Why Every Street Photographer Should Try Self-Portraiture

Yo, what’s poppin’ people? It’s Dante, out here practicing some street photography in Philadelphia with my trusty Ricoh GR3X. You know, as much as street photographers focus on photographing other people, why not turn the camera on ourselves?

Self-Portraiture: A Dynamic Approach

Sometimes, I don’t find anything interesting to photograph. When that happens, I simply turn the camera on myself. I think it’s an interesting way to document the change in your face, your body, and your expression over time.

“Photographing yourself can be just an interesting thing to always have in the back of your head as something that you can do.”

How I Approach Self-Portraits

When I’m practicing self-portraiture, I look for light and shadows that make the shot dynamic. Here’s how I usually do it:

1. Find a nice patch of light.
2. Look for something that casts a shadow across my face—like a pole or scaffolding.
3. Position my face so that half is covered in shadow and the other half in light.
4. Experiment with angles: looking up at the sun, facing head-on, horizontal, or vertical.
5. Use P mode for a quick, point-and-shoot workflow.

Playing with light and shadow can create some pretty interesting and dynamic photos of your own face or body. I recently found myself near a construction site, and I used the scaffolding to cast shadows. It turned out looking like I had an eyepatch or something! It’s all about embracing the spirit of play while you’re out on the streets.

Why Self-Portraits Matter

Sometimes, when you’re out photographing by yourself, you might think: “This light would look great on someone.” Well, you’re someone! Just photograph yourself.

“It’s actually been a really liberating and joyous part of my process.”

Self-portraiture allows you to express yourself in ways you might not expect. And ultimately, the photographs we make become a reflection of who we are. So, why not showcase who we are?

Final Thoughts

Next time you’re out with your camera and don’t have a subject, remember: you are the subject. Embrace the process, use the light to your advantage, and have fun with it. Self-portraits are not just about capturing your physical appearance—they’re about exploring who you are through photography. Why not give it a try?