Generally, I am quite allergic to doing selfies, but I have a couple of ideas for things I'd like to work on that will somewhat involve turning the camera on myself. :) There's one, in particular, where I want to focus on something in my hands, with a real shallow DoF so I'm all fuzzy and stuff.
I am, unfortunately, quite ignorant of how to do this. Any selfie I've done thus far has been with the help of my iDevice and any app that lets me shoot with the front camera. (Go ahead, insert 'awww how cute is that' here.)
My camera doesn't have a viewfinder that I can flip around - so in my head, you set up the tripod, do a test shot, go run back around the camera, see if you got it, go try again if not, rinse, repeat.
Is that pretty much how it goes or are there some tricks that'll help me out? I don't use autofocus, pretty much always on manual. I do have a remote, so that's good. I'm willing to do the try-rinse-repeat approach, but any helpful hints are much appreciated! :)
@emmaroobers I know, right? Especially on something really fussy - I'll want to focus on something small in my hands, and it's not like I have a model in my house to stand in and help me.
@manek43509 Hey, that's a good trick, and it's what I usually do! :) I've done a shot of something in my hands, even, that I thought turned out pretty well. But I don't think the iPhone will do the trick this time, for more show-all-of-me-not-just-my-face-or-hands shots.
I am by no means an expert on selfies but maybe put a prop in the place where you expect to have your hands, get the camera in focus - set the lens to manual so it doesn't try to refocus! - and then try your shot again replacing the prop with your hand.
I know what you mean about selfies... i don't do them that often so they can be tricky. :)
Here is what I do:
I use auto focus 99% of the time so to set this up I will autofocus on something that is at the same distance to the object I want to focus on. Normally this will be the first thing in the frame as I want to get the entire shot in focus, but this works the same if you want to have a shallow DOF.
Once I have focus, I then turn it back to manual focus and dont touch it.
I will take a few test shots and have the camera teathed to the PC so I can have a close look at the image and more importantly the focus.
If its not spot on, I will see where it need to be and reset it using the steps above.
If I can get someone to step into the frame so I can use them for a focal point then that speeds things up.
Can I add... The problem will find is that you will have to be in the exact same spot the shallower you go, so mark you location somehow and the location of your hand. For me I put something on the ground so I know where to stand.
I have a remote, I stand in front of the camera half press the remote so it focuses and than full press, voila. I usually use a 10 second timer as well
So I have time to compose myself
@autumnseden@jlhopgood@agima@alk1991 I am now trying to puzzle out a way I can fake sick and go home from work, so that I can try all these tricks. :) Thanks guys!!
@beautifulthing I get embarrassed even if my hubby is around when I'm doing selfies! Totally with you on the not having a model thing! And there is only so much you can focus on when you are behind the actual camera!
So, my SLR lenses which I use on my digi thanks to the wonders of science and ring adapters, have range on the focus ring, so that even if I wasn't looking through the lens viewfinder I could botch it. so I'd put my 50mm on, turn it all the way to the closest focus, which is 1 meter i think, I'd F.stop the max and do some shots with my hands a meter from the lens. That'd be my answer. If you only got one of those plastic barrel digital lenses with no features then.....do what the guy above said placing like a vacume cleaner in front of the camera and focus on it and then put your hands in its place. xx
Usually I try to have an assistant, some one who can hold my lighting equipment and stand in my place to focus. (ahem my bf). If he's not around sometimes I will do an infiniti focus and try to stand in front of it, its a guess and check process but it works. Depending on the shot and set up you can place a doll/dog or ladder with something on it to get the focus point, make sure its on manual focus so if you're using a remote it doesnt try to refocus on you.
@agima - I go with Brendan's methodology. And if you can, place a mirror behind your camera. This can give you a quick view of your shot when it fires. That way you can check out your comp before you rise to go look.
When I did my profile pic selfie, I stuck a broom against the chair I was to sit on and focussed on that. I just made sure to check that my face was on the same plane as the broom had been.
I once used a prop (can't remember what it was now!) instead of my head to get the focus, but I recently bought a cable shutter release thingy (for only about £12) which would probably make it easier if I was to try again.
@beautifulthing that's how I do it. I set up a prop, focus on that and then try out the shot. More often than no once I see the image I have to work out what's wrong and then redo it, it can be something as simple as- oh crud, i thought I'd kicked the shoe far enough under the bed, right down to that expression doesn't work. I had to retake one of mine about 10 times before I realised I needed to keep my finger off my lip and not against it.....so selfies are more than just getting the focus. As the photographer you can tell the person to move to the right, lean, move etc until what you see in the viewfinder looks right. With a SP you have to take the shot to work that out.
I took my first and only selfie last month ..i have aspired to take one each month for the year..Today i TRIED to do it outside in the freezing cold with me, myself and I ...and my camera a small tripod..and some snow....i did not do any of the above...and i slid and fell on my Ass 10 times before i gave up in fear of frostbite!! Now i can barely move,,, all of my muscles hurt from squating down so i didnt cut my head off...Now that i have gained ALL of this knowledge from this thred...I will bravely try again...I just wish you had asked this Question last night!! ..he he he...
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@manek43509 Hey, that's a good trick, and it's what I usually do! :) I've done a shot of something in my hands, even, that I thought turned out pretty well. But I don't think the iPhone will do the trick this time, for more show-all-of-me-not-just-my-face-or-hands shots.
Here is what I do:
I use auto focus 99% of the time so to set this up I will autofocus on something that is at the same distance to the object I want to focus on. Normally this will be the first thing in the frame as I want to get the entire shot in focus, but this works the same if you want to have a shallow DOF.
Once I have focus, I then turn it back to manual focus and dont touch it.
I will take a few test shots and have the camera teathed to the PC so I can have a close look at the image and more importantly the focus.
If its not spot on, I will see where it need to be and reset it using the steps above.
If I can get someone to step into the frame so I can use them for a focal point then that speeds things up.
Can I add... The problem will find is that you will have to be in the exact same spot the shallower you go, so mark you location somehow and the location of your hand. For me I put something on the ground so I know where to stand.
So I have time to compose myself
Let me just say that dont actually do this as it is not very good for you.....