Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Want to shoot self portraits on film, on a camera with no autofocus, no timer and only a short cable release? Here's one way... might not be for everyone, but it works!
I have a fascination with self-portraits. Couldn't tell you why, I'm sure a psychologist would have a field day with me. And it's not because I'm vain, or at least i don't think I am. I generally hate the photos I take of myself, I could pick holes in my appearance all day. But I remain interested in getting photos that capture the essence of me, whether that be my mood, or just the inner me. Don't know.
There have usually been barriers getting in the way of shooting self portraits. The usual one is how to fire the shutter while the camera is pointing at me. I do own a long bulb cable release, but it's a little cumbersome to get out, and definitely more than cumbersome to put away again after I'm done.
But then a new product appeared - the Revenue Labs Remote Release. Another cracking product from Revenue Labs, and Matt over there seems to be able to read my mind. Whatever I am thinking I could really do with as a gadget, he releases a few months later. I was only thinking recently that it surely couldn't be that hard for someone to make a servo driven remote release with a wireless trigger... and then Revenue Labs announced one. NICE.
It actually works really well. It doesn't need to do much, just extend a pokey thing into the camera remote release socket, and retract it again. And that is exactly what this does.
The other thing I'm testing out in this vid is a Meyer-Optik Goerlitz Trioplan 100m f2.8 lens. Aficionados will recognise that name as a famous bokeh lens, with 15 blade aperture giving you wonderful "bubble bokeh" on out of focus specular highlights.
I've never used one before, but then the wonderful Simon Forster of Simon Forster Photographic went out and bought himself an S2A, and spotted that he could make his Trioplan work on it with just a simple adapter.
He very kindly loaned it to me to try out. I should really return it.....
Ok that's the hardware dealt with. Now let's talk about the actual art of taking self-portraits. It's a tricky one, because I don't really have a vision. Not yet anyway. For now I'm just trying things out, getting used to the process and waiting for inspiration to hit me. And in the meantime, I'm getting some photos that I quite like actually. I hate me in them, but I like the photos.
Let me know what you think. Are you a fan of self portraits??
Drop me a comment below.
And pay a visit to Simon's online store - simonforsterphotographic.co.uk
And of course the wonderful Reveni Labs - reveni-labs.com
Want to shoot self portraits on film, on a camera with no autofocus, no timer and only a short cable release? Here's one way... might not be for everyone, but it works!
I have a fascination with self-portraits. Couldn't tell you why, I'm sure a psychologist would have a field day with me. And it's not because I'm vain, or at least i don't think I am. I generally hate the photos I take of myself, I could pick holes in my appearance all day. But I remain interested in getting photos that capture the essence of me, whether that be my mood, or just the inner me. Don't know.
There have usually been barriers getting in the way of shooting self portraits. The usual one is how to fire the shutter while the camera is pointing at me. I do own a long bulb cable release, but it's a little cumbersome to get out, and definitely more than cumbersome to put away again after I'm done.
But then a new product appeared - the Revenue Labs Remote Release. Another cracking product from Revenue Labs, and Matt over there seems to be able to read my mind. Whatever I am thinking I could really do with as a gadget, he releases a few months later. I was only thinking recently that it surely couldn't be that hard for someone to make a servo driven remote release with a wireless trigger... and then Revenue Labs announced one. NICE.
It actually works really well. It doesn't need to do much, just extend a pokey thing into the camera remote release socket, and retract it again. And that is exactly what this does.
The other thing I'm testing out in this vid is a Meyer-Optik Goerlitz Trioplan 100m f2.8 lens. Aficionados will recognise that name as a famous bokeh lens, with 15 blade aperture giving you wonderful "bubble bokeh" on out of focus specular highlights.
I've never used one before, but then the wonderful Simon Forster of Simon Forster Photographic went out and bought himself an S2A, and spotted that he could make his Trioplan work on it with just a simple adapter.
He very kindly loaned it to me to try out. I should really return it.....
Ok that's the hardware dealt with. Now let's talk about the actual art of taking self-portraits. It's a tricky one, because I don't really have a vision. Not yet anyway. For now I'm just trying things out, getting used to the process and waiting for inspiration to hit me. And in the meantime, I'm getting some photos that I quite like actually. I hate me in them, but I like the photos.
Let me know what you think. Are you a fan of self portraits??
Drop me a comment below.
And pay a visit to Simon's online store - simonforsterphotographic.co.uk
And of course the wonderful Reveni Labs - reveni-labs.com
