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Awesome Selfie Tips Using a Tripod | Video

Awesome Selfie Tips Using a Tripod | Video

Want awesome selfies for your blog or Instagram? Have you got a tripod and 3 minutes? Then you’re in the right place!

Today I’m rounding up all of my selfie tips & tricks using a tripod. This might just change your #OOTD game!

Awesome Selfie Tips Using a Tripod | Video | The Outfit Repeater

I’m going to cover 3 main things in this post: tripod height, focusing, and finding the perfect lighting. Once you get all that down, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an instagram modeling sensation.

Before I go on, I just want to highlight a few products that I use that may be helpful to you:

(disclaimer: no affiliate links here! just unpaid product recommendations because I love you guys.)

Keep scrolling for written instructions or skip to the bottom for the video version!

Height

The ideal height for your tripod is around waist level.  By doing this you will look tall, proportionate, and not at all like some stumpy troll. It’s also important to note that the right height on your tripod can make your photos look really luxe.

You’ll know when you get it right when your foreground matches up with your waist and makes an almost perfect line in the middle of the photo. It might not always be an exact science but you’ll know when you get it.

Perfect angle to take outfit or full body portrait photos

Focus

If you don’t know how to use your self timer, now is the time to learn. I want you to study this feature and make it your best friend. Got it? Ok, next up: what’s the best method to getting yourself in focus?

My favorite method for shooting with my DSLR is to use a camera remote. I would be lost without one! If you want to take this one step further, and who doesn’t, then after you’ve used your remote to set your focus, put your camera back in manual focus, set the timer, and voila! No remote hiding in your hand and you’re perfectly in focus.

If you don’t have one, no problem. Throw something on the ground (like my neon purse) and set the focus manually, followed by your self timer. striped-dress-photography-01

For point-and-shoot and cell phone cameras, the focus isn’t as precise and you can get away with a less-than-perfect technique. Start by turning on your self-timer, stand behind the camera to focus, and then jump in. Easy, right?

Lighting

I’ve learned from my photographer friends that it’s easier to shoot in the shade and on overcast days.

If you’re a DSLR user (y’know, you carry one of those big fancy cameras around, like me) then lighting your photo will be pretty simple. If you can’t find shade and the sun insists on hanging out with you, have it face slightly behind you. You’ll produce a sunglare if you have the sun directly behind you in the photo, which may or may not be what you’re going for.

Ideal portrait photography lighting using a DSLR camera
Ignore that thumbs up in the last photo. The thumbs up is a lie.

Shooting with a point-and-shoot or cell phone camera can be tricky. You’ll have to work a little harder to find the best light but it’s usually a combination of sun and shade. Walk around your location and get lots of shots. Leave no light untouched!

Ideal portrait photography lighting using a point-and-shoot camera

If you try everything and the lighting in your photos still isn’t working, then would I suggest getting acquainted with a really great photo editor. That’s beyond my expertise but I’ve heard good things about Photoshop. 😉


And that’s it! That is the secret to all my selfies. Ultimately it’s more ideal to have another human help you but that’s not always possible. My instructions involve a lot of running back and forth to the camera but I have a lot of fun with it and it pleases me to know I can take my own pictures.

I’ve got one last gift for you: a video! I’m a visual learner so I took everything in this post and made up a 3 minute instructional video. Voila!

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10 Comments
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Lindsey Puls
Lindsey Puls
Guest
November 18, 2015 9:24 am

This was a very helpful post! I’ve recently been having to take my own outfit photos for my blog, and it’s been a bit of a challenge (but a great learning experience!). Haha. I think I’m going to have to invest in a better remote, though. Mine seems to not work very well unless I am practically standing on top of my camera. I also have a Canon, would you say that the remote you linked to works pretty well from a distance? Thanks again for this post!

Jamie
Jamie
Guest
November 18, 2015 10:02 am

Thanks for the tips! I use a remote, but I hate when it shows up in my photos. The auto to manual trick will definitely come in handy!

SaraLily
Guest
November 19, 2015 8:54 am

I use a remote and just try to be aware of where it is in my hand and either hide it in a pocket, behind a fold in my dress, or behind the fabric of my skirt if I am holding it out, etc. Sometimes I am not good with that and you can see it but I like that I can just keep posing and snapping without moving back and forth to my camera/phone to set the timer. Great tips! I loved them all!

saralilyphoto.blogspot.com

ShopGirlDaily.com
Guest
November 19, 2015 4:23 pm

This is awesome, thanks! I’d never thought to put my tripod at waist level.

Passport Couture
Guest
November 27, 2015 3:37 pm

Thanks for these great tips! I am terrible at setting up a tripod and arranging my own pictures, so I’ll definitely be using this post as a tutorial for the future. I always struggle getting the right angles, but now that I have your advice I feel much more confident about taking photos of myself for outfit posts.
http://passportcouture.com