How to Take a Flattering Self Portrait

A few small tweaks can make a big difference in your self portrait.

The following two pictures were taken on the same day, at the same time and in the same location.  There are 3 differences between these two photos and I think it's safe to say the second picture is much more flattering.

Difference #1. Styling - The addition of a jacket.  The jacket I had on hand happened to be denim but a blazer would work just as well.  The jacket creates a more structured look in the shoulders and the contrast of the darker jacket with my skin tone adds dimension and brings the focus away from the shoulders and to the face.  In the first picture, the light color of the shirt blends with my skin tone making things sort of meld together.  Not to mention the stripes on the shirt are a bit distracting and draw attention away from the face.

Difference #2. Angle -   In the second picture, the camera was raised about 6 inches.  You might notice in the first picture, I'm looking straight into the camera, maybe even looking down at it a bit.  By raising the camera, my shoulders look a bit more narrow and there is more of a shadow under my chin.  This creates a more flattering effect.  To raise the camera, I sat my tripod on a table and adjusted the tripod's height down a level so the camera wasn't too high.  Instead of raising the tripod by standing it on a table, you can sit on a stool which will lower you down a bit, same idea.  

For example, see below:

Difference #3. Posing - When posing, stand about 4 feet away from the camera, stand with your feet at a right angle away from the camera, either to the right or left of the camera and twist your upper body to face the camera.  This twisting causes your shoulders to be slightly turned away instead of straight on.  Much like raising the camera, this creates a narrowing effect in the shoulders and a shadow under the chin which creates definition.

Just a few tweaks really changed the whole look of my self portrait.

                                     _________________________

A couple other things to take into consideration are lighting and makeup.  

It was a sunny day, but I positioned myself in a shady area to avoid any harsh shadows or distracting bright spots.  If you're unable to find shade, try taking photos early in the morning or in the evening when the light is a bit softer.  Position yourself so the sun is behind you in order to avoid squinting and shadows.

I prefer natural looking makeup, but everyone has their preferences.  For this photo shoot, I did my usual simple makeup (foundation and mascara)  but I added a subtle lip color to add a bit more life to my face.  Adding a bit of blush would have a similar effect.

I hope you found these tips helpful!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Liz

P.S.  These photos were taken with my Nikon D3400 equipped with a 50mm portrait lens which creates that nice blurred background.  These days many cell phones have "portrait mode" which creates the same effect.  I used a remote shutter release but a self timer would work just as well.