How high do you position your camera?

[Tini'sNewHair]

Hi. Sorry if this post was made before or if this was talked about in another thread and I missed it but im having trouble with how I position my camera (which has a timer) for when I take photos of my monthly length shots. Trouble is, if the camera is even a little bit to high, my hair will gain awhole inch – it makes me look like im at waist when im not but if its to low, my hair seems to lose inches to…
So, where is a happy medium to position a camera for photos so that it showsthe exact length and no illusion what so ever?
How high off the ground is it? What level is it with yourbody?
Help? Thank you.

[Gumball]

I think more importantly is the angle of the camera, regardless of where it's positioned. If you're fortunate enough to get the camera pointed completely straight at you, you'll get a more accurate photo than if you held it up and pointed it down at yourself, or vice versa. The angle would likely skew where your hair falls.

When I get length photos, if I don't have someone take the shots for me, I put my camera on a tripod and just point it straight at where I'll be standing, like for my February 2014 photo(s) here:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9069&d=1391468133 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=11084&attachmentid=9069)

Sometimes it's pointed directly at the middle of my back, sometimes it's raised a bit so pointing directly at my shoulders. Really I just want it to be pointed straight to give the best perspective possible. I really prefer the center of my back for consistency, but even raising it up or lowering it a bit, having it straight on still nets a smaller amount of variation between shots than if it were angled.

ETA / TL;DR: If you're really, really particular about getting as exact a photo of your length as possible, then position it pointed straight at you and at around the level of your hemline. If you want to see length as it progresses, then as long as you keep the camera at about the same spot each time then I wouldn't worry too much. :)

[cathair]

I have played around with it a bit and I would agree with that, the angle is more important. As long as the hair is in frame and straight on I am not sure the height makes much difference.

I also use a tripod and tend to extend it fully, so I know it is roughly the same height and then try to position it as straight on as possible. I also stand in front of a wall to try to position myself as straight on as possible :)

It can get a bit more interesting with flash and where it reflects off you hair, but that is another issue.

[Tini'sNewHair]

Oh ok, i get what you guys are saying - the difference is HUGE every single time if i use my mobile phone to take a quick shot in the mirror, my hair always seems to look longer which is why i got confused. My actual camera with the timer is always place on my bathroom window flat surface always facing straight up at me and its at about mid back level with my body (close to BSL hight i think). I should probably get a proper measurement off the floor hmmm... So, does that sound right?

gumball off topic but i always wanted to say that im your biggest fan when it comes to braids and your hair. I have been stalking your blogs lately and I can almost drop to the floor each time i see your work :) I also love braiding but im fairly new and the technicality of it sometimes fails me - My 6 year old daughter who has hip length hair is my model tho :) Do you have any tips for me when comes to braiding? any special tricks etc.? I highly appreciate any advice you have :) Thank you!!!

[Loviatar]

My BF takes most of my back of head shots these days and he is 4 inches taller than I am so he bends his knees a wee bit to get a 'straight ahead' photo :)

The ones I take in the mirror however seem to work just fine at showing the right length.

The trick I find is not to go by pictures - always go by measurements. I know my hair needs to be a certain number of inches long for each body measurement, by practising with a tape measure (seamstress kind not auto-retracting kind) as though I were really measuring my hair.