Self Portrait Week 12: Home Studio Portrait

Jodie was home from school for Spring Break and helped me set up this shot.

We're so pleased with the results!

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My daughter Jodie was home from the university for Spring Break and needed some headshots for her graduation announcements, her blog, and her online resume. So we set up a photo studio in our living room.

Using some of the tricks she learned in her videography classes, we were able to get some very nice lighting effects. She taught me to have a key light pointing at the subject, which we diffused with an opaque white umbrella. We put a backlight on the floor behind the photo subject to separate the subject from the background. Then we used a mix of sunlight and incandescent lighting as fill light. I set up a custom white balance.

We used a nice medium grey felt as a backdrop and put the camera on a tripod. I used my "nifty fifty" portrait lens. I got some great photos of her. Then I used a remote wired shutter button to take this photo of myself.

While she was in town, we took a 2 hour "Portraits and Posing" class through our Parks and Rec department where we got some tips that we were able to put to use in our photo shoot. I feel like I learned a lot with this week's self-portrait.

Self Portrait Week 11: Head Shot

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Photo Lessons I Learned:

I bought a set of manikin heads so I can display my fun wigs. I loved the way they looked lined up on my dresser with morning light coming in the window through the blinds. I felt the urge to get in on the (in)action.

I came up the the concept, the "costume," the framing, and the lighting. But since I couldn't see through the sheet over my head to make the final tweaks, daughter Jodie finessed the shot and pushed the shutter button for me.

This begs the question ... what, exactly, makes for a self portrait? Does the photo need to be completed top-to-bottom by the photographer herself, or do most artists have assistants?

Self Portrait Week 10: St Patrick's Day!

Time to party!

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 Photo Lessons I Learned:

My goal this week was learning use my wired remote. I found it much easier to use for self portraits than the wireless because I didn't have to re-pose for the camera between clicking the shutter button and the camera auto focusing/taking the picture.

Plus, it's fun to get creative with the props. That bow tie is really a girl's headband with the bow glued to it. I tucked the headband under the shirt collar and pinned the bow so that it landed at the correct angle.

Sure Sign of Spring

Now there are 6 crocus blooming by the front door, and more on the way. I love this first sign of Spring.

So nice to get down on my belly with my macro lens for the first time in months.

Self Portrait Week 9: The Seamstress

This week in my Studio, I've been busy at my machines, sewing up a storm. The garment is almost complete! I always feel like I'm channeling my seamstress grandmother and tailor grandfather when I'm in the sewing zone.

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Photo Lessons I Learned:

I took this photo with my phone's camera in mixed lighting. I had to lower the highlights, lighten the shadows, and do a bit of color correction in editing.

F2.4 ... 1/15 sec ... ISO 200 ... 2mm