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View Full Version : Very dumb newbie question about photographing hair



jane53
May 25th, 2010, 02:24 PM
I don't have a mirror at home long enough to photograph my hair, so I took my camera in to work where there's a big restroom mirror.

Then I discovered that I haven't a clue how to do it! I stood in front of the mirror and couldn't figure out where to aim the camera. I got lots of goofy pics of the top of my head or part of the bathroom wall.

Folks, I know this isn't rocket science, :rolleyes: but I've never tried photographing my own hair. How do YOU do it?

Thanks!

jera
May 25th, 2010, 02:28 PM
Try turning off the flash and aiming your shot at the mirror. You should get some usable shots that way. :)

missjessiecakes
May 25th, 2010, 02:28 PM
I have some one else take pictures of the back of my head.

You can Rest the camera on your shoulder that usually gets a good angle.

JenniferNoel
May 25th, 2010, 02:28 PM
Hello!
I just get a tiny mirror or any reflective device to see the back of the camera screen (if you have one of those fancy schmancy digital ones) while I aim the camera at the big mirror. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, hard to explain, but it works every time for me!

jane53
May 25th, 2010, 02:30 PM
I turned off the flash, but I still haven't gotten myself in the shot! I'll try the mirror.

VintageBrooklyn
May 25th, 2010, 02:38 PM
I just pop my camera onto a shelf and set it to the self timer function, I usually have to give it a few go's before I actually get my head in the shot! Good luck! :)

jane53
May 25th, 2010, 02:45 PM
No shelves in this institutional bathroom and no mirror at home long enough to catch it.

Maybe you all will just have to survive without pictures of my hair!

ChrissieM
May 25th, 2010, 03:09 PM
I just pop my camera onto a shelf and set it to the self timer function, I usually have to give it a few go's before I actually get my head in the shot! Good luck! :)

That's how I do it! I had a good setup with a shelf and natural light and a closet door in my house and I knew just where to stand....but now I moved and have to figure it out all over again! :eek:

Carolyn
May 25th, 2010, 03:15 PM
Yes be sure to turn off the flash. The mirror will help you see where you should be aiming. It took me a lot of practice before I started getting it right. I still take dozens of shots before I get one I like. Thank goodness for digi cams. I took a whole roll of real film one time, paid for expensive processing and didn't get one picture of my hair :rolleyes: Could someone at work take a pic for you? I'm always careful of who I ask to take a pic of the back of my head as I don't want to answer questions about why I would want such a picture :D

pineconejg
May 25th, 2010, 03:20 PM
A hand mirror can be your best friend. Just use both hands. Once you aim, you can lower it, or you can just leave it in the picture, like here:

http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy246/pineconejg/Hair/th_CRIM0012.jpg (http://s796.photobucket.com/albums/yy246/pineconejg/Hair/?action=view&current=CRIM0012.jpg)
Clickable photo.
:D

halo_tightens
May 25th, 2010, 03:21 PM
I probably wouldn't be able to do it if my camera didn't have the digital screen on the back that can swivel around to face any direction. It's usually visible in my pics, lol-- I'm holding the camera by my head and looking at the screen to see what the camera sees! That makes it very easy.

If I didn't have that particular feature on this camera, I'd probably just get someone else to take my pics for me. :D

This one from February is a perfect example. The screen shows blue in the picture, but in reality it shows me what the camera sees!
http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=3760&pictureid=65253

Capybara
May 25th, 2010, 03:23 PM
Self-timers are my new best friend :) Just put the camera on a shelf, step forward, and voilą!

chopandchange
May 25th, 2010, 03:27 PM
If you have a self-timer feature on your camera, use that. (If you don't have a tripod, blu-tac works really well). ;)

If you don't have a self-timer and want to take over-the-shoulder bathroom mirror shots, then it helps to have a small additional mirror which you hold in front of the camera so you can see the shot you're about to take. That's if you don't have one of those cool swivel-round camera screens.

sugarpixie10988
May 25th, 2010, 03:33 PM
I turn off the flash and prop the camera on top of my head (or hold it right above it) with it facing the mirror, I've never missed doing it this way. If I'm not near a mirror then I just point and click with my head turned. I usually have to get lucky with the second method.

natt i nord
May 25th, 2010, 03:39 PM
Just set the camera to selftimer, put it in a shelf, move, take a few steps forward and wait. That's the way I do it :)

I'm too stupid to get it with a mirror. :D

spidermom
May 25th, 2010, 03:53 PM
I turn off the flash, sit on the edge of the sink in front of the mirror facing away from the mirror, hold the camera above my head and tilt it downward slightly, then take a picture of the mirror. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries, but the technique works pretty well.

My favorite method is to hand the camera to someone else and ask them to take a hair length update shot for me.

Angeletti
May 25th, 2010, 04:04 PM
all my pics are from using the timer function, I can take as many as I want without the husband getting annoyed for having to take a million

jane53
May 25th, 2010, 04:05 PM
Since I have no shelf to work with, I'll have to try one of these other methods next time I'm goofy enough to try doing it at work.

Thanks!!!

teela1978
May 25th, 2010, 04:17 PM
I used to always use the 2nd mirror trick (to see the viewscreen on the camera). Then I, like many others discovered that my camera has a very nice timer function. Depending on my living situation, I have occasionally had to kneel in front of the desk my camera was sitting on, but generally I've been able to get good images using the timer. I occasionally still do the mirror/no flash trick. Getting the angle right is kinda hard though.

yassi
May 25th, 2010, 07:17 PM
I always use the self timer function. The one thing I always forget is to remember not to stand in front of a window. The light messes with the picture a lot.

GRU
May 25th, 2010, 07:38 PM
Since I have no shelf to work with, I'll have to try one of these other methods next time I'm goofy enough to try doing it at work.

Thanks!!!

Does your camera have a self-timer? People who mention putting it on a shelf are NOT using a mirror to take the picture -- there would be no need to do this at work if you have a timer.

They set the camera somewhere sturdy, set the timer, then turn around and walk away from the camera a few steps and stand there (with their back still to the camera) until they hear the shutter sound. Then they go look at the picture (thank goodness for digital cameras!) to see if they got all the necessary parts and pieces in the shot.

It might take several tries until you figure out just how far away to walk (or how high of a shelf to use), but once you get the technique down, you should be able to nail it every time (assuming you're using the same shelf and you remember how far you needed to walk away to get in the shot).

May
May 25th, 2010, 07:46 PM
I just pop my camera onto a shelf and set it to the self timer function, I usually have to give it a few go's before I actually get my head in the shot! Good luck! :)

same here :)

May
May 25th, 2010, 07:47 PM
Well you don't need to take it in the bathroom if you use the self-timer...you can take the pics anywhere :D

Mae
May 26th, 2010, 04:33 PM
When I first joined, I had the same problem! Now I use Photo Booth on my Macbook, which is so much easier. Plus, the pictures are already on my computer, so it is easy to upload. I don't know if there is a similar program for windows, but I guess a web cam would work as well. :hmm:

ETA: The quality of the picture, however, is not as good as using a real camera.

talecon
May 26th, 2010, 05:08 PM
I have a timer on mines. I put the camera on a shelf thats about my height and then I set it to 10 seconds and theres this little red dot that flashes on the wall. I try to block the red dot with my back and that usually gets me a good shot of the back of my head

yogachic
May 26th, 2010, 06:20 PM
I use the timer on my camera.