iPhoto 5: The Missing Manual, Fourth Edition

Self-Portraits

Sometimes it’s easier to take your own picture than to hand the camera to someone else—especially when you’re practicing with your camera.

The preceding discussion about blurring the background applies to pictures you take of yourself, too, of course. But there are a few other considerations.

If you’re on vacation, the natural scenery might be all the backdrop you need. If you’re shooting a picture to use on a resumé or to post on your Web page, however, find a well-lit room with some open wall space. The blank wall (preferably light-colored) will serve as your backdrop. Natural light coming in from windows is best for this setup.

Find a stool or a low-back chair without arms, and position it about five feet in front of your backdrop. If possible, it should face the brightest window in the room.

Next, you’ll need a way to position your camera. A standard tripod is best, but you can use a pocket tripod (page 53) on top of a table if necessary. Either way, position the camera about five feet from your stool.

Tip

In a pinch, you can use a standard hotel-room lamp as a tripod. The threads that are designed to secure the lampshade to its support bracket are exactly the right diameter for your camera’s tripod socket!

Turn on the flash. The ambient room lighting is often bright enough to provide overall even illumination, but the flash will provide a little burst of front light to smooth out facial blemishes and put a twinkle in your eyes.

The best cameras for self-portraits have ...