Photo shoots don’t have to break the bank! While a professional shoot can be a great investment, it can be pricey especially if you are just starting out. Here are some tips for getting quality photos alone.
Equipment
Having a quality camera, tripod and lighting set-up would be ideal but they aren’t compulsory in order to achieve quality images! Any new-ish smartphone has a camera capable of good-quality images. Where possible opt for the back camera, they are better in quality and don’t distort images as much.
For a tripod, I have had success using chairs, windowsills, countertops, a carefully arranged tower of books and even holding my phone between my feet while I’m on my back! Solo photos are tricky but get creative if you are after a specific angle!
For lighting, sometimes natural lighting by a big window is perfect (but be considerate of the neighbour’s view). If you need other lighting, standard ceiling lights can work but lamps give you more control over brightness and position. Coloured lights like LED strips or lava lamps can create unique colour themes that might help make your photos stand out!
Timing
The next issue to tackle is how to take the photo when you are in position. Here are some solutions:
- The inbuilt timer button (usually a choice of 5 or 10 second countdown)
- Headphones (the ones with cords); you can click the volume button to take a photo
- Commercial products designed exactly for this problem
But by far my favourite method is to set my phone to video, go pose and then come back to take screenshots of the video. It works like a champ!
Whether you are just getting started in the industry or looking to update your gallery, doing it solo is definitely possible! Give it a shot and see what works for you.
Happy snapping!