How to Take Full Body Photos of Yourself at Home

One of the hardest things I had to learn how to do during the pandemic is to take photos of myself. Being able to head outside and so some photos is not as much of a challenge as having to take photos inside your home. 

So I set up my trustee tripod and back drop and started experimenting. 

Set up a backdrop. A solid backdrop works best. So use a bed sheet, wall that has nothing on it, a blanket...you get the idea. Here are examples of how the indoor photos with no solid background turned out. (I used the same set up and light minus background)

With so many other things in focus while setting up my camera, and by time I clicked the timer and stepped in front, the camera didn't focus on me and the pictures are not as crisp or focused.

Start with setting up your tripod and camera on a low angle. I had mine about 30-35cm from the floor, and tilted the camera slightly up (5 degrees). You can you your phone and I would recommend doing the same thing but just make sure yo use your back camera as the quality is better. 

Adjust your camera so you can see your full body in it (you have to use some imagination here.). I places clear tape for where I need to stand and marked a spot just above my head and focused my camera in that range.

Work the light. Set up your background in part of your house where you get the most natural light. Natural light is more flattering and easier to edit. Use additional light instead of flash if you can. The light is the best first thing in the morning, or hour before sunset and if you can avoid taking a pic between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. as the midday sun is harsh and will show off whatever tiny imperfections you might have. (plus its so hard to edit the sunlines and glare)

Practice posing in front of a mirror, because practice makes perfect. One thing to remember when taking full body shots, tilt your hip, put one leg on tiptoe, or shift around to get a slightly off-balance pose, as this visually slims your body, and makes you look taller.

Edit, and voila! 

Few other tips:

Move, try different poses. Change it up so instead of being in the middle of a picture, put yourself off-center, it makes the shot look more interesting,

If you are not comfortable looking straight at the camera, or if you want to improve your angles, slight turn of your head or a slight tilt your head down a little and angle your eyes up toward the camera.

Push your tongue to roof of your mouth. This give the illusion of more defined jaw.

If you are not smiling in the photo, slight open your mouth, like you are blowing air out. This give definition to your face, and give you an appearance of fuller lips. 

  

Do you guys have any other tips for shooting indoors?