Self Portraits and Self Portraits 1

1. Alter Your Perspective

Most portraits are taken with the camera at (or around) the eye level of the subject. While this is good common sense – completely changing the angle that you shoot from can give your portrait a real WOW factor. Get up high and shoot down on your subject or get as close to the ground as you can and shoot up. Either way you’ll be seeing your subject from an angle that is bound to create interest.

2. Play with Eye Contact

It is amazing how much the direction of your subject’s eyes can impact an image. Most portraits have the subject looking down the lens – something that can create a real sense of connection between a subject and those viewing the image. But there are a couple of other things to try:

A. Looking off camera – have your subject focus their attention on something unseen and outside the field of view of your camera. This can create a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue and interest as the viewer of the shot wonders what they are looking at. This intrigue is particularly drawn about when the subject is showing some kind of emotion (ie ‘what’s making them laugh?’ or ‘what is making them look surprised?’). Just be aware that when you have a subject looking out of frame that you can also draw the eye of the viewer of the shot to the edge of the image also – taking them away from the point of interest in your shot – the subject.B. Looking within the frame – alternatively you could have your subject looking at something (or someone) within the frame. A child looking at a ball, a woman looking at her new baby, a man looking hungrily at a big plate of pasta…. When you give your subject something to look at that is inside the frame you create a second point of interest and a relationship between it and your primary subject. It also helps create ‘story’ within the image

B. Looking within the frame – alternatively you could have your subject looking at something (or someone) within the frame. A child looking at a ball, a woman looking at her new baby, a man looking hungrily at a big plate of pasta…. When you give your subject something to look at that is inside the frame you create a second point of interest and a relationship between it and your primary subject. It also helps create ‘story’ within the image.

 11. Frame Your Subject

Framing gives an image depth and draws the eye to a point of interest in the image. Framing is a technique where by you draw attention to one element of an image by framing it with another element of the image. You could do it by placing your subject in a window or doorway, have them look through a small gap or even use their hands around their face. See more examples of framing in photography here.

I picked this picture because I loved the colors and the way the skirt flowed and looked with the garden beneath the girl. I think this picture beautifully captured her body.

I picked this picture because I like the point of view this picture was captured at and the background that not only brings out the body but looks pleasing to the eye.

I picked this portrait because I liked that the boy was clearly the main subject and he had the smoke coming off his back adding diversity to the picture. I also like that his focus is not to the camera but at an angle still capturing all his facial features.

I really really enjoyed this picture because of how different it is.  The boy is hidden in a pile of feathers but still easily viewed as the main subject. I love that the photograph is upside down and that there is so much yet so little going on in the picture.

I picked this  picture because I absolutely love the way this little girl looks and the grass that covers up part of her body and draws lines to her face. I also like that she isn't looking at the camera.

I picked this photo because I liked the simplicity of the portrait but also the background is really pretty and adds character. The picture also follows the rule of thirds which always makes a picture look good.

For our portrait project I'm going too shoot pictures of my friend, Madi, in my backyard using nature as the background. When capturing images I'm going to experiment with angles and different shapes to try and capture new and unique images. I also may try to experiment with props and work with finding the perfect lighting and distance from the subject. I'm also going to include rule of thirds, framing, and simplicity.