Selfie Session

Did you know that you can take amazing photos on your I Phone? Listen , I'm a 5th generation Professional photographer who started shooting weddings with my father at 10 years old. I kid you not. Most of what i learned was passed down from my great grandfather to my grandfather who was a professional photographer as well as my grandmother and my father. All Professional photographers... I broke the family line, Yikes! 

The key to making a beautiful photo is always lighting. Always! You can look like a million bucks and the world will never know unless you use proper lighting. I'm not going to confuse you with fancy terms but here's a simple breakdown. Most professional photos use at least 3 light sources. Back light and a light to the right and left. i use 5 light sources in this photo. 

1) Back lighting. in this case natural light from 2 sides

2) A Mount Dog panning myself and the back ground

3) Another Mount Dog to my right with another light source next to it

4) Overhead light, built into the room.

5) Halo

And.... My inner glow ;)

Notice the light play? in this photo I'm looking for Crisp yet filtered light. Bright enough back lighting to see through the Dressing gown but not wash me out. I took this photo on portrait mode on my I Phone. So Simple!

I wish lighting video was this simple. I'm learning that. Video lights need more power to work with this back lighting. 

Always look for the light source and lean into it as if your life depended on it! The attention flows where the light goes. Use your lighting carefully and with intention, it signifies the energy of the photo more than anything else. Don't make a picture... No darling, no. Make a MOMENT! Take the extra time 

It will always be inconvenient to do it the right way but listen. If it was easy then it wouldn't be special because anyone could do it. It's the hard that makes it good :)

It isn't a perfect photo but the lighting looks nice for a selfie. For great professional photos, save up and go to someone mind blowing. Till then, play with your lighting and have fun! Remember in a session of 300 photos, I will only use 20. Don't get down on yourself if some of them are awful, just keep going until you get some that make you gasp just a little bit.