How to take better selfies
Do you find selfies difficult to master?
These tips have been inspired by two things:
1. The fact that when I hosted a 5 Day Shop Your Wardrobe Challenge some people found the selfies difficult to master
2. The fact that recently I posted this picture on social media that everyone thought was current (having lost 2 stone) but it was actually taken last year when I was at my heaviest ever ...it was all about the angle...
So if you’d love to take good selfies and get a picture of yourself that you’re happy with read on...
You probably just want to look nice but end up with three chins. You don’t want to appear vain, but it would be nice to have a flattering photo for once instead of avoiding the camera.
I don't know where to start with taking a good selfie
Maybe it’s so bad and you dislike photos of yourself so much that always end up being the one taking the pictures of everyone else.
Perhaps you would’ve love to post more pictures in the group but you just can’t face looking at pictures of yourself.
For you to take good selfies and get those flattering pictures there are a few things that you can do to feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. You’re smiling, got the best angle to minimise those double chins, no dark circles or dodgy shadows that age you beyond your years and you look like the best version of yourself.
The problem is you don’t know where to start. How come some of the women you see on Facebook and Instagram are so much more photogenic than you think you could ever be?
If this sounds a bit like you then you then you’ll be pleased to know you’re in good company. I hear this kind of story often.
I’m sharing my top tips for taking good selfies because I believe that you deserve to look good in your photos and feel great about putting yourself out there in the best possible light.
I know that you don’t necessarily want to have to take 500 shots (like Kylie Jenner or Kim Kardashian) or add so many filters and edits that nobody will recognise you which is why I’m sharing some things I’ve learnt over the years about taking a flattering selfie.
My top tips for taking a better selfie
Get the position of the camera right. Have the bottom of your phone level with your eyes. This means you aren’t looking down or taking a picture of your nostrils and chins. Try turning your head to the side slightly.
For a really flattering angle try keeping your chin down and out and the camera up; camera at arm’s length, raised slightly and tilt the top of the phone towards you. This will make your face appear slimmer. Many people make the mistake of lifting their chin for photos to avoid a double chin and it just doesn’t quite work.
Lighting is important. Natural daylight is good, if you’re indoors stand facing a window but avoid direct sunlight as this will cast shadows and be harsh. Avoid having light behind you as you’ll just end up a silhouette and above you as this will cast horrendous shadows. You always want your light source from the front.
Smile – try and keep it natural though. This might feel a bit weird because you feel like you are smiling at yourself but think about the people who will be seeing the photo – imagine you are smiling at them. If this feels too weird then try just smiling with your eyes. Try it in the mirror – it makes a difference to how your face looks, younger somehow.
Learn where your timer switch is and also check to see if you have a handsfree feature. E.g. I can say ‘smile’ or ‘cheese’ and my phone will take the picture without me needing to press anything.
Look at the camera lens not at the screen where your picture is. This is hard to remember to do. I’ve put a little sticker next to the lens on my phone to remind me.
Check your background before you take the picture – you don’t want to actually share your dirty laundry in public. I like to use the ‘live focus’ option on my camera as it blurs out the background slightly.
Filters – I’m personally not a fan of filters, I see some women who are barely recognisable because they’ve blurred out their skin so much and messed around making their eyes look bigger etc. This is down to personal choice though – for me it’s important that I look the same in real life as I do on my photos or I’d be inauthentic.
Editing - I’m all for a bit of editing if it is required. By editing I mean cropping to get a better composition, sometimes brightening up the lighting or creating a bit of contrast.
For a full length selfie use the timer option and prop your phone up a table or chest of drawers or something (never from below waist level) so that it can get you all in from where you are standing. You can always crop it later.
If you are taking a full-length selfie in a mirror (for my challenge or to share an outfit picture) hold the camera to the side slightly so that you aren’t obscuring your body.
I hope you find these tips useful. I’m by no means an expert but I’ve learnt what works over the years as I’ve put myself out there as the face of my business and often need to share pics of me to illustrate a point.
By taking a bit of time to practise these tips it should help you stop cringing at photos of yourself, and instead, be happy that you are looking your best. You’ll have the compliments rolling in and everyone asking for your secret to looking great before you know it.
Tagged as: Confidence, How to...
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