Okay so, the idea of self-portraits have always fascinated me. I’d scroll through Instagram and TikTok, watching some of my favorite photographers like Marina Williams and a newfound favorite Helen Hetkel effortlessly capture themselves in the most stunning ways. It looked so easy—until I tried it myself.
I won’t lie—self-portraits used to intimidate me much more than they do now but it has still be a long journey. There's so much that goes into this one shoot - the styling and makeup, camera setup, posing, adjusting settings, and running back and forth. It can get pretty exhausting. And let’s not even talk about the frustration of getting the focus right!
Nevertheless this Valentine’s Day, I decided to get back in front of that sometimes unforgiving lens and challenge myself again. I wanted to create something bold, something editorial, and most importantly—something I was actually proud of.
So here's the break down of the whole process from start to finish, including the equipment, setup and of course, a few of the lessons I learned along the way.
The Equipment I Used
My setup is pretty simple - nothing too fancy. I don't have a full studio yet, but the one thing I love about self-portraits is that a little bit can go a long way!
Normally, I’m all about natural light, so shooting indoors at 8 PM? Definitely a challenge. I relied on my Neewer lights and a softbox to create that soft glow I was aiming for.
Here’s what I used for this session:
Camera: Canon R5
Lens: Canon 24-70mm f/2.8
Backdrop: Kate Red Seamless Paper Backdrop + Red Cloth Backdrop + Sheer Light-weight Red Drape
Lighting: NEEWER 2 Pack RGB1200 LED Video Light + NEEWER Upgraded Softbox Diffuser
Tripod: Endurax 60" Camera Stand
Planning My Self-Portrait Session
Naturally, my first stop was Pinterest for some inspiration. I wanted the photos to feel strong and dramatic/
And because I wanted to fully commit to the dramatic Valentine’s vibe, I knew I'd have to step out of my all neutral wardrobe comfort zone - bold choice for me, but hey, sometimes you just have to go all in.
I found a sleek red dress from Amazon that matched my red paper backdrop perfectly. I also got a long red cloth backdrop and a sheer light-weight crimson drape to give some of the photos more of a flowy feel.
The Camera Settings
Self-portraits require patience. So much patience. Sometimes the toughest part is figuring out exactly how I am going to stand in front of the camera and click the button without tripping over my tripod or getting a blurry shot.
So here are the two setups I've worked with so far:
Camera Connect App
This is hands down my least favorite way to take self-portraits. First, you have to download the Camera Connect app, then go through the painfully slow process of pairing it with your camera (or maybe that’s just me?).
Once it finally connects, you can use your phone as a remote shutter—sounds simple enough, right?
But then there’s the awkward dilemma of not wanting your phone in every shot. The best solution? Set a 10-second self-timer, hit the button, and then gracefully throw your phone across the room and out of the frame (kidding… kind of).
Interval Shooting
My favorite so far is Interval Shooting on my Canon. This allows you to click the button once and take multiple photos of the same scene at set intervals. So for this setup I set my camera to take 1 photo every 2 seconds up to around 30-50 photos. This gives me enough time to find the right pose, make small adjustments and review the photos once I'm done.
No matter the setup, you're still bound to get some out-of-focus shots. It happens. And that’s okay! Each time I do a self-portrait shoot the process gets just a bit easier.
The Final Result
So, let’s be real: I took over 500 photos. And no, most of them weren’t great. There were plenty of awkward poses, missed focus, and shots where I was mid-blink or adjusting that one pesky fly-away that just won't stay down. But what I've learned is that’s just part of the process!
The art of self-portrait photography isn’t about nailing every single shot—it’s about experimenting, learning, and slowly finding those moments that feel like you.
Out of those 500, I selected three that I truly loved. And honestly? That made all the trial and error so worth it. Because in the end, it’s not about perfection—it’s about capturing something real and something I can be proud of.
