SETTING UP YOUR SHOT
My #1 request is for all photos to be taken from roughly the same perspective.
You can judge by eye if your shots are similar to my EXAMPLES.
Or, you can use the visual guides below: I've made one for shooting another person (or people, or your pet) and one for shooting yourself.
*Remember: Photo quality and lighting aren't important - neither is your room/backdrop!
And to make sure you've got things covered, you can shoot and send multiple pics at slightly different heights / angles, or shoot and send a short video clip, for me to select a frame from.
SHOOTING SOMEONE ELSE
If you're shooting one other person, or multiple people, or your pet:
1. Stand on a chair/stool.
2. Make sure you are about 3 METRES / 10 FEET BACK.
3. The height of your phone/camera should be around 50cm / 20" ABOVE your subjects head.
Aim for 40cm, but anywhere between 40 and 50 works! Just don't drop much lower than 40.
*The exception is LYING DOWN POSES - Or, ANIMALS who are close to the ground:
The head gap rule doesn't work as well, so i would aim for the camera height to be 140cm / 55" off the ground. That said - you don't need to worry as much about the exact perspective for animals, you can be a bit looser!
The head-camera gap is bigger in the second shot but that's fine, it's still within the 40-50cm margin.
Thanks to Gaby & Rachel for posing!
1. Prop your camera/phone on a high shelf of some kind, and angle it downwards.
2. Make sure you are about 3 METRES / 10 FEET BACK.
3. The height of your phone/camera should be set about 40cm / 16" ABOVE your head.
(About one & a half heads)
Aim for 40cm, but anywhere between 40 and 50 works! Just don't drop much lower than 40.
I recommend taking a video of yourself, if you find timer photos tricky - You can then take
screen grabs from the vid, or send me a whole clip with multiple poses. The quality will be fine!
SHOOTING YOURSELF
Here's me, demonstrating a self-shot setup!
You camera should be propped up, angled downwards.
There are many ways to do this (tripod would be #1) but here's my phone set up - sitting in a wide-base mug. Whatever gets the job done.
When i changed from standing to kneeling, i moved the camera down one shelf.
If you make a big change in the height of your pose - move the camera accordingly.
Try to maintain a similar gap between camera and subject's head - roughly around 50cm.
At the end of the day - just try to judge by eye whether the perspective looks similar to my EXAMPLES.
I appreciate anyone spending time taking photos, and will make something cool out of them regardless.