Woodelf
Self Portrait for my 21st birthday
Self Portrait for my 21st birthday
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Jun, 2014Views
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rosettephoto
March 31, 2016
Fantastic self portrait. I think self portraits are the hardest to photograph. Lovely image.
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo on my 21st birthday outside in my garden. Sometimes over the summer our lawn grows really tall so it makes for a perfect setting for these types of shots. I also have lots of wild flowers which grow close to where I live, which make for perfect shots.Time
This was taken in a warm summer morning last June. I prefer shooting in defused, warm light if I'm using natural light, and it just so happens that morning light is the most magical to shoot in.Lighting
I wanted to make the image look quite dark, even though I was shooting in beautiful bright morning light, I placed myself and my tripod under our tall evergreen trees for some shade. Because of this, I could be highlighted just enough in the frame without the greenery grass getting over light and distracting.Equipment
I used my Nikon D7000, I can't remember which lens I used though, it was taken so long ago.Inspiration
My birthday had fallen just after I finished my degree in fine art, and I was pretty exhausted after studying for three years. To celebrate, I wanted to create a piece with me as the subject, sleeping. As I got thinking about what I was going to do, I kept referencing my favourite movies, Pan's Labyrinth and Lord of the Rings so it seemed only fitting to portray myself as one of my favourite mythical creatures, An Elf.Editing
I usually use quite a bit of post processing when creating a piece like this. I fell I have the freedom and control to express my images exactly how I want them, when using photoshop. I usually start with colour correction, and then work my way through the image, playing with curves and selective colour until I've achieved my desired look. Editing can take between 1 hour, to sometimes even 2/3 days if it's a tricky image.In my camera bag
My Nikon D7000 goes without saying. 85mm f1.8, is my favourite lens for portraiture, but I usually carry a range of lenses with me, from wide angle to fixed focal. Always come prepared!Feedback
Take as many shots as you think you'll need, as you're taking a self portrait, you dont know exactly what you look like until you've popped it up on screen!
