Help Regarding Self Portraits

[MSidPhoto]

Hey All, KazeFox here.

I need some help regarding self portraits. I consider myself a beginner photographer. I enjoy photography a lot and it is one of my favorite pastimes.

Recently I have been interested in taking Self Portraits. Unfortunately I haven't been much successful in doing so. So I would like help regarding how to take Self Portraits.

I have Sony DSC-H10 Point and Shoot camera. Sony gives little manual control in this camera. Another thing that I would like to say is that I would prefer if you tell me techniques based upon natural light rather than artificial light(i.e. Flash). This is because my camera only has a pop up flash and no hot shoe.

But if any of you does know techniques of taking Self Portraits using pop up flash or any other method, you are more than welcome.

I would like to know details like setting up before taking the shot. And one of the main problems that I face is that even though I use timer, the main subject (me) goes out of focus.

Will appreciate all the help that you can provide

Thanks

[Nathan deGargoyle]

If you click through this pic



and check the notes you can see the setup for my self-portrait studio. Hope that helps

[MSidPhoto]

Thanks a lot Nathan. I found your set-up pretty interesting. One of the best ghetto lighting I have see so far. Nathan, if you have taken some portraits using this set-up please post the links of those too. That will be pretty helpful.


If anybody has any more ideas, tips or solutions to the problems that I have mentioned I my first post, you are more than welcome to post them

Thanks a lot.

[MSidPhoto]

Looks like 108 people have viewed this thread and only one has answered.....

Please help me out if you can ...

Thanks

[candleman]

the trick i've found is place an object where you will be sitting, focus on it, and then run around and move it out the way when you get in position to pose.
i use manual focus with camera on a tripod, but you probably wont have that ability.

heres my progress on my self portrait project i'm just past the half way mark.

as for the flash,
is it a pop-up flash? either way, you can put cellofene over it to change the colour, and tissue paper to help diffuse the light a bit.

i hope that helps a little
cheers.

[MSidPhoto]

Candleman, your project is quite nice.....nice way to challenge yourself (one portrait per week for 52 weeks )

As for the flash it is a pop-up flash......

Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it

[Nicole]

Have you come across this in your search for tips on self-portraits? I’m ready for my closeup: 6 methods for perfectly focused self-portraits | Photodoto I found that link pretty useful for eliminating a lot of the blurry shots. And one tip for even the pop up flash is to see if your camera lets you change the intensity of the flash. Sometimes just a little flash is enough when you're working with ambient light.

[MSidPhoto]

Thanks a lot Nicole

[naeno]

You can set up outside with backdrops. I set up on my front porch many times. (My neighbors may think I'm a little nuts...oh well). I don't have an external either, and have found that to be the best set up for me. I'm almost finished with a 52 myself. You can see it here, if you're interested. I highly recommend it! It's a great group.

[MSidPhoto]

Naeno, thanks a lot, and i am sure you are not nuts :P
Just a photographer like we all are....(we are a bit over-enthusiatic when it comes to photography, arent we ??)

Just one question..

So you basically use no external lights except for the natural light, right ???

Thanks again