Self Portrait Challenge for February!!

[shazzt]

Meg and I are going to be running a special photography challenge. It is easy - all you have to do is take a photo of YOURSELF once a day, every day for the month of February. This is a great chance to get yourself into your albums (and a great way to learn how to use your camera a little better too). And if you have every been tempted to join in the Photo a Day challenge in the Photography forum, this is a great opportunity to combine two challenges! Just post your self portraits to the Photo a Day gallery.

You do not need a fancy DSLR or expensive gear to do this! In fact, sometimes it is a lot easier with a point and shoot (especially if you have one with a flip around screen!). Here are some hints:

1. Use the self timer on your camera so you have time to get into position for the shot.

2. Use a mirror - or anything else reflective (car bumpers, windows, spoons etc)

3. The "long arm" technique (holding the camera out and clicking) can be good if you don't have much time.

4. Shadows can make an interesting self portrait

5. Experiment with different lighting around your house (desk lamps, computer monitors!)

6. If you don't have a tripod, use a table, chair, rolled up jacket to hold your camera. You could even use the "spousal tripod" (your other half), although in my experience, they tend to be a little unreliable .

7. Try out different angles - high, low, close up, far away

8. You don't have to show your face - other parts of your body can tell a powerful story too.

9. Have fun with Photoshop! Don't like the shot out of the camera? Use your skills to make it better fit what you had in mind. Could be as simple as cropping or converting to black and white or more complex (adding an artistic filter or a clone of yourself!)

Hope you will join us!! Sign up here if you are interested

[Melissa]

I think I'll give it a shot. But be warned, on my part, some days won't be pretty!!!

[shazzt]

Great to have you on board Melissa!

[littlekiwi]

I will definitely do it - might make my photo a day seem a little bit more enjoyable

[mels_world1]

Sounds like alot of fun.

[Meg]

Oh trust me, Melissa, I've already warned Shazzt about my self portraits! SCARY!

In the past, when I've needed a new avatar or something, I've taken oh, about 40 photos before I find one I like that doesn't overly accentuate my dark circles, white hairs, double chin, etc.

Wow. I bet those of you coming to Vegas just can't WAIT to meet me now, LOL!

Seriously, I'm really looking forward to this challenge for several reasons. I've been lax about photo taking in general lately and I want to get back in the habit of carrying it around. I want to practice new angles and settings. And most of all, I want to learn to RELAX when looking at pictures of myself.

Thanks, Sharon, for getting this going!!

Yep! I'm in!!! And photoshop is my BEST friend when it comes to self-portraits!! LOL

[sammdc]

hahahahah yes count me in but again scarrrry specially on the weekends hehehehehe

[Jenni]

Honestly this scares me....winters under 14 layers of clothes, hats, mittens, etc. allow a person to kind of "let it go" for a while. :-) BUT being that an "out of my box" challenge is always a learning experience, I'm going to give it a go! I'm in! :-)

This is interesting . . . we are all creative, artistic people who love this visual medium. Yet each of us have said how "bad" we look! Let's agree to love ourselves and celebrate our imperfect bodies and faces and not worry about looking perfect but on capturing the art we are each day!

And the next person who signs up . . . NOTHING negative about yourself!!!!!! We all ROCK!

[Leea]

I'm a NKOTB ...don't know if I'm allowed to do this challenge...it does say intermediate and advanced. If you miss a day (busy, travel, etc.) is there a chance to post the next day or so...or what do you do, if anything? Although I'm not signing up yet, since I may be too much of a beginner...I'll say something positive...I have cool looking gray...no make that *silver* hair My DH calls it decoration It's silver gray underneath at the front toward my face and mixed brown and silver gray for the rest of it...I'd kind of like to catch it in a few photos as it changes and the 50/50 moves more toward 100 percent silver gray
Leea

[caraffle]

Now, Since Bethy said I have to say something nice.........I will join this challenge because I have approximately 15 photos of me in the past 10 years and giving cameras to my oldest 2 daughters didn't help the matter(they only take photos of themselves and their friends.)
When we got home from Mexico, I realized that I wasn't on their vacation, LOL. Really, there were only 4 or 5 shots of me out of 400-500 photos. I, like all of you, am the family photographer. I am resolved to have people remember who I am too. I may even do a LO for ME. If it fits the challenge.
Thanks for pushing me into a new adventure. One question, can the photo be taken from any perspective?

[Maikku]

I'm in although every day can be rough at least it is my favorite month and the shortest of them all.... better keep my point and shoot charged up too just in case. Good thing I have a tripod although I really love the mirror method too. This is a great challenge to learn to love ourselves just as we are.

[flrebareba]

Well I take lots of photos each and every day and Non of me and there is only about 20 of me this year other then the wedding and moneymoon !!!! I will try this too. Mine are looking really bad here lately and I need some photos of me. I hope I have a enough room on my card...

[cherebus]

I've been doing/or trying to do photo a day for a year and a half now. And there are days when even though I take pictures I don't get them posted on the day taken, I've been even more lax the last three months. I'm hoping this will keep me motivated to actually get online in time to post. Though the worst nights seem to be the two I work. Maybe I should set an alarm, "hey, it's 11pm have you posted your photo yet?!?!"