How to Take a Professional Quality Photo of Yourself

Select a location in your home that is large enough to position lights and a stool and hang a photo backdrop.

Select the backdrop you want to use. You can use a fabric shower curtain or drapery panel in the color of your choice. Do not use a shiny material as it will reflect light back to the camera lens. Hang the backdrop on the wall.

Position a stool 3 to 4 feet in front of the backdrop. Attach the camera to a tripod, and position the tripod 5 to 6 feet in front of the stool.

Position two household floor lamps, one on either side of the stool, at a 45-degree angle. Remove the shades so only the bare bulbs are visible. Turn the lights on.

Turn the camera on, set the exposure mode to "Aperture priority" and set the camera aperture to f5.6 to f8.0. Set the white balance to "Custom." Place a sheet of white paper on the stool and take a picture of it. Make sure the white paper fills the entire view screen when you take the picture. Use this picture as your white balance reference.

Focus the camera on the front of the stool. The aperture setting of f5.6 to f8.0 will provide a sufficient amount of depth of field to ensure you will be in focus when you sit on the stool. Set the camera's shutter release to the timer function. This will allow you to press the shutter release and then move to the stool and position yourself before the camera takes the picture.

Press the shutter release, and position yourself on the stool, angling yourself so you are facing one of the lights. Turn your head so you are looking directly into the camera lens. This will give you a traditional portrait pose.