FREE iPHONE self-timer. CLICK HERE.
FREE Android self-timer. CLICK HERE.
DUE: 36+ digital color self-portraits brought to class to begin processing on the first class period after Thanksgiving break (10 points).
For this project, you will be turning the camera on yourself. But what makes this any different than the millions of "selfies" taken everyday by non-photographers? Let's look at the differences:
WHAT IS A SELIE?
CLICK HERE.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SELFIE AND A SELF-PORTRAIT? Okay, sure. If someone whips out their camera phone and takes a picture of him/herself for the sake of taking a picture of him/hererself, that’s nothing more than a selfie.
Now, if that very same student whips out his/her camera phone and takes an identical picture of herself, but she does it for the sake of almost any other aesthetic purpose, then she can be considered an artist creating a self portrait.
The quality of the image is important, but so is the aesthetic intent of the person creating the image. A self portrait is art. (Not necessarily good art, but art nonetheless.) At best, a selfie is craft, and that’s the fundamental distinction.
The difference between craft and art is the difference between how and why. The how is obvious, but if the photographer can’t answer why he/she’s taking a picture of him/herself in a manner that isn’t self-referential, then he/she probably hasn’t earned the right to call it a self portrait.
If you will be holding the camera while taking photographs, first, focus on an object that is the same distance away from you that the camera will be when you become the subject. If you are going to step out from behind the camera, place the camera on a sturdy surface (or tripod). While looking through the viewfinder, decide where you will place yourself. Put a chair (or something on which to focus) in the spot where you will be and focus your camera on that spot (and light meter the ‘scene’). Turn on your camera’s auto-timer, press the shutter button, and make a run for it…
Before the "selfie", the SELF-PORTRAIT. CLICK HERE.
#Me: Instagram Narcissism And The Scourge Of The Selfie. CLICK HERE.
What turns a would-be self-portrait into an awful and stupid "selfie?" Let's look at some examples:
Example one. CLICK HERE.
Example two. CLICK HERE.
Example three. CLICK HERE.
Example four. CLICK HERE.
Example five. CLICK HERE.
Example six. CLICK HERE.
WHAT DOES OUR SELFIE CULTURE SAY ABOUT US?
What does the "selfie" say about our society? CLICK HERE.
Selfies from around the world. CLICK HERE.
EXPANDING THE SELFIE'S HISTORICAL CONTEXT
CLICK HERE.
Expectations:
1. That you vary the PLACE you take the photos.
2. That you take them when you are alone with yourself (i.e. NOT with friends or family)
3. That you be as creative with the light, angle, place, etc. of the set up as you can be. (Test yourself!)
4. The you use the self-timer function on your camera for at least half of the images (meaning: you move in front of your camera and your arms, hands, torso, and maybe your full body is visible).
A couple teens with remarkable self-portraits:
Brendon Burton HERE.
Cristina Otero HERE.
IDEAS:
YOU: in a reflection...in a special place...doing something special...in character...as your alter-ego...laughing...crying...amongst strangers in a public place...outside...inside...upside-down...right-side-up...being boring...being strange...could answer the question, "Who am I?"..."Who do I want to be?"...
Standout student self-portraits from years past...
A couple of reminders:
1. If you will be holding the camera while taking photographs (aimed at yourself), focus first on an object that is the same distance away from you that the camera will be when you become the subject. For metering, face the direction where you will be and hold the back of your hand in the spot where your face will be. By doing this - and metering your camera to the skin tone of the back of your hand - your camera will measure the light reflected off the back of your hand, therefore, reflecting the same amount of light that your face will be reflecting.
2. If you are going to step out from behind the camera, place the camera on a sturdy surface (or tripod). While looking through the viewfinder, decide where you will place yourself. Put a chair (or something on which to focus) in the spot where you will be and focus your camera on that spot. Turn on your camera’s auto-timer, press the shutter button, and make a run for it…
SIX METHODS FOR PERFECTLY FOCUSED SELF-PORTRAITS
Self-portrait shooters usually rely on the trial-and-error method of focusing. Shoot, shoot, and shoot again until the perfect combination of pose, exposure, and focus are achieved. But there is a better way (several, in fact)! All of these methods are quick and easy and will give you accurate focusing without a lot of frustrating trial and error.
Before you begin, you’ll just need to acquaint yourself with how to put your camera into manual focus mode. You won’t actually use manual focus for focusing—you’ll just use it to keep the focus once you’ve got it set just the way you want. For each of the methods below (except the last one), you’ll auto-focus first and then set the camera to manual focus so that it won’t attempt to re-focus when you take the shot. You’ll also find that having a remote shutter release helps immensely.
Method 1: Avoiding the problem
If you let the camera auto-focus on your face while using a wide aperture, you’ll probably find that your nose is in focus but your eyes are not. The solution is to avoid the problem entirely by using a smaller aperture. The smaller the aperture, the wider the depth of field, and accurate focusing becomes less critical. Use as small an aperture as you can get away with.
Method 2: Hitting your mark
Probably the most straightforward method, simply place an object (a stuffed animal, a pillow, a lamp) where you will be posing. Focus on that. Then pose where your stand-in is at.
Method 3: Reverse focusing
This is similar to the previous method except that you’ll use your tripod itself as the stand-in. Since focusing is only concerned with distances, it doesn’t matter if you are focusing on the actual spot your are going to shoot. All that matters is the distance between the camera and the subject. With that knowledge, take the camera to where you will be posing and focus on your tripod head. Mark that spot. This is where you’ll stand for your portrait. Then put the camera in manual focus mode and put it back on the tripod.
Method 4: The string method
If you need super-precise focus with a narrow depth of field, tie a string to the tripod head and focus as above. Pull the string taut and mark it where it crosses the film plane (near the back of the camera where the sensor/film is). Anything at that distance from the tripod will be in perfect focus. Put the camera back on the tripod (again, set it for manual focus), find your mark on the string, drop the string, take the photo. Bonus: this method lets you shoot in any direction away from the tripod as long as you are at the focused distance mark on your string.
Method 5: Use a flashlight
Most modern cameras have a “closest-subject” focus mode. This mode will focus on the closest object it can “see.” You can take advantage of that to auto-focus your self-portrait on exactly what you want. Using auto-focus, darken the room and shine a light on whatever you want focused, usually one of your eyes (but I’m not making any judgements—you shoot what you like). The camera will focus only on the illuminated object. Because the room will be dark, you’ll need to use a flash.
Method 6: Measure
Measure the distance from the camera to where you will be standing and use the distance markings on the lens to manually set the focus. Not all lenses have distance markings so if you ain’t got ‘em you’ll just have to find another way.
Other self-portrait tips:
Put a mirror behind the camera so you can see the display without having to get up between shots.
Use a cable release or remote. Even better if your camera can delay the shutter a couple of seconds so you can hide the remote
A few videos for inspiration: