Self-Portrait Tips When You Don’t Like To Be in Front of the Camera

I rarely put myself in photos. I have no problem filming myself talking and posting it all over my courses and on social media, but still photos aren’t my thing. 

I don’t know why. It’s kind of weird that I don’t weigh both equally. 

But last year I followed a prompt to take a few self-portraits. I didn’t want myself front and center so I found ways to incorporate myself without being the focus. 

Taking them helped build my skills in idea generation and choosing a hero in the image. The results gave me a few creative lifestyle images to add to my portfolio. 

Here are some tips I learned from the experience:

Focus on the backdrop. Find an interesting subject behind you. It was subway tile for me. Let yourself be only in a portion of the photo. 

Hide behind something. If you don’t like full body shots, leaning forward towards the camera on a table or countertop is definitely an option to experiment with. 

Shoot down. Viewing yourself from above with more focus on an action rather than you is a good way to capture yourself without being the center of attention. 

Self-portraits are something that I’m working to get more comfortable with and these were a good start. As I think of more ideas, I hope to do more shoots and will share more tips with the experience.

Using What You’ve Got - Shiny Photography Surfaces

One of the biggest things that gets in the way of creating photos you love and can’t wait to share is something I call - but I don’t have (fill in the blank). 

But I don’t have that window.

But I don’t have that table.

But I don’t have that lens.

But I don’t have that kitchen.

You get the idea. 

But what DO you have? 

We must switch our thinking when we aim to create photos in a minimalist way. We all have things that are unique to us - our personalities, our values, our way of living, our location, our experiences. 

This way of thinking has gotten me past so many of those woe-is-me moments that had the potential to make me feel like I’d never create photos I loved.

And it prompts me to challenge myself to use what I have to create a photo - using what you’ve got. 

Making this a regular practice will:

• Help you focus on what you can create instead of what you can’t

• Improve your editing skills

• Help you develop your individual style

This is how it works for me. I find a surface that I’d likely never think of for a photo. It’s not pretty stone - real or faux, or a midcentury modern table. 

For example, a super shiny surface like our grill outside. 

Then I grab a prop I have around or maybe it’s a bowl I use every day. 

Next, I find a subject. In this case, some strawberries. The only three that developed off of the small potted strawberry plant I keep in memory of our pug Macy Mae. 

Take a few photos. Then have some fun with the editing. See what you can create. 

You may love them. You may think - nope, this isn’t me. But you’ve challenged yourself and figured a few things out in the process. 

I do this practice a lot. And I’ll be sharing more of those experiences and the photos that result here on the blog. 

Interested in exploring more surfaces for your photography, but don't have a lot of space? Be sure to grab this free training:

Five Ways to Photograph Bread

With over 10 years spent being a food stylist and photographer, one tends to gather a lot of photos of the same subject. It’s fun to look back at all the different ways I’ve managed to style and photograph the same type of food - a soup, cookies, and bread, for example. And I find that sharing these photos is a good way to help spark ideas in others who feel stuck.

In my recent post Idea Generation: How to Brainstorm Ideas for Food and Product Photography, I shared that coming up with new ideas seems to be one of the biggest challenge many people face. (If you feel that way, be sure to read that post.)

This challenge is never greater than when you are tasked with styling and photographing multiple photos of a single subject at one time. 

When I wrote and photographed my cookbook, Beer Bread, I was definitely feeling those creative blocks.

But it was also a lot of fun. The challenge lead to some ways of thinking that hadn’t come to me before. 

These are some of my favorite five ways to photograph bread with photos from that book. 

Inside the loaf. 

No need to cut multiple slices. Just give us a peak inside that beautiful loaf. 

Whole loaf in the pan. 

A simple idea, that is often forgotten. Show the bread inside the pan and resist the need for a lot of propping around it. Use a surface you love and let the loaf shine all on its own. 

Slices neatly stacked. 

I love how these shots show the inside while also inviting you to reach over and grab a slice. 

Slices scattered. 

Give the photo the casual feel of a snack board and scatter the slices. 

Whole loaf overhead. 

When the bread is a pretty loaf, let it be. Give the scene some color and let the loaf stand on its own. Or…

Slices folded over.

A little bonus with a sixth idea, because this can really only be done with the right loaf. For large round loaves that allow for big, long slices that tend to flop over. Keep the slices tightly intact at the bottom and let them gently unfold out of the loaf. 

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Tips for Flower Photography and Floral Design

One subject that I’ve enjoyed working with more in recent years is flowers. There are so many ways to capture them, so many tones and moods you can set with them.

Of course, I’ve incorporated them into my food photography. 

Through edible flowers. 

And with dried lavender when it’s been in a recipe. 

But photographing flowers in the wild, on farms, and in arrangements has been a new challenge that I absolutely love. 

I’ve had the opportunity to teach about flower photography and I’m thrilled that I’ll be co-teaching an in-person workshop this September with Alicia Schwede at her Fleurs Creative studio in the Historic Downtown Snohomish, Washington outside of Seattle. 

You know her on Instagram as Flirty Fleurs and her skill in floral design is unmatched. What she creates is absolutely stunning. 

It’s hard to tell if I’m more excited to help people photograph the beautiful creations she helps them make or about the opportunity to be able to photograph them in her beautiful studio. It’s in a 100+-year-old building with all the historical touches, like exposed brick, that you’d expect! 

In preparation for our teaching together, I asked Alicia if she had three tips for floral design and prep so that I could pair those with my three trips for photographing those creations. 

Here are her tips:

Remove foliage that will be below the water line. By doing this you'll keep the water cleaner as foliage under water creates an environment where bacteria grows.

Trim stems at an angle. By trimming at an angle there is more surface area to take up water and rehydrate the blooms.

Use a clean vase. Between uses be sure to clean the vase out with soap and hot water to remove any traces of bacteria. This easy step will ensure longer-lasting flowers.

And once you have your beautiful, long-lasting arrangement together, here are a few of my tips for capturing its best qualities.

Know your photography style. Flowers look great in bright, vibrant settings, with muted, comforting tones, and with dark, drastic contrasts. What are you going for? Knowing this helps you control your light, set your camera, and prop your set. 

Turn your hero spot towards your light. Even with a large arrangement, pick a hero spot as your point of focus. Then turn that towards your light source, not away from it.

Move yourself to capture all angles. Flower photography is not the time to strap yourself to a tripod. The best shots often come from unexpected angles. And that comes from moving yourself and the camera.

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Product Photography on the Product Powerhouse Podcast

There is nothing better than when you get to be on a podcast and during the interview you realize just how much you click with the host. That was my exact experience talking about product photography with Erin Alexander on the Product Powerhouse Podcast. 

The episode is Using Product Photography (and more) to Grow Your Product Shop and I’m thrilled with what a resource it has turned out to be! There is so much valuable information inside this 36 minutes. 

We talk about:

• A short intro about how I went from a nutritional scientist working in academia and public health to being a food and product photographer and stylist.
  

• Why it’s okay not to outsource everything. Photographing your own products can serve as a creative outlet you enjoy.
  

• Why narrowing in on your style is important whether you take your own photos or hire someone else to do it for you.
  

• Types of photos that are important for your small business beyond individual product photos.
  

• How it’s possible to create beautiful photos and not be that into expensive gear.

• Time management and tips for making the time to build your skills for photographing your own products. 

Head over to the Product Powerhouse Podcast to listen or find it on your favorite podcast platform such as Spotify. 

Even if you don’t listen to this one, I highly recommend checking out Erin, Product Powerhouse, and the valuable resources she has for creative product-based businesses.