Picture this:
You put on a fire outfit and you know you NEED a cute ass OOTD (outfit of the day) photo…
but you’re by yourself.
No friends, no photographer, and no David.
What do you do?
Well fear not because I have 3 methods you can use to take your photos, by yourself!
- Self-timer
- Video + Screenshot
- Interval selfie timer (aka Phototimer + App on iPhone)
But a note before we delve into these methods, investing in a phone tripod is an ABSOLUTE game changer! It mimics someone taking a photo of you, but allowing YOU to be in control of what you capture about yourself.
But if you don’t own a phone tripod, that’s okay too! This gives you the opportunity to be creative with your surroundings and what you have with you at that given moment. You can lean your phone against different things, such as a wall or even a coffee cup from Starbucks!
Anyways, here are
- Self-timer
Of all three, this is the simplest method and probably one you’re most used to. You’ll go to the camera app on your phone and select the timeframe, ranging from 3 to 10 seconds. This method goes straight to the point, allowing you to capture just 1-2 quick photos of yourself. But also, the self-timer method is best for those who are shyer or haven’t been in front of the camera much.
However, in order to capture your photos, you have to keep going back and forth, and that can break your flow of confidence in the process. It can be hard to get into a certain position that you already captured or make adjustments on the spot. But again, this method is the most familiar and the easiest method of the three!
- Video & screenshot
Becoming popular among fashion YouTubers and all across social media, this method gives you the chance to go through each photo frame by frame, and screenshot whichever frame you like. Make sure you film on the highest quality that’s possible for your phone. For the iPhone 12 Pro Max, you want to switch from HD to 4K, then adjust from 30 frames per second (FPS) to 60 FPS.
What makes this method better than the first one is the movement that’s involved, as well as being able to pick and choose your photos. If you’re trying to capture multiple photos at the same time, the video and screenshot method is for you!
But what we gotta acknowledge is how the photos you’re taking of yourself are meant to have intention. You shouldn’t have to hope and pray that you got one good shot, you should be more intentional about why you’re capturing yourself in the first place! While you can move freely and capture a picture frame by frame with the video and screenshot method, you need to have the intention to create something cool and also pose with intention. And this brings us to our final method!
- Interval selfie timer (aka Phototimer + App on iPhone)
This method is all about intention, and thus the most challenging of the three. Compared to the previous methods we mentioned, the interval selfie timer gets you into the habit of moving your body with intention, with each photo. You don’t need to make a drastic change to get the perfect shot; you can simply shift or change the angle of your body every three seconds (or more, depending on if you adjust the time in-between photos).
The more you practice this method, the more you’ll learn about posing, and find what suits your body. Not only that, but the interval selfie timer makes you become the director, stylist, and photographer of your own photoshoot, all from your phone!
By the end of your photoshoot, you’re gonna see how your photos delivered the intention you set from the beginning! If you intended to have your face look a certain way or have a certain expression, that’s gonna show!
Whichever selfie method you choose, it’s up to you if you want to simply take a cute outfit photo or take up the challenge to develop and grow in your own phototaking skills!
