Unlockables: David’s Photo Tips

You may remember photographer David Goldenberg (and his adorable partner Louis) from this past week’s Woof Alert. Well, when I contacted David to ask permission to use his photos, he was kind enough to share a few photo tips for taking self-portraits at home. We’ve covered a few of these topics in the past, but his advice will surely help in achieving that “money shot” that’ll get you laid in no time.

– Dewitt

Photo credit: David Goldenberg

To check out David’s advice and see a few pictures, follow the JUMP:

1. Never position the camera too close to your face, unless you are aiming for a funny distorted-egg look.
2. Use natural lighting as much as possible. Try to avoid using the camera flash, which will most likely bleach your face.
3. With the camera the self timer triggered, try using a tripod to adjust the height rather than a pile of books or a table. It’s more stable and will save you from taking wonky pictures.
4. Avoid photographing in bright, harsh sunlight where you’re more likely to squint your eyes. Look for a softer light from an open window or late afternoon light.
5. Use the camera zoom to zoom in; Most compact cameras have wide-angle lenses and 3x zoom. Wide zoom is good for landscapes, though you’ll most likely get distortion when photographing yourself. Zooming in will give you a more realistic look.
6. Try different angles and use the one that suits you. Photographing from a higher angle will help hide a double chin or give the illusion of broader shoulders.
7. Remember that the closer a body part is to the camera, the bigger it will look. You do the math.
8. Photographing in artificial lighting, such as tungsten or florescent, can result in strangely colored photos. If you’re experiencing such an undesired effect, try changing the white balance (WB) from Auto to one of the presets (tungsten or florescent).
9. Photographing in very low light without using the flash may result in grainy noisy images. Try to avoid this by placing yourself in a brighter area.
10. Photographing with a strong light source behind you, like the sun or even a lamp, will probably result in silhouette. If that’s not what you’re aiming for, try positioning yourself in front of the light or on the side of it.