The October Yoga Instagram Challenge has really taken off! I’ll be back later this week with an update & some additional information, but I wanted to share a few quick tips I’ve learned so far. There are literally hundreds of people participating everyday, taking all sorts of amazing photos & having a blast blending photography & yoga.
Part of the challenge is to get out & do yoga everyday, but the element of photographing it can add an extra challenge too. These photos don’t have to be self-portraits, but here are some tips & tricks for using your phone for self-portraits when nobody is around to help you.
1. Use a camera ap
Instagram lets you use other apps to actually take the photo before uploading it & sharing it. You can use other smartphone camera apps that have many incredible features, including a timer! I use Camrea+, but Auto Shutter 2.0 is free. Photo Timer is only $2 and gives you the option for longer intervals on the timer and lots of extra options for editing the photo after you take it.
Give yourself plenty of time, up to 30 seconds, to trigger the timer, get around to the right spot, and properly adjusted into your pose.
2. Find props
I’m always looking for new objects and places to set my camera to get a great self-portrait. I’ve used wine glasses, door knobs, chairs, and even a parking stop with my wallet to get just the right shot. Be sure to look down low & up high for just the right place to set your phone for a great angle.
3. Get Creative
Thanks to mirrors & shadows, you can have your phone in your hands while doing some poses, like tree. I snapped my shadow & the clever @OatmealLauren uses her hands in a pose & a mirror to get a fabulous tree.
Even beyond the challenge of yoga, is the opportunity to get creative with your photos, a permission slip to be a little silly in public and try out new things. I’ve got tons of outtakes from just playing around- from falling out of poses to being interrupted by the dog to thinking a gas station would be a decent place (I sat my camera down on my open car door). I don’t look too cute with a tail in chair! But it was fun & silly, I learned a lesson & found a better place to take my chair pose.
Plan on spending a few minutes with this challenge each day, and don’t be in a rush to get the perfect photo. Since there’s not perfect yoga, there will be no perfect yoga photos. You don’t need the perfect form or a gorgeous background to have a great photo- the challenge is about seeing yourself as beautiful through yoga & being inspired to create art each day.
4. Ask a friend
My favorite people, @RedStar5 & @Tidbits_of_Tara have a blast taking their photos together each day. Sometimes they are individual shots & sometime it’s a couple self-portrait, but they are still having fun & doing yoga. Don’t make things harder on yourself than necessary if you have somebody handy to take your photo or even a friendly stranger passing by to grab your daily yoga shot.
Share your self-portrait tips!
That’s what we’ve got so far, but would love to hear any other tips of tricks you are using to tackle the Yoga Instagram challenge. Leave a comment & tell us how you are capturing self-portraits.
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great tips! now I just need to get in on the challenge!!
I wrap the “monkey arms” from my point and shoot around my phone and build a tripod or wedge it somewhere to get the right angle… I have also used rocks and a dumbbell! And, of course my husband at times, it has been fun bonding!
YOU ARE BRILLIANT!!! THANK YOU so so much!!! Now I don’t have to wait for my eldest son to come home and take pics of me!!! You are the greatest Amanda! Mwah! Dani x
#AutoCamTimer is great! You can go up to a minute, or down to 1 second. The best part is… IT’S FREE
Also, it allows you to edit your pix after with that app. It only has one font option, but it still gets the job done and te point across! I also use #ColorCap 
it’s got tons of great fonts. You have to buy a color package if you want anything other than white, but the fonts and colors(once you buy them for only $0.99) are awesome!! Tons of choices and lots of fun!! @growsoulbeautiful thanks so much for all the great tips!! I just started, and was wondering how y’all got such great shots!! 
Love this post! I’m a professional photographer. I have tripods and timers and lights and all the equipment to get the right shot. But I hardly ever take self portraits because It can be a pain to drag everything up and set it up. The camera phone self-portrait is a unique art form in itself because it can be so spontaneous and fun. My number one tip would be to get yourself a good bag of rice (cloth bags are the best). It stays nice and still, molds to any surface, and you can squish it into a good shape to prop the camera phone.
Sorry I missed this in October!
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