Reference photos should be clear, not fuzzy or blurry. Drawing your portrait will be so much easier if you can clearly see what it is you are drawing! Also, because we are practicing drawing facial features, try to keep your hair out of your face.
TOO BLURRY!
For this project, your reference photo should be of just you. Drawing multiple people is super challenging--save that for another project.
TOO MANY PEOPLE!
Don't take the photo from too far away. It will be hard to see detail, and in general will make the drawing process difficult.