portrait/self portrait preview

Tip #1:
Bring Something to Focus On The problem that I saw when I looked through my viewfinder was that I didn't have anything to focus on aside from the items in the far distance. This of course would make for a perfectly blurry photo of me, which isn't at all what I wanted.

 Tip #2: Creating a theme:
 Two items make a photo, the subject and backdrop, and I think that they are equally important. This is where your lens choice comes into play. A long lens allows you to send the back ground out of focus and narrow down the amount of background in the photo. A wide lens keeps the background in focus and allows it to be a key part of the image. Either way the background is playing a big factor by being a key element or by not distracting from the subject.

Tip #3:
 A mirror or some other reflective surface offers an even easier way to take a self-portrait. In most cases, the camera will be included in the scene (but this can help make a statement about your enthusiasm for photography). You can use your camera as a prop, and hold it away from your face. When you photograph into a mirror, be sure your reflection is in focus. An infrared autofocusing system will usually focus on glass if it's aimed into a mirror, and will focus at infinity if aimed at an angle. You might try focusing at an object that's the same distance as the distance from the camera to the reflection, lock in the focus, recompose the image to include yourself, and take the picture.

formal 

Casual 

Environmental