How to Photograph Self-Portraits of Yourself

If you’re lacking inspiration to shoot others– shoot yourself.

1. Shoot yourself:

To start off, you are the best person to photograph. You give yourself 100% consent. You won’t punch yourself in the face, and you won’t become upset.

To be comfortable photographing yourself is one of the most important steps to building your personal confidence as a photographer.

I’ve been making a lot of photos of Cindy (#cindyproject) but sometimes she gets annoyed, or she isn’t by my side.

In these situations, I shoot myself. To me, I am the best subject– because I can document my life, and one day, my death:

Make artistic self-portraits

Regardless of how boring of a place you live in, you can always make self-portraits of yourself. Don’t worry that you will be seen as vain or self-centered– great photographers like Vivian Maier and Lee Friedlander have made beautiful self-portraits of themselves. The secret is to make an ‘artistic’ self-portrait.

Shoot your shadow. Shoot your reflection. Turn the camera around and point it straight at you. Look at the background, the light, and reflect on your inner-emotional state:

Conclusion

Photography is about documenting yourself, how you see the world, and the inner-state of your mind. Photography isn’t about making images. It is about making sense of the world.