Photographer, photograph thyself

natural pose

The funny thing about taking pictures for a hobby is that I always feel so awkward about posing for photos.  Despite the fact that I often do pose for my own photos (a teacher in college was very surprised to hear me say I am camera shy, since I used myself as a model for most projects), there's a huge difference in doing something with a self timer, and posing while someone is actively looking at you through the lens.  And, most of the things I take for myself aren't the typical "fashion" look.  While I'm of course vain enough to want to look good in the photo, you'll notice my own self portraits I'm often not looking at the camera or really just not STANDING there trying to look like a model.

After the wedding, WL and I went around our fabulously appointed hotel to take some more glamor oriented photos with the dresses we had made.  We're making it an ongoing goal to feel more confident about how to compose ourselves for this kind of photo.  Hand in hand with that, I'd like to learn how to take better photos, how to direct people to pose.  What kind of lenses, what angles to put myself at?  Photography is such a strange thing where angles that look strange in real life 3D are flattened in a way that really works on camera.   Maybe I should start watching Top Model to get some more clues?  It's definitely a skill!  Models aren't just pretty people, it's work to get yourself to look good in a photo.

the "glam" pose

We took many photos but here's the two I ended up liking.  Ha!  Favorite is where I don't have to look at the camera.  The only one I liked where you can see my face is the most "natural" one, which, I guess is all right.  Having photos of myself looking vacant eyed and artificial wouldn't really look like me at all. :)