Self Portraiture by Janel Peyton Photography
Introduction
You’ve seen them everywhere over the last two years. Self portraiture has taken off like candy at a birthday party. There has been this desire to capture ourselves in front of the camera instead of just behind.
There are many reasons to do self portraiture: Some say it’s for therapy, some say it’s to make sure to be in their children’s memories, some say it’s simply for self confidence building. For me? It’s creativity. It pushes me to be creative in ways I can’t be creative with other subjects.
If you don’t know who I am, I am Janel Peyton. I am a mother of 3 boys under 9 years old who I homeschool and wife to an OB/GYN who makes me laugh more than anyone in the world. I have been in business since 2011. I was the Editor-in-Chief of Dear Photographer Magazine for 2 years and have taught at several workshops both online and in person. I’m an open book and an honest soul.
Advice
Instead of jumping into theories about self portraiture, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. The how.
Tip #1: Throw out the rules.
This will be the best way to release you from the stresses of self portraiture. These images are of you and only you which means, you get to decide how they are done. Your personality needs to come out through it and that means even the process needs to have your personality in it. Don’t worry about rule of thirds, or focus or really… anything. Be free.
Tip #2: Gear.
Camera body and Lens. I shoot with a Canon Mark IV and typically use my Sigma 35mm 1.4 ART lens. But I feel like any portrait lens can work well. Each will give a different distortion and will tell a different story. So try out different lenses in the same setting.
Get a tripod. One that can rotate fully is incredibly useful and will help alleviate the frustrations of putting your camera on a stack of books or shelf. Can you do self portraiture without a tripod? Of course. But trust me, when I say that having one lifts a weight off your shoulders.
Remote Shutter. Download the Canon Connect app on your phone. That’s the cheat. You can see what you are taking a picture of and you can focus and change settings from your phone. It’s a genius app. If you shoot Nikon, see if there is a remote app for Nikon (I’m unfamiliar with Nikon.) If you don’t have wifi on your camera, buy any cheap remote shutter on amazon. You won’t be able to see what you are taking pictures of, but you will at least be able to click the shutter from afar instead of using the timer on your camera and running into place.
Tip #3: Setting.
Anywhere. I have photographed in the corner of my guest bedroom, on the floor in the playroom, in my unfinished basement, in my bath tub, in a closet, in the garage. Any setting has potential. Observe the light in different areas of your home throughout the day. Find interesting light, not just “overused” light.
Tip #4: Concept.
Since I tend to shoot self portraiture for creativity, I always try to come up with some concept to start with. It can be a simple prompt like “stressed” or it can be as crazy as “medusa.” Some concepts require props, but most of the time, I try to make due with whatever I have around the house. Think of any random subject and imagine how you can portray that.
Tip #5: Settings.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I break all the rules. I shoot my self portraiture on AV mode. There, now you know. Why? Manual is best. Manual is what makes you a REAL photographer, right? Meh. It certainly has it’s perks and purpose, but settings are tools. Plain and simple. You should know how to use Manual. BUT don’t feel handcuffed to it. AV mode allows me the freedom to set other settings and not have to worry about others while my mind works on the creativity of the shot as well as posing myself and keepign my eyes from bugging out. It’s a lot to think about. So be free, my friends.
99% of the time, my Fstop is 1.4 and my ISO is 100. But I adjust as needed if light is particularly dark.
Exposure Compensation. I LOVE this tool and so few people talk about it. Look on your camera and you see that line that almost looks like a ruler? That’s exposure compensation. Move it lower, and it adjusts your exposure darker. Move it higher, and it adjusts your exposure brighter. It’s a fun tool. I tend to stop down 1 or 2 when I shoot because I like an underexposed image. Try it.
Tip #6: Shoot for you.
This should go without saying, but shoot for you and your heart. Not for likes, not for comments, not for a curated feed. You are creative. You are an artist. Don’t be someone else. The world is waiting for your voice. Let go and get going.
Tip #7: Ask questions.
I am here if you have any questions. If you want to commiserate over how hard these are or how you feel stuck, reach out. I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have. You can reach my on IG at @janelpeyton or via email at janel.peyton@gmail.com