The perfect selfie: 12 tips for success
The perfect selfie: 12 tips for success
We all know this problem when we take a selfie and want to post it on Instagram or send it by WhatsApp to friends and family: as soon as we look at the photo again, we discover weird shadows, looks like you’ve put on 10 pounds or weirdly distorted facial features. But this is not inevitable.
So how do you take the perfect selfie? The following 12 tips can help you look good in any photo.
- It’s all about the light
Natural light is best for taking a high quality photo. Artificial light and flash often make you look older and create unsightly shadows. If you are indoors, position yourself directly in front of a window and ensure that the light source is in front of you and not behind or above. If you want to take a picture of yourself in town at night, position yourself near the front of a well-lit store.
Tip : sunrise or sunset light softens facial features and evens skin
- Mind the background
For the perfect selfie, the background is also important. If you want to be the center of attention, keep the background as quiet as possible and avoid other people or objects that might distract from you. A truly original background, however, can make your photo extra special. Look for beautiful places and try changing angles to make the photo more interesting. The result may be unexpected.
Tip : The days of selfies in the mirror and photos in the bathroom are definitely over.
- Find your best profile
Everyone has a better profile and a facial expression they like more. If not, try different angles and look at yourself from all angles in the mirror.
Moreover, a study by the University of Bamberg revealed that one is particularly attractive when one photographs the left half of one’s face. On the other hand, if one holds the right part of the face facing the camera, one looks friendly, helpful and intelligent. Pointing the camera upwards looks cuter because the eyes look bigger and the chin and lips look smaller. And if you take a selfie from below, your look will be more mysterious because your lips will be bigger and your eyes will be smaller.
- Bet on the 2/3 rule
There is a magic formula for the perfect selfie. It is as follows: two-thirds face, one-third background. The angle is of little importance.
- Remember to use your hands
Selfies are more lively if your hands are also visible in the photo. You can use them to touch your face, lean on them, or even cover part of your face with them.
- Don’t hold the phone too close to your face
For the perfect selfie, make sure your face is far enough away. If you hold your phone too close to your face, your proportions will be distorted and your nose will appear disproportionate. So stretch your arm as far as possible when taking a picture of yourself. To make sure your arm isn’t visible in the photo, zoom in or edit it later.
- Avoid weird poses
Unnatural poses, such as those often seen on advertising posters, are simply frightening in real life. Instead, photograph yourself in natural poses. For example, lean against a tree or a railing. A good pose is when you don’t see that it’s a pose.
- Clean the lens
To keep your photos from looking milky, you need to clean your lens regularly. Since the camera lens of a mobile phone is very small, it gets dirty very quickly. Especially since we use our smartphone for many other things than just taking photos. So take some time to remove grease, sweat and dirt stains from your lens.
- Don’t use an app
Avoid taking your photos from apps like Instagram or Facebook. Instead, take the photo with your smartphone camera and then upload it to the desired platform. Applications never use all the functions that modern mobile phone cameras now offer.
- Vary the angles
For portraits and selfies, you have to experiment with different angles. Try to see the effect produced by the photos you take from below, above or sideways. This will give you different effects.
- Open your mouth a bit
The “duckface” has had its day. For several years, celebrities and influencers have adopted the so-called “fish-gape” pose, which consists of slightly opening the lips. The lips thus appear fuller and the expression more sensual.
- The Right Facial Expression
The right facial expression is just as important as the right pose. A tight smile, a lascivious look or an overly exaggerated laugh: in addition to not being natural, these expressions quickly bore the viewer. Moreover, we end up regretting posting such photos, even if they seem funny at first sight.
Bonus: try the cat’s eye trick
