Self-Portraiture

What draws me to self-portraiture is the absolute creative control it offers. You are the photographer, the model, and the director.

Without the pressure of a ticking clock, you have the freedom to experiment with lighting, props, and even styling your own wardrobe.

I also needed fresh headshots for LinkedIn and new imagery for my portfolio website, which served as the perfect excuse to finally do a self-portrait photoshoot.

I began with a minimal setup: a simple tripod and a blend of artificial fill light with natural window light.

Before shooting, I needed to define the creative direction. I started by sketching out the layout for my portfolio website to see where the images would live.

I wanted the site to read like a magazine, which meant I needed an editorial aesthetic for my hero image. It had to be something more dynamic than a standard corporate headshot.

I ended up with this photo, and I really liked it. Having your face full-screen on your own website can easily come across as eccentric, but this shot avoids that.

I achieved this look through a lot of trial and error, mostly continuously flicking my hair and using the flash to freeze the motion.

Next, I needed an image to represent one of the roles displayed on my engineer portfolio. Since the company is a green-tech bank, I wanted to combine business attire for a serious tone with one of our physical cards for brand identity, and a subtle nod to the "green" aspect. I settled on a tiny green shovel. I put on a suit and started shooting.

Later on, I wanted to try something a bit more experimental. I had seen portraits where a thin, harsh beam of light across the eyes created a stark contrast against the overall mood of the image.

Without a complex studio lighting setup at my disposal, I improvised and used the laser from a spirit level. This was the result:

I had a great time just playing around with the lights and seeing what I could create with limited gear.

All in all, this photoshoot was an incredibly fun exercise. It taught me a lot about posing and mastering my camera's self-timer, while also providing a solid set of images that I'm actively using in a professional context.

You can check out my engineer portfolio to see how it all came together.