9 creative photo ideas to try in November

jmeyer | Inspire | 01/11/2012 01:00am

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02 Shoot a self portrait

Taking a self-portrait can be a nervy yet worthwhile experience. Fine-art photographer Maryanne Gobble started taking self-portraits in 2010.

“Self-portraiture seemed cumbersome when I started, but I soon realised all the creative control it grants me as an artist. I try a lot of new things that I don’t have the nerve to ask of someone else.”

Many of Maryanne’s outdoor portraits are taken in the natural environment, and this example is no exception. Maryanne had to get around a few obstacles on this shoot: “The spray coming off the falls was most difficult to control,” she says.

“Between shots I had a piece of cloth over the lens. My husband was assisting that day, as it wasn’t possible to trigger the camera at that distance with all the water. I set the exposure and secured the tripod before wading out.

“ I then signalled when I wanted him to trigger the shutter. It was set at a quarter of a second to blur the water, and the shutter had a two-second delay so I could compose myself.”

On each self-portrait shoot Maryanne makes sure she has a tripod and wireless remote. “I always have my remote set to a two-second delay, so I can hide it from view. Setting the exposure and focus beforehand will give a lot more control over how things turn out.“

Get started today…

Use an assistant or place an object where you want to stand to pre-focus the shot. Once you’re set up, switch the lens to manual to lock the focus.
Use a remote control to set off the shutter when you’re in position.

Shoot split-second splash photography
Shoot a self-portrait
Shoot abstract interiors
Shoot astrophotography
Shoot underground
Shoot seascapes at twilight
Shoot cityscapes at dusk
Shoot an environmental portrait of a professional at work
Shoot a coastal landscape at first light