not start by mastering the art of self-portraiture instead?
Self-portraiture is something that photographer and influencer Onyi Moss has been practicing for years. Self-portraits are not only a creative way to improve your Instagram feed, but they can become an act of self-care and help improve your self-esteem.
“It’s almost like a ritual,” Onyi says of the self-portraits. “It’s between you and yourself and you’re just in this headspace where you’re trying to capture a moment that feels special to you. I’d say it’s definitely a process that can be careful.”
Taking self-portraits, like any other form of photography, is a skill that requires practice to develop your technique, however, and Onyi has some advice on where to start – from the equipment you need to deciding what story you want. yours imagine to say.
Roger Fry, Self Portrait, 1921
Onyi never had formal photography training, but was able to develop impressive photography skills and a distinctive style that helped boost his career as an influencer. She explains that she learned about photography when she started watching YouTube videos. “I watch people like Jessica Kobeissi, who is a photographer, and I watch a YouTube channel called PH Learn.”
“It wasn’t necessarily about buying the most expensive equipment, it was getting the most out of what you already have,” he explains. “I also watched videos on how to edit images – color grading is very key.”
Onyi Moss is an influencer and photographer., Onyi has found that taking self-portraits is an act of self-care.
“Experiment with your phone camera in the beginning,” advises Onyi. “We now have timers that we can set on our phone to shoot after 30 seconds so we can put it on a mini tripod and set it up. And the quality of phone cameras these days is absolutely fantastic, especially in portrait mode” .
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Onyi explains that people often ask her what equipment she uses to achieve her high standard of photography and sometimes it turns out that these people use the exact same equipment as her, or sometimes even better quality equipment . “That’s one thing I learned about photography,” she says. “It’s not necessarily about what you have or how much money you’ve spent. It’s about practice and with practice, you develop your own style. If you’re not able to tell your own story with what you already have, then a camera better not help you achieve this.
If you eventually decide to invest in gear after taking selfies on your phone and deciding you like it, Onyi recommends the Canon EOS M200 as a beginner camera, but stresses that the lens you choose is the most important thing because they are more affordable than cameras and more adaptable too. Onyi suggests the Canon EF 50mm fi.8 II Lens for portraits and landscape photography.
“If you’re not able to tell your own story with what you already have, then a better camera won’t help you achieve that.”
There are many elements to consider when shooting a self-portrait, including angles, sets and wardrobe. Onyi explains that before she thinks about any of this, she establishes the story and the message she is trying to convey through the photos, “I need to make sure that everything is cohesive so that the story comes together well.”
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Then you can consider how to use things like wardrobe and location to build your story. Onyi uses the example of a recent Instagram post that wanted to signify the beginning of spring, so she incorporated floral elements into her outfit and focused on specific elements such as her floral nail art.
When it comes to finding places, Onyi’s advice is to pay more attention to the parts of your home and everyday environment that you’re used to, “If I’m going to do a little shopping, I’m really paying attention to what it is. around.”
“Something could easily be a breakthrough,” he continues. “So you just notice and that’s how I was able to create block content because I’m just using my local area.”
If you are not satisfied with the options that your home provides you for pictures, some easy tricks that Onyi suggests are hanging a sheet to give you a blank canvas to pose in front of and using things like plants and books like props.
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Onyi says she finds it easier to get a photo she likes when she takes self-portraits than when someone else takes her photo because she looks at the photos she took almost immediately after posing for them and can decide which elements she took. don’t like it immediately. Then change your position or scenario accordingly, rather than relying on someone else’s opinion.
“You know the direction you’re going and if you think this is something that looks good,” Onyi says. “Looking at one shot tells me what to do in the next one.”
Using the front camera on your phone is another option, so you can actually see yourself while taking photos and adjust your poses as you go.
Onyi is a self-taught photographer., Onyi used his self-portrait skills while traveling., In addition to photography, Onyi also shares fashion content on his Instagram page.
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If you are uncomfortable or lack experience posing for photos, Onyi suggests practicing poses in the mirror, “You can also go through photos of yourself that you have already taken and you can try to recreate the poses that you like.
Many people feel uncomfortable taking pictures in public, but this can be a necessary part of taking a self-portrait that you are happy with, especially when you have exhausted the options that the four walls of your home provide. “I’ve been there and yes it can be scary,” says Onyi. “What I would tell people is to find quiet places. Before the lockdown, I would go to restaurants when I knew people wouldn’t be on their lunch breaks, for example.
“But it also comes with experience,” she says. “The more you put yourself out there, the more you don’t care.”
You don’t have to post your photos on social media, Onyi says: “If you feel it’s a personal project, don’t feel the pressure to share it. You can keep it for yourself and your family and friends.”
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But social media can be a great way to hold yourself accountable to improving your skills and can also act as a way to track how far you’ve come in terms of improving your skills. “I never delete old photos,” says Onyi. “I want people to see that it’s a journey and I don’t even feel like I’ve reached the best. I’m always open to learning and I’m actually looking for new ways to improve myself and my skill.” In a day and age in which selfies with our cell phones are usually the method of choice for taking self-portraits, it might be hard to believe that there are ways to take good pictures of ourselves.
The good folks at Mango Street recently released a video extolling the virtues of a good self-portrait and even gave a few tips for making the most compelling self-portraits.
Naturally, a tripod would be your best bet here, but even if you don’t have a tripod, you can get creative and stabilize your camera in a variety of other ways.
For example, you can put it on a table and get some height by stacking books underneath. Not a pretty setup, but hey, it works!
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It can be difficult to frame the shot when you’re not really in it, so there will be some trial and error here.
It’s easier to go wide and crop later, so if you have a zoom lens, work on the wide side. If you have a prime, back up your tripod (or a stack of handy books) so you have it too
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