Tips on Self-portraits and portraits

1) Use your imagination! A self-portrait can reveal a lot about you, by including props and even other people that are meaningful in your life. If you've never attempted to shoot a self-portrait, expand your creative horizons and give it a try.

2) Looking off camera – have your subject focus their attention on something unseen and outside the field of view of your camera. This can create a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue and interest as the viewer of the shot wonders what they are looking at. This intrigue is particularly drawn about when the subject is showing some kind of emotion.

I think for my pictures, I want to go on a eye direction picture. I want to have my subject, if not me, looking out of the frame. or maybe at something in the frame. I just don't want my subject, again if not me, looking directly at the camera unless I play with the lighting and get their eyes to be vibrant.