Self Portrait Photography Ideas at Home with Your Phone

Are you looking for self-portrait photography ideas at home with your phone? 

Then read on because today’s post contains lots of ideas and projects for phone self-portrait photography, as well as some handy apps and accessories that will give you even more creative options. 

(Just so you know: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases).

1) What is Self-Portrait Photography?​

First, let’s quickly define self-portrait photography.

What actually makes a picture a self-portrait rather than a simple selfie?

A selfie is a snapshot taken with your phone camera-usually in order to post on social media.

When taking a selfie, you typically hold the phone up with one arm, looking into the selfie camera on the front (display side) of the phone.

On the other hand, a self-portrait taken with a mobile phone is a portrait of yourself that you take with a lot of intention and most likely some artistic aspiration.

You would usually not hold the phone in your hand but instead, prop it against something (or use a tripod) and trigger the camera using the self-timer function.

Therefore, taking a self-portrait is a much more deliberate action than simply snapping a quick selfie.

You’re aiming for a higher-quality photo that has some meaning or is aesthetically pleasing.

2) How to Take Self-Portraits With a Mobile Phone​

Next, let’s quickly discuss the technicalities of taking self-portraits with your phone. 

Use a Tripod

First of all, if you can, invest in a phone tripod.

It’s absolutely not a must-if you don’t have a tripod, you can prop your phone against a stack of books, for example.

However, with a tripod, your phone is much more stable and protected from dropping on the floor.

You also have more creative options, as it’s easy to change the tripod’s height and the camera’s angle.

Use the Back Camera

Secondly, when you take a self-portrait with your phone, it’s best to use the camera on the back rather than the selfie camera on the front, as the photos will be much better quality.

It’s a little annoying to do it this way because you can’t see yourself on the screen, but you can take a few test shots first to check the framing or place a mirror behind the phone to see the screen’s reflection. 

When you’re ready to take the picture, navigate to the self-timer function and set the desired timer—on my iPhone, for example, I can choose between 3 and 10 seconds.

Simply set it to the longest available timer, press the button, and get into position.

Consider Using a Remote 

You can also invest in a wireless remote, which makes it much easier to take pictures because you don’t have to constantly get up and press the shutter button on your phone’s screen.

These are very inexpensive, so it’s well worth getting one if you enjoy self-portrait photography.

Alternatively, if you have an iPhone, you can use voice control to take the shot.

Or, if you have an Apple Watch, you can even take photos using your watch.

See this article to learn how to do either of these methods.

3) Focusing on Yourself With a Mobile Phone

In my experience, getting the focus right on a phone camera isn’t as tricky as on a DSLR or mirrorless camera—usually, the phone will automatically focus on your face.

Using Focus Lock

If you want the focus somewhere else, for example, on your hands or an object elsewhere in the frame, you can use the focus lock feature (most modern mobile phones will have this).

On an iPhone, you tap on the screen where you want the focus to be and wait for the yellow square to appear.

Then, tap and hold your finger in the middle of the square and keep it there for a couple of seconds until you see “AE/AF Lock”.

Now, your focus is locked on that spot.

Use a Stand-In

Of course, if you use the camera at the back of the phone, you can’t do this while you’re posing because you’re not able to physically be behind the camera, so instead, you can use a stand-in:

Place something in the frame where you’ll be standing later, such as a tripod or a chair.

Focus on it and lock the focus. 

Then, remove the object and pose in precisely the same spot.

4) Ideas for Self-Portrait Photography With Your Phone

Now that we’ve got the technicalities out of the way, let’s move on to some practical ideas for your self-portraits!

But before I do that, did you know I’ve written a free e-book with self-portrait photography ideas?

Here are already some self-portrait photography ideas to get started:

Use Props

This is, hands down, one of my favourite methods for achieving interesting self-portraits.

Objects carry so much symbolism. Candles, skulls, and clocks, for example, symbolise the passing of time and mortality. 

I’ve actually written a whole article on the symbolism of objects—check it out if you want to know more!

Props are an excellent tool for self-portrait photography because you can give your images more meaning and really tell a story with them.

They also make your photos more visually interesting.

If you’re not sure what to use, have a look in your room or home-you can grab some fruits or vegetables, fresh flowers, plant pots, decorative objects, holiday souvenirs, pieces of jewellery like heirlooms, or whatever else you can find!

Ideally, you’ll use an object that carries a specific meaning.

This meaning can be very personal and doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you.

Go Abstract

A self-portrait doesn’t always have to be figurative. How about you create an abstract image with your mobile phone?

What do I mean by abstract?

An abstract self-portrait or image is non-representational, i.e. it doesn’t show a recognisable subject.

Instead, it focuses on colours, shapes, lines, and textures, allowing you to create in a very free, non-realistic way.

For example, you could photograph only a tiny area of your skin or hair or just one body part, such as your lips or one eye.

Or zoom out and show your silhouette’s overall lines and curves, turning your body into an architectural shape (this works particularly well if you shoot against the light).

If you need some inspiration, Google the photographer Edward Weston, who created beautiful abstract photographs in black and white.

Make Use of Shadows

Another great inspiration source for self-portrait photography is shadows.

You actually have two options here:

You can photograph shadows from objects falling onto your face and body – try sitting in front of a window shutter (you can replicate one by cutting slits into a piece of cardboard).

Or, use flowers, lace fabric, a straw hat, or another textured object and place it between you and a light source to create gorgeous shadows.

Alternatively, you could photograph your shadow (with your body outside the frame). You can be very playful with this and try different poses.

You may have to experiment a bit with the size and position of the light source – generally, the closer the light source, the larger the shadow.

Use Lens Attachments for Your Phone

With a mobile phone, you’re a bit more limited in terms of photography because it only has fixed lenses (as opposed to a DSLR camera, for example, that lets you mount all kinds of different lenses).

However, you can work around this by getting some fun phone lens attachments, like the ones linked below.

They are very inexpensive but powerful: they allow you to change the shooting angle of your photos to wide-angle, macro (close-up), or fish-eye.

The fish-eye lens is my favourite because it creates such an interesting, outer-worldly effect.

Shoot in or Near Water

For the next self portrait photography idea at home with your phone, shoot in or near water – the best way to do this is to take a self-portrait while you’re lying in the bathtub, if you have one.

You could use a paddling pool if you don’t have a bathtub at home.

Fill it with water and then play around with different props or materials; for example, you could add flowers to the water, or try food colouring to colour the water:

If you’re not able to actually get into the water because you don’t have a suitable tub, you can fill a tray or similar flat dish with water and photograph your reflection (you can also do this outside on a rainy day by photographing your reflection in a puddle).

Use Colour

Colours can be a fantastic inspiration for self-portrait photography ideas at home with your phone.

You can work with colours in many different ways:

For example, you can choose a colour scheme for your self-portrait and use only props, clothing, and makeup in the designated colours.

Another idea is to use coloured light – you can buy coloured gels and mount them in front of a lamp, like a desk lamp, to create super cool, cinematic photos.

A cheap DIY version of this is shooting through coloured fabric, but make sure it’s either heat-proof or not too close to the light source.

Here’s an example of a portrait taken with coloured gels:

By the way: Did you know I’ve written an ebook about self-portrait photography? Here’s some more info:

But now, back to the post!

Experiment with Portrait Mode

If you have an iPhone, try playing with portrait mode for your self-portraits.

First, it creates a shallow depth of field (blurry background), which is very beautiful.

Secondly, you can choose different types of lighting, e.g., natural, studio, contour, and so on. 

Of course, this doesn’t compare to actual artificial lighting in a studio, but you can still achieve pretty cool effects.

Play with Flash

The next self-portrait photography idea at home with your phone is to play with your camera’s flash.

We usually avoid direct flash in photography because it can lead to harsh lighting and unflattering shadows on the face.

However, in some instances, this can be a desired effect, as it gives images a very editorial look, which is often seen in fashion photography.

In fact, some famous photographers are known for using direct flash – check out the work of Bruce Gilden and Jürgen Teller, for example.

Flash photography can be unpredictable, so you’ll want to experiment. You can try using flash as the only light source or combining it with additional lights at home.

Also, you can achieve really fun effects with flash if you place a mirror behind you, reflecting the light.

Go for a Cinematic Look with Low Light

If you’re not a fan of flash lighting, try shooting in low-light conditions to achieve the opposite look.

For example, set up a small desk or bedside lamp and turn off all other lights, closing blinds or curtains.

Then, position yourself close to the lamp and take your self portrait.

I love this method because it allows you to create cinematic, moody self-portraits without much effort or equipment.

Photograph Your Silhouette 

Another option for self portrait photography ideas at home with phone is to take your photo against the light in order to create a silhouette effect like this:

To do this, position a light source behind you and the camera in front of you, so you’re sandwiched between the light and the camera. 

Another method is to use a light background (ideally white) and shine a strong light onto the background (but not on you).

Once you’ve got your shot, convert it to black and white to enhance the silhouette effect.

You can intensify it even more in post-production by increasing the contrast between blacks and whites (you can do this in your phone’s native editing app or a free editing app such as Snapseed).

Use a Camera App to Play with Shutter Speed

In contrast to a DSLR or mirrorless camera, on a phone camera, you’re not able to change the shutter speed (if you’re not sure what that means, read this article).

However, that’s a real shame because you can do a lot of creative things with different shutter speed settings, like creating motion blur.

There is a way around it, though – download a camera app such as Camera+ (subscription-based, but there is a free trial).

Now, you can change the shutter speed on your phone, achieving all kinds of creative effects. 

To freeze movement, try using a fast shutter speed, like 1/200 sec and above, or a very slow shutter speed, like 1 sec or slower, to create a ghostly motion blur effect.

I hope you found this article on self portrait photography ideas at home with your phone helpful!