How Can I Take Good Pictures of Myself? [A Professional Photographer Shares Her Best Tips for Coaches & Solo Business Owners] 

 

Introduction

Having great photos is essential for building a personal brand, especially if you’re a coach or solo business owner. Whether you’re updating your website, sharing insights on social media, or creating promotional materials, professional-looking photos can help you establish credibility, connection, and trust with your audience. But if you’re not comfortable on camera, getting that perfect shot is hard enough, without having to figure out all the techie bits. And while hiring a photographer can be a great investment, it’s not practical for every social media post. So, how can you take good pictures of yourself?

I caught up with Diana Oloova of Miss Dee Photography to get a professional’s thoughts on where to start and the essential things you need to know if you want to take great self-portraits that reflect your brand and personality.

In this post, I’m sharing everything I learned, including some great resources that can help make the process even easier.

1. Preparation: Setting Yourself Up for Success

If you want to know how to take a good photo of yourself, before you take a single photo, it’s well worth doing a little planning. If you’re like me, you probably feel awkward or silly taking pictures of yourself, so this will definitely help you get the best results.

Define Your Purpose

First off, define your purpose. These aren’t just random holiday snaps, so you need to be clear why you’re taking the photo. Because the purpose will influence other elements, which we’ll go into shortly. Things to think about include things like what message do you want your photos to convey? Do you want to look authoritative, approachable, or creative? Knowing this will help guide your poses, background, and outfit choices.

Plan Your Look

Now that you’re clear about the purpose of the photo and you’ve answered some of those essential questions, it’s time to plan your look. Choose outfits and colors that align with your brand and make you feel confident. Keep it simple and avoid overly busy patterns that can distract from your face.

Choose the Right Background

A clutter-free background works best. But don’t worry, if your home is more lived-in, cosy vibes, and you don’t have that Insta-ready backdrop, you can opt for a simple wall or even an outdoor setting that matches your brand vibe. If you’re able to, a styled workspace with a few items that match your brand will obviously also look great.

2. The Right Set Up: What You’ll Need

Smartphone vs. Camera

If you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, then that’s likely your best option as you’ll be able to achieve sharp, professional-looking results. As long as you feel comfortable using it! Remember, the best camera is the camera that you actually use. These days, you can take incredible photos with your phone. So if you prefer to use your smartphone, go ahead and use that. Just make sure you use the camera on the back, and not the front-facing one!

Tripod & Remote Shutter

Next up, you’ll need a tripod to help stabilize your shots and a remote shutter (or self-timer) so you can take the photos hands-free. There are tons of tripod options available. Also, if you don’t have an actual tripod just yet, you can always use something makeshift, but be sure to secure your phone tightly! 

Here’s what to look for when you’re selecting a tripod:

• Adjustable height: So you can shoot at eye level (which is often the most flattering angle).
• Phone holder or camera mount: Make sure it fits your device securely.
• Remote shutter or timer feature: A Bluetooth remote lets you snap the shot without rushing into position or using a 10-second timer every time.

For lifestyle or casual shots, I recommend trying a flexible tripod like a GorillaPod, which you can wrap around objects or set up in unusual places.

Lighting ( The secret behind how to take good pictures of yourself)

Just like when you’re putting on makeup, natural light is your best friend! If you’re shooting indoors, position yourself near a window if you can, or better yet, outside. But for those of us who live in a less-than-bright and sunny climate, there are other options.

Selecting the right lighting options

Ultimately, lighting can make or break a photo. Good lighting brings out your features, evens your skin tone, and adds dimension. Here are the different lighting options:

• Natural light: Position yourself facing a window with soft, indirect sunlight. Avoid overhead lights or strong backlighting.
• Ring light: A great beginner-friendly tool for even, flattering light. Ideal for headshots and indoor portraits.
• Softbox or LED panel lights: These provide more professional, diffused lighting—perfect if you’re taking photos for your brand or need a more polished look.

Avoid harsh shadows by placing your light source at a 45-degree angle from your face, or use two lights on either side to create balance.

3. Framing & Composition: The Secret to Great Shots

Rule of Thirds

No one ever looks great in passport photos, and there’s a reason for that! Among other things, you’re positioned square in front of the camera.  So, position yourself slightly off-center for a more visually appealing shot. Most phone cameras have a grid feature, so this will help you see where you should place yourself.

Angles That Work Best

Unless you’re blessed enough to look fabulous from every angle, then shooting slightly above eye level is often the most flattering. Definitely avoid low angles that distort proportions. But don’t shoot from too high. This is a business photo after all.

Depth & Background Considerations

If you want to create a professional, blurred effect, then you’ll need to stand a few feet away from the background and take the photo with a wide aperture lens. Or on your phone, use portrait mode and adjust the depth control until you get the right amount of blur that you want.

You could even make the background blurry after the fact using editing tools. Canva has a free photo blurring tool. Although you may lose some crispness through this process, but it’s a great option if you need it.

4. Posing & Expression: How to Look Confident and Natural

Relax Your Face & Posture

As uncomfortable as you might feel, it’s important to be as relaxed as possible. So take a deep breath and loosen up to avoid looking stiff. Remember, the reality is that most people feel uncomfortable on camera, listen to some chilled music, or even think of something funny, whatever you can do that will help you relax.

Best Poses for Solo Business Owners

Now, for the biggest challenge most of us have when it comes to taking a good photo of yourself. How on earth do you pose?! This is a tricky one, because no matter what pose or stance you take, it’s likely to feel unnatural EVEN if you’re doing something you do every day, like sitting at your desk.

You can try crossing your arms for an authoritative look, holding a notebook or coffee cup for a candid feel, or turning slightly to the side to add dimension. Remember, even in a professional photo shoot, they take tons of photos to get a few that look great, and this is no different. Try different things, and see what feels most comfortable for you.

Using Movement

Slight movements, like adjusting your hair, walking, or looking away, can also make photos feel more natural and engaging.

5. Editing & Enhancing: Time to Make Your Photos Pop

If you’ve come this far and you’ve taken your photos, then congratulations. That’s the hardest part!

There are so many ways you could edit your photos, and probably ten times as many different editing tools available. Here are just a few basic edits plus tools worth looking into:

• Basic Adjustments – Increase brightness, contrast, and sharpness slightly to improve clarity.
• Best Editing Apps – Firstly, if you’re using your phone, then there are plenty of editing tools built right in. For the basic edits mentioned, there’s really no need to get additional tools or apps. But if you do want more options, tools like Lightroom, Snapseed, and VSCO are great for professional edits. The great thing is you can save the presets once you’ve figured out what looks good, so you don’t have to mess around with any editing settings in the future, and still get the same look.
• Avoid Over-Editing – The most important thing is to keep adjustments natural to maintain authenticity and trust. You can spot when photos have been over-edited, and honestly, you’ll look better and more natural!

6. Taking Your Own Photos: Practical Hacks

Using a Timer vs. Remote Shutter

With a remote shutter, you’ve got more control since you decide exactly when to take the picture, but if you don’t have one, using your phone’s built-in timer is the next best option.

Video to Still Photo Trick

I already mentioned how shots taken in motion can appear more natural, but they can be tricky to take. A great trick for this is to record a short video and screenshot the best frames to capture natural expressions. While they may not be as crisp and sharp, you may capture some perfect moments while avoiding the dreaded pose.

DIY or Get Help? 

The final practical hack is to get help from a professional. I know this post is about taking the photos yourself; however, if you need polished brand photos, it’s well worth considering hiring a professional for a session. You’ll be able to use the photos from the session for a long time to come. You can then supplement these with self-taken photos for everyday content, while using the professional photos for things like interview features, brand promotion, new service or course launches, and so forth.

7. Making the Most of Your Photos on Social Media

Now that you’ve successfully taken great pictures of yourself. Make the most of them on social media!

Here are just a few ways to get the most from your fancy, professional-looking (or professional) snaps:

Where to Use Your Images

There are numerous ways you can make the most of your photos. A few examples include as profile pictures on your business social media accounts, for Instagram posts, with captions relating to the services you provide, on your website banners, and within your marketing materials. Ultimately, once you have a set of great images, the options are endless, and the best thing about using your images abundantly is that your images will soon begin to build a highly professional brand impression.

Adding Text or Graphics

Stuck with what to publish on social media? Yes, we all know that video is all the rage right now, or maybe that was last week ( it’s hard to keep up!). Either way, another excellent way to utilise your photos is to add overlays, text, and branding elements to create original and brand-aligned images for your socials.

Creating a Consistent Brand Look

While fancy, highly curated Instagram grids may be a thing of the past, using similar filters or presets to keep your feed cohesive will ensure you maintain a consistent brand look. The purpose of this is to make it easy for people to recognise you and your business as easily as possible. We all know those brands, small and large, that we can immediately recognise with minimal information. That’s because they maintain consistency in their visuals.

Additional Resources

Great Photography & Editing Apps

• Lightroom Mobile (Adobe) – Color grading & professional edits.
• Snapseed (Google) – Free, powerful editing.
• VSCO – Easy-to-use filters for a cohesive look.
• Canva – Great for adding text and graphics.
• Facetune – Light retouching for a polished look.
• TouchRetouch – Removes unwanted background objects.

Photography Blogs & Websites to check out:

• Digital Photography School – Beginner-friendly tutorials.
• Shotkit – Gear reviews & expert tips.
• Fstoppers – Advanced techniques & inspiration.
  
  

Bonus: AI-Powered Tools for Quick Photo Enhancement

• Remove.bg – Instantly removes backgrounds.
• Let’s Enhance – AI upscaling for high-quality images.
• Lensa AI – AI-powered portrait retouching.

Of course, most editing tools and apps will have their own AI tools built in as well.

The Takeaway

Taking great pictures of yourself doesn’t have to be intimidating. With the right setup, a few creative tricks, and a little practice, you can create great, professional-looking photos that represent your brand authentically.

Now it’s your turn! Try these tips and share your thoughts. Which tips are you excited to try first?

This post was written with insights and guidance from professional photographer Diana Olloova of @MissDeePhotography.

About:

Miss Dee Photography | Soul Photographer