How to Use Your Nikon Self Timer to Get the Perfect Shot
Related Read: How to Reset Your Godox Flash
I don’t know about you, but I have never been great at taking a selfie. Maybe my arms aren’t long enough. Or maybe I’m too picky about the crop and composition of my photos. Or maybe I just don’t like how I look in the self pose. Either way, I’ve been trying to create more content here at home and the selfies and mirror pics just weren’t cutting it.
If you are following me on Instagram, you may have seen the self timer tutorial I posted. But I wanted to go into more detail here.
3 Benefits of Using the Self-Timer
1. Professional Looking Photos
In my opinion, learning to use the self-timer on my Nikon D750 was way worth it. As a photographer, I really prefer being behind the camera. But I also need to have update pictures of myself on my blog and social channels. Its important that people see my face so they can know, like and trust me. Luckily, I have a lot of photographer friends, but since right now we can’t see each other, I needed to find another way.
2. No Cranky Husbands/Family Members
I tried to train my husband how to use my camera, but he could never seem to get the composition or the angle right. I tried taking selfies and mirror pics but they didn’t look professional enough for my aesthetic.
3. No Reason to Feel Awkward
And finally, the best benefit in my option, is that I didn’t feel awkward. I thought I would feel totally silly posing in a room by myself, but that was the best part- there was no one there to feel silly in front of. Of course there were shots and photos that were unflattering, but no one had to see those photos except for me. I just deleted them and moved on.
Plus, I really miss shooting! Learning to use the self timer on my Nikon D750 opened up a whole new world of creative possibilities while stuck at home.
So, it was time to finally learn how to use my self timer.
The Gear
You will need the camera, obviously and a tripod. I have one similar to this. If you don’t have a tripod, its okay! You can still prop up your camera on a shelf or a chair. I love my tripod because it comes with a grip that you can flip the camera vertical and tilt it down a bit for a more flattering angle.
The Self-Timer Tutorial
Here’s the link to the video: How to use Nikon self timer. Make sure you subscribe to my channel for more videos.
Here’s a Step by Step summary if you aren’t into videos:
How to Set the Self-Time for Nikon
1- Go to Menu
2- Custom Setting Menu (Looks like a Pencil)
3- Timer/Ae Lock (c)
4- Adjust Settings
5- Spin Dial to Clock (Located on top left of camera)- You may want to watch the video to find this dial.
6- Set Focus (if shooting in manual)
7- Push Shutter
Here’s what my set up looked like:
Troubleshooting
Different Models
A few things to note- I use a Nikon d750, but I’m pretty sure that most Nikon cameras are pretty similar. If you don’t already have a DSRL camera, I highly recommend starting with this model.
Where to Focus
When you are shooting in manual, you will still need to set your focus. If you are new to photographer, just set the camera to automatic and hit the shutter and you are good to go.
Want to shoot in Manual Mode? You will need to raise your aperture. To get these headshots, I used a minimum aperture of 5.0, since there was no one to help me set the focus. In the shot in my home office, I set the focus on a stripe of the blanket and hopped in the photo. Knowing that focus is thrown 2/3 of the way forward and 1/3 back, 5.0 was a good aperture to achieve a sharp focus.
If you are photographing your family, pose everyone how you want them, set the focus on someone in the middle and hop in the shot.
Let me know if you have questions on this!
The Results
This weekend I successfully used my self timer to get a family photo for Easter and to update my headshots all while staying home and not hiring a photographer! I would call that a success. Give it a try and let me know if you need help. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have!
If you liked this post, you may want to check out my Take Better Pictures Series- first up is iPhone photography!
Anyway, how are you doing during this crazy time? I hope you are staying healthy and safe!
