The Goddess at Golden Hour Self-Portraits

Self-Portraits by Memories by Nat Photography

Capturing self-portraits is not for the weak.  The effort necessary to execute a self-portrait shoot requires commitment and dedication. “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” Benjamin Franklin. It is important to have a plan created with any personal project.  Success does not happens by accident. Planning self-portraits days keeps me focused and prepared.  

4 Tips to Planning Self-Portraits Session

Create a Plan

Having a plan in place will be your personal guide.  Your plan should include the following…

Have Your Idea/Concept

This is the perfect opportunity to get inspired by something you would like to create.  Literally anything can be used as an inspiration to recreate a set.  I take this opportunity to get creative and try new ideas or approaches that could be used in my current practice, like recreating a goddess inspired self-portrait I created last year.

Know The Goal

Knowing your purpose or why you are doing a self portrait helps to determine whether you were successful in what you reached out to do.   Your goals could be anything from thinking outside the box, to learning a new technique and mastering it. 

Know the Interrogatives

Interrogative questions ask a question about something.  They answer the Who, What, When, Where, Why, How.  I will share a few examples of interrogative questions when you plan a self-portrait session.

Who?

Who will be the model and the targeted audience for the session?

What?

What is the purpose of the shoot, or goals to reach? 

When?

When do you plan on capturing, editing, and releasing the content for this shoot?

Where?

Where will you capture the shoot?

Why?

Why are you capturing a self-portrait session?

How?

How will you be capturing your self-portraits?  Will you need an assistance?

Goddess at Golden Hour Content Plan Summarized

The Concept and Plan

The goal of this shoot was to recreate the Goddess inspired shoot from last year at a outdoor location during golden hour.  I wanted to recreate this look using only natural light and the camera.  I decided to opt for minimal approach with no use of fancy light, gear or reflectors to produce the final images.  The aim was to challenge myself to capturing an outdoor session using natural light and minimal equipment because majority of my sessions I have captured this past year have been in the studio.  I wanted the opportunity to get outside during golden hour and capture the inspired images. 

It is important to remember that although you have a solid plan in place, unexpected things happen.  As I prepared to get ready for the Goddess at Golden Hour shoot, I realized I left my tripod at the studio, started the session late because I could not find my makeup brushes to do my makeup, and the shoes I ordered for the shoot did not come in time.  Despite all the obstacles I improvised because was determination was stronger than any excuse.

If planning and executing a self-portraits session is not something you wish to do alone, allow Memories by Nat Photography to assist. Submit a session inquiry online by clicking this link below. https://memoriesbynat.sproutstudio.com/lead/sprout602332d28aef02.78981050

P.S. Check out the BTS from The Goddess at Golden Hour Shoot on TikTok!