How do I get a good picture of myself?
October 13, 2011 7:44 AM   Subscribe

I'm thinking about getting a professional photo of myself. This way I can post it on things like my website and public profiles, since I work as a web developer. I never did the senior photo thing. Snowflake details inside.

I don't consider myself attractive. At least not in photos. My teeth aren't white (I can't smile convincingly on cue anyways), I suffer from both a bad case of Keratosis Pilaris and some odd affliction of splotchy red dry skin on my face (My demotologist said he hadn't seen anything like it before). My hair is thin and frizzy and I'm obese. You can imagine how much I like having photos taken. I have one photo of myself that I like, because my sister caught me in the middle of laughing. It looks natural and happy and who I really am. Unfortunately, the picture is pretty old and was taken in a dark restaurant.

Still, I think a photo is the best course of action. How do I go about finding a photographer? If I only want one or two poses, what is the price range should I expect? Is photo touching to even out skin tone standard with this kind of thing, or should I expect to pay extra?

Once I find a photographer.. how do I prepare? I'm assuming I should go have something done with my hair to make it look nice and wear make-up (I don't normally because it exacerbates the skin problems).. but is there anything else I'm forgetting or should consider?

Googling "portrait studio near [hometown, us]" gets me a bunch of random results with some limited feedback. Are there other terms I should be looking for?

Would it be worth trying to find a local freelance photographer? Or am I bound to get poor results that way?
posted by previously to Grab Bag (13 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Nobody will notice your blemishes or your teeth discoloration if your photo is black & white.
posted by modernserf at 8:02 AM on October 13, 2011 [2 favorites]


I had some portraits done recently because I often need headshots and I was a little tired of taken them myself and having them all be different from each other. What I did was looked around at my facebook friends' photos and looked for ones that looked like pro shots and asked them about them . You might also look for folks on Flickr who seem to live near you [check for tags on photos or geolocated photos] or just ask them. Professional photos that aren't that demanding are not too expensive [I did mine in trade, but I think a few hundred bucks was normal for a short session. I could be wrong however] and people who are newer may be less expensive because they are trying to build up a portfolio.

At some level you want a photo to look like a good photo of YOU and not some glamor shot of someone else. So, you want to wear some colors/necklines/jewlery that are flattering to you, but I wouldn't go overboard on makeup unless you like it. Your photographer will likely do some photoshopping and you can tell them how much you want [i.e. do you want them to smooth out your skin entirely, or just take out the blotchy patches] I am sort of down on my smile sometimes but I was pleased that one of the bazillion photos the photographer took walked a good line between me looking happy and me having the weird gummy smile I dislike. A photo session will take a while, often, as the photographer adjusts lights and moves you around.

And yeah I found that black and white photos [I had both done] turned out to be better for what I was looking for [semi-serious professional]. I totally suggest you go this route. Alternately, you might want a friend/family member to sort of follow you around with a camera for a day taking some photos so you can catch a few and show them to a pro photographer and say "This sort of thing I like, this one not so much" The photos I chose as ones I liked were not the ones the photographer thought were the best and it was interesting to talk about what we liked about each one.
posted by jessamyn at 8:06 AM on October 13, 2011


Sometimes Groupon will have offers from local photographers, if you're in an area served by Groupon.

One problem you might run into using a standard portrait studio is that they don't usually like to give you unrestricted access to the original photo (like, they don't just give you an unwatermarked hi-res jpeg), so you may need to negotiate that.

Have you seen any photos (of other people) that you've liked recently (maybe a friend or relative's wedding photos or senior photos)? Ask who they used.
posted by mskyle at 8:09 AM on October 13, 2011


Full disclosure: I am a professional photographer (IANYPP?).

Personally, I would shy away from a portrait studio, and find someone near you who does location shooting. It's more personal and comfortable, less formal, and the use of natural light is WAY more flattering than studio light. You're also more likely to be able to negotiate personal/commercial use this way.

You might start by searching Wedding and Portrait Photographers International for photographers in your area. Look at their work, read their blogs. A lot of times this is a good way to vet for a personality match. Clicking with someone's personality, in my opinion, is incredibly important when choosing a photographer. If you can find someone who will put you at ease, make you feel comfortable, and maybe even laugh, you will get a much more true-to-self photo. You can bring someone you know to help put you at ease and make you laugh as well.

Wear something you love, and always feel great in. Something you've had a long time, not something you bought just for the shoot. If you feel great, your photos look great.

Please feel free to memail me if you have questions about the process, or maybe I can recommend someone in your area.
posted by rinosaur at 8:26 AM on October 13, 2011 [6 favorites]


If you're in a smaller city (or have friends or relatives living in one), check out the photographers at the local paper. Look at their published pictures, and see if they have a blog or Flickr page. If you like their work, get hold of them. They tend to do freelance work like weddings, because the paper doesn't pay them a lot. They charge reasonable rates, do good work, and are flexible about reproduction rights like giving you the digital file. In the biggest cities, don't bother trying, but even in a moderate size metro area you might find a willing news photographer. Some of them are Pulitzer prize winners!
posted by beagle at 8:27 AM on October 13, 2011


See if your town has a monthly photography meetup of some sort. Reach out to an organizer to see if they can either suggest someone or offer an idea.

A few years ago we had a couple approach the photography group I was in to see if we would (as a group) shoot their engagement photos. It's very tough to be camera shy when you have 15 people wandering around with you, taking pictures from all angles. Plus, the odds are in your favor that you'll get at least a few shots that you love.
posted by svdodge at 8:59 AM on October 13, 2011


I'm not a photographer, so I'm going to address some of the other aspects of your question instead.

What I've found helps for smiling on cue is to chuckle or give a short laugh as I smile (a "medium" amount). This has the effect of making your eyes squint as if you were "really" smiling. I find if I try to smile hugely on-cue, it makes it look like I'm crazy or doing a pantomime.

That, and learning how to do "natural" makeup have really helped me become less self-conscious of my rosacea (which gives me dryer reddish patches on my cheeks, especially if windburned or cold), plus the moisturizer I use helps calm it.

I also have KP, mostly on my upper arms. What's helped the most has been vitamin A and D supplementation, as keratin overproduction has been related to deficiencies of both. Eating more dietary fats has also helped. When I remember, I use an acid (glycolic, maybe?) lotion to help exfoliate faster and smooth it out.

Rereading the Rosacea article, the information about "Intestinal bacteria may play a role in causing the disease... [which] may also explain the improvement in symptoms experienced by some patients when given a reduced carbohydrate diet" jumped out at me. Recently I've been eating low-carb and my rosacea has been MUCH less noticable!
posted by bookdragoness at 9:05 AM on October 13, 2011


I had a professional photo shoot done three years ago, for the same purpose. It cost me a bit over $200 for the shoot at his studio, touchups on the one I liked best (out of the dozen or so he took), a few hard copies of the touched up photo, and a disk with the photo in the various formats that might be used on websites and the like. I wore something I felt and looked good in, and came straight to the photographer from having my hair cut and styled. Like you, I'm uncomfortable being in front of the camera lens but it's the photographer's job to make you comfortable so that you look good and are happy with the results.
posted by DrGail at 9:19 AM on October 13, 2011 [1 favorite]


I am a freelance photographer and have done similar sessions to what you are requesting.

I second the recommendation to do an on-location natural light shoot - one benefit is that you may be able to pick a favorite park or other location where you feel comfortable! Search google for [my-hometown] + "portrait photography", "social media portrait session", or "headshot photography". Find some who have a style you like, and then ask them if they book shoots like this and for pricing.

Some photographers advertise portrait sessions specifically for social media - but don't be turned away just because a photog doesn't specifically list it.

Prices may be all over the board - and completely depends on where you are located. I would expect to see ranges anywhere from $50 - $300+ quoted for a session like this.

When you ask for prices, ask how many final photos you will get, what format (digital?), if they do any retouching (is it extra $?). Give them some details about your skin condition, if you feel comfortable, and see what tips they can give you to help you look your best in the photos. Do you want prints and do they offer them? Will you have to buy prints from the photog or do they give you a print release?

Memail me if you have any questions. Best of luck!
posted by kellygrape at 9:54 AM on October 13, 2011


If you're in a smaller city (or have friends or relatives living in one), check out the photographers at the local paper.
Seconding this. A few years back Mr. Adams and I were being interviewed by our local newspaper in conjunction with a book we'd just had published. I'd fretted for a week before the interview because I have several of the same concerns about my appearance in photos - overweight, blotchy complexion sometimes due to Lupus, very thin, fine, limp hair, etc. Somewhat embarrassed I took the photographer aside and told her of my concerns, how I always look awful in photos, could she just use my husband in the pictures...? She actually listened instead of dismissing me as being frivolous and I have to admit the resulting pictures were not bad at all. In fact, one was so good that (with her permission) I used it as my head shot for several other photo requests. She took the time to use non-senior-portrait-style poses that slimmed down my face and made me look alert and pleasantly smiling. Best of luck to you!
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:01 AM on October 13, 2011


As a semi-pro photographer myself, I'd encourage you to seek out wedding, and or portrait photographers in your city. Places like Flickr or JPGmag might also be good places to look.

A traditional portrait studio will be very formulaic. Sit you on a stool, point the same lights at you, tell you to smile, and then push the button. A good indie portrait shooter will do their best to play up your stronger qualities, and play down your, uh, less attractive qualities.

Also, if you really are concerned about your skin and hair, many photographers work with stylists who are experts in dolling people up for the camera. Hair and makeup for a photoshoot is a bit different than what you might do yourself on a typical morning before work. Also, don't mis-interpret this as gaudy "Glamour Shots" style makeup. A good stylist/photographer combo can make the makeup invisible.

Lastly, natural light will help, consider black and white, and also consider selective focusing... all things that a good photographer should be considering anyway.

Good luck.
posted by teriyaki_tornado at 10:19 AM on October 13, 2011


craigslist?
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 1:27 PM on October 13, 2011


Disclaimer: I am a professional photographer who is not looking to book a shoot with you. I don't even have my web site in my profile.

I favorited rinosaur's answer because I agree with it.

You'd be around $200 with me, which presumes we'd shoot it at my home/studio and you'd be out of here well within an hour. Figure another $50.00 if your selected favorite image required heavy duty retouching.

I'm just throwing these numbers out because in this business, there isn't necessarily a direct correlation between prices paid and quality these days.

We wouldn't go through the whole two or three outfit change song and dance. I'd tell you to wear something you liked; ideally a solid color. It would be on you (whether or not you want to come to the shoot directly from a hair or make-up appointment, etc.) to take care of that aspect of things.

You'd end up with the high resolution file set of all of the photos taken that don't embarrass either of us on a DvD.

Stuff like brightening teeth, cleaning up blemishes, etc., is not a huge deal these days.

Find a competent photographer who you feel good about. They'll shoot a ton of images and give you the best for evaluation. This does not necessarily mean find a portrait specialist. I firmly believe that photograher/subject rapport is the most important part of the equation for what you're looking for.

I can't speak for others, but 95% of my business comes from word of mouth recommendations, and I'm still here after 35 years of doing this. If I couldn't make you happy, you'd either walk away at no charge, or we'd keep going until I made you happy.

Disclaimer No. 2: I only shoot this kind of thing within the context of the commercial corporate and institutional work that is my main bread and butter. With this, having 15 minutes per subject is par for the course.

I have not had to do a re-shoot in at least 20 years. There are others like me out there.
posted by imjustsaying at 2:42 PM on October 13, 2011


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