can anyone tell me what a self timer does? i guess it is for a camera, but i dont get what it does, or how.?

It's for getting yourself in the picture. You set your camera up on a tripod, set the self-timer, then get in front in time for the picture. You can also use it as a way to reduce camera shake for long exposures. Set it on a tripod, set the shutter speed for the long exposure, set it on self-timer, and you should have no motion on your camera at all.

The Self Timer lets you take a photo without having to push the button. Want to be in a photo? Set up your camera on a tripod / stool / bar etc. Get everybody/thing set and imagine where you'll be. Set the timer, then run like heck to get in your spot in time. Takes practice, but a freally nice feature.

it's so that you could include yourself in the pic. set up the camera, activate the self-timer, and get in frame before the shutter fires.

it also helps if you're taking night shots without a good tripod. i used to have this cheapo flimsy tripod, and with exposure times of 6-8 seconds, the camera would shake a bit even if after i've mounted it. so i just use the self timer...that way, i'm not holding the camera when the shutter fires, and i get decent night images even with a cheapo tripod.

Self timer for you to take pictures by yourself that without another Assistant photographer,once you used selftimer,you needed a Tripod to stable a Camera.