Focusing with self portraits?

Messiah Khan

Messiah Khan

Santa is your dad
Suspended / Banned
Messages
2,666
Name
Alasdair Fowler
Edit My Images
Yes
I was a bit bored, so ive been playing around with the camera as usual.(Decided that macro shots in the garden at nightime doesn't work as well as I had hoped) So ive been trying to do some self portraits using the self timer and the camera. Thats all well and good, but how am I suppoed to focus? I can't use auto focus as theres nothing to focus on as im not sat there yet. And with manual focus, i can get close, but none of the pics are super sharp. Any tips?
 
A remote control is your answer methinks!
 
Messiah Khan said:
But I only ordered it last night, and Iwant to play now!:( :p
Click to expand...
Then your only option is to steal a life sized mannequin, place it where you intend to shoot, compose the shot and hit the shutter, then run like hell and throw the mannequin out of the way and smile.
Works for me every time.

Alternatively, wait a day on the remote coming through the post.
 
Thanks for ther suggestions. You may laugh yodasarmpit, but I do happen to have a full size mannequin here.:lol:
 
Mate I thought you were after an arm? In which case take what ever you were going to do with the arm and apply it to the whole mannequin! job's a goodun ;)

Panzer
 
:lol: What are the chances :D

A remote would be your better bet, but I fully understand your impatience. I'm the same. As soon as I hit buy, I want it NOW NOW NOW.

What you could do is what Ian suggests, (or yodasarmpit even), or, if the camera isnt that far from you, you can reach out, focus, hit the timer button and just drop your arm (hoping that you dont move your head in the process)
 
Well the mannequin worked a treat, lol. And yes Panzerbjorn, im after an arm, but unfortunately my mannequin doesn't have any arms, or legs. Its only a bust and head.:)
 
Ok, please don't laugh. Here is my first effort of trying self portaits, or any portraits for that matter(Other then the fashion show the other week.) All the lighting was done with a ghetto setup of desk lamps with a bit of white cloth suspended in front of it.

dsc0008yn2.jpg


And my beautifull assistant;

dsc0002wa7.jpg


:D
 
Which one was you again? :naughty: :lol: Oh! yeah I can see now it's no 2:lol: :lol:

Helllooooo... Yummie....:naughty: :naughty: :lol: :D

I thought you did very well with your first attempt - a real moody and slightly sultry image. :thumbs:
 
Not only is your pic great, but I love the mannequin shot.
 
Very nice!

I think I may be returning to this a few tiimes!! ;) :naughty: :D
 
OOOOh errr, Janice... keep me a place in the queue :naughty:

I think youve done great! :thumbs:
Not tried self portraits myself, though I keep meaning to.

Mannequin? looks more like a robot .... one thats been in a ruddy big fire, lol!
Like Renee, I like that too.

Maybe its time to get Heddy out for a play ... yes I have one too ... only mine is just a head and neck ... with nice skin! ;)
 
Nicely done m8, now finish the mannequin off :p
 
Good effort for first time self potrait its really difficult to compose yourself for it when you know its about you (if you get what i mean :suspect: ) but liked the mannikin / robot too am sure I have met that dude in that film AI :lol:
 
Have you seen that film set in Newcastle with Will Smith ?

Why Aye Robot !!!

(Sorry!).

Good picture Mr Kahn!!! I did a self potrait and used a well balanced badminton raquet to focus on, before using the self timer (was in the days before the ML-L3 !!!).

Would show it on here, but I look like an absolute psycho!!! So I'll leave it instead!!!

Anth.
 
Great portrait!
 
Joe T said:
I apologise on behalf of the ladies on this forum, they tend to get carried away when young men are around! :p
Click to expand...

No need to aplogize on our behalf, Joe, nothing wrong with getting carried away occasionally, we dont see that many YOUNG men on here you see!!!
(present company excepted!!) :D :lol:
 
:suspect: I'll have you know I've still got it, and I'm still young :razz: :p
 
Marcel said:
:suspect: I'll have you know I've still got it, and I'm still young :razz: :p
Click to expand...

Well I'd get down to the clinic if I were you... I think penicilin should clear it up, Marcel!! ;) :D :lol:
 
Panzerbjorn said:
that's awesome mate. especially for a first time portrait.

Panzer
Click to expand...


Cheers.:thumbs:

h.r.ford said:
Not only is your pic great, but I love the mannequin shot.
Click to expand...

Thank you. I'll have to post some more of it sometime, and you'll see why ive got it and why it look like it does.

Janice said:
Very nice!

I think I may be returning to this a few tiimes!!
Click to expand...

Hello there.:naughty:

InaGlo said:
OOOOh errr, Janice... keep me a place in the queue

I think youve done great!
Not tried self portraits myself, though I keep meaning to.

Mannequin? looks more like a robot .... one thats been in a ruddy big fire, lol!
Like Renee, I like that too.

Maybe its time to get Heddy out for a play ... yes I have one too ... only mine is just a head and neck ... with nice skin!
Click to expand...

Well there is a reason it looks like that;

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17584386
:D

Joe T said:
Macro shots in the garden at night

Excellent first try there. The manneguin will be useful for more than just focus, as you can try out different lighting effects too.

I apologise on behalf of the ladies on this forum, they tend to get carried away when young men are around!
Click to expand...


Hehe, yeah I know it sounds mental. The theory was that i'd use super long exposures to get the light levels right. and since there is hardly any direct lightsources, the lighting would be nice and diffuse. But in actual fact it just resulted in highly saturated blurry pics. And do you know how impossible it is to use manual focus when you can't see what your focusing on?:lol:

No need to apologise about the ladies, its the attention from Gilly im more worried about.:p

Wyvern971 said:
Nicely done m8, now finish the mannequin off
Click to expand...

One day.. one day.

nuffink said:
Good effort for first time self potrait its really difficult to compose yourself for it when you know its about you (if you get what i mean but liked the mannikin / robot too am sure I have met that dude in that film AI
Click to expand...

Cheers. Its meant to look like a mix between the one off AI and the one in the Bjork video. See the above link as to why.

magpieant said:
Have you seen that film set in Newcastle with Will Smith ?

Why Aye Robot !!!

(Sorry!).

Good picture Mr Kahn!!! I did a self potrait and used a well balanced badminton raquet to focus on, before using the self timer (was in the days before the ML-L3 !!!).

Would show it on here, but I look like an absolute psycho!!! So I'll leave it instead!!!

Anth.
Click to expand...


Lol, no I can't say I have seen that one.:lol:

Vinny said:
Great portrait!
Click to expand...

Cheers.:)

Janice said:
No need to aplogize on our behalf, Joe, nothing wrong with getting carried away occasionally, we dont see that many YOUNG men on here you see!!!
(present company excepted!!)
Click to expand...


Lol, leave poor Marcel alone. Its how you feel on the inside that counts isn't it Marcel.;) :p

Marcel said:
:suspect: I'll have you know I've still got it, and I'm still young
Click to expand...

Hehe, you being picked on by the women?
 
I'd forgotten about the case project mate. If I'm honest I couldn't remember that it was you who started it. :embarrassed:

Good luck with it and I hope in the mean time the mannequin provides a good model ;)

Panzer
 
Wow!
Thats some project!!!
Im only on page 10 (the woes of dial-up) but its definately making for a fascinating read!

My son just got me a new processor, RAM, HD etc ... dunno if I should show him your link ... have a feeling what he'll want to try & do with the old stuff!

Better go hide Heddy! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top