I'm layin' it all out there, people. All in the hopes that you will learn something.

Not so you can go invest in your own photography business and run me out of town, but so you can take better pictures of your loved ones and get better pictures taken of yourself.

This experiment requires posting pictures of myself. I'm sorry. It had to be done. In the name of science. Or photography. Or self-helper's everywhere.

These next five pictures were shot with the same lighting and same black and white technique. They weren't altered (minus the removal of two blemishes). This should really help you to see the difference in the camera angle and body position.

I don't usually like myself in pictures. Here's why...
Icka. Not attractive. This is a straight on shot with me (the subject) sitting straight ahead. My face looks wide, my chin looks doubled (ew)...it's just NOT a pleasing shot. No. Did I mention "icka"?

This is a teeny, tiny bit better...

Everything else is the same as the previous shot except I turned my head to one side (facing the light). This put a little bit of shadow on the opposite side and made me look a little less "icka", but it's still not very attractive.

See how the subject's body (yours truly) has been turned to a 45 degree angle? Very helpful. I don't look SO much like a football player now. Though my chin is still...well, it's still there...and I don't like it. I don't like it one bit. sigh.

Oooooh. I think we might be on to something here...

Everything is the same as in the last picture except we (I) took the camera angle up by about a foot. So instead of shooting right at eye level, I'm shooting down onto the subject (moi). Though I'm still not diggin' the pouchy thing on the side of my chin(s), this is a vast improvement from the first picture.


Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle!...

Look at what happened when I tilted my head the other direction! It's a miracle! My chin is definitely still there, but...but...you can't SEE it!

(And yes, that's my cell phone in my pocket. Doesn't everyone have their phone in their pocket when they're doing self-portraits? I thought so.)

Now...just let that all absorb into your cerebral cortex. Got it? Good.

What's the point of all this mumbo jumbo?

To show you that the girl in the first picture can look like this...

and this...

and this...

All without cosmetic surgery, dieting or (ugh) exercise.

Shoot from a higher angle...turn your subject...and tilt your subject's head. They'll love it, you'll love it, and the world will be a better place. And if you want to be the subject, tell your photographer (me?) to shoot high. (Wait, that didn't sound right.) Shoot from a high angle. (Better.)

And for the record...these last three images were NOT shrunk up or squeezed in photoshop. I even left the forehead wrinkles.

It's just me...only better.

B