I haven’t had a client in the studio since late February, which has been a big bummer. I absolutely adore the studio I’ve built.  It has gone through quite a few upgrades while I’ve been home throughout the pandemic, and I’m just itching to shoot here!

This time of year is also my favorite time to shoot because you can see the beautiful fall leaves from the window. It gets sun first thing in the morning, so since sun rises a little this time of year, I can actually get in there to shoot while the sun beams through the window.

What better way to celebrate Libra season than to take some self-portraits? 

I had this urge to take photos of myself since pretty much the start of Libra season. Maybe because something that had been a huge source of stress cleared up, I was finally feeling creative. Maybe because my mom gave my hair a trim so it wasn’t looking as lopsided as it was. Maybe because I got a Arq set in an amazing green that I’m obsessed with.

Who knows why? Not I.

But I do know that I’m super proud of this space. I’m super proud of myself because selfies are heckin’ hard to do. I’m super proud because I only used photoshop to remove the remote in some photos and clear up 1 large pimple (the #maskne struggle).

So, here are some of my favorite shots! I hope you like it. And I hope I can invite you into the studio sometime super soon to take your very own intimate portraits! 

Want some tips to have your own selfie shoot? Scroll to the end of this post for my recommendations!!

Libra season is ending soon, so I encourage you to find time over the next few days to take some selfies! 

You don’t need a studio to take some great selfies, so here are a few tips!

Figure out the time of day when you get the best sunlight, and plan to shoot then!

• I woke up at 6:30am, to take advantage of the pretty morning light and I have no regrets. It’ll be worth it!
• If you have limited natural light in your home, that’s ok! Pop outside or bring lamps into your favorite corner of the house.

Block off time in your schedule to shoot!

• While it’s great to wait for inspiration to strike, don’t wait for the inspiration to motivate you. 
• A little bit of planning will help make sure you keep the appointment with yourself, and make sure you don’t get interrupted!

Get creative with your outfit! 

• What do you miss wearing? Have you bought something fancy you have no where to wear?
• Accessorize, play with colors, and bring out things that you wish you could wear in regular life! This is the time to play

Stay OFF of Pinterest & social media!

• This is not the time to be “inspired” by other people. Be inspired by YOURSELF! 
• Don’t take the photo just to post the photo and gather validation from others. Take the photo because you want to take the photo, and take time to enjoy and appreciate the photo before you share it anywhere. 

For phone selfies: take video instead!

• This is a cool trick to make selfie taking a lil easier: take a video on your phone, move through some poses, and then take screenshots of the video to find your favorite shots!
• If you raise the video recording quality on your phone to the highest level (if you can do 4K, do 4k!), your screenshots will come out super crisp and clear!

Think you’ll try to take some selfies? If you do, I want to know how it goes! It’s a powerful experience we should all get to try and be creative and playful with without feeling any shame.