better selfies

The secrets of taking amazing selfies

Nowadays with the advances in mobile-phone photography, most people started to love to capture and share their personalities, environments, lifestyles, and preferences. Photo-sharing on the numerous online social networking sites represent such a significant part of the modern living experience. If you represent an active user on any of these content platforms, you will instantly recognize the burning desire to capture a cool selfie. 

And you know such a scenario primarily includes the following outcomes:

  • We take about a huge unknown number of photos.
  • We rotate the camera in quite weird ways of trying to get the perfect angle.
  • We change our body position in all humanly known ways.

Finally, we may only like a single one of the hundred captures. For the more pretentious people, the ratio can be even larger!

Well, that feeling can be pretty tiring. No one wants to invest a priceless hour trying to capture at least a single successful selfie. Because of this grueling process, it’s typical to wonder how all the models and social influencers do it so effectively. It is as if there’s some hidden knowledge behind the capture of the perfect self-portrait. Is it possible for us to be missing something?

To gently correct this mess and release you from such unpleasant feelings, here are some simple guidelines to aid you to cope much easier. Therefore, just read the information farther below containing all the secret ingredients of an excellent selfie.

Secret #1: Light is essential

Whether you are an experienced photographer or not, this is a fundamental element of the craft. You must always pay maximum attention to it. If you want to capture any good picture, the first thing to consider is light.

You’ll be astonished at how many different shots can be obtained when the light is different. For example, if you have the same subject shot in soft and direct light. It will look completely different in both images.

Even your skin will change with the light. It can look smooth or vice versa – to show every imperfection on it. Both options may have nothing to do with reality, but different light will express a look like that.

Thus:

  • Look at the different places where you can stand. All the possibilities regarding the given location in which you are at. On each of them, the light will fall differently on your face. Capture a few shots at each one of them and then decide on the most suitable location.
  • If you are indoors, standing by a window is the best option. Plus, the light source should always be in front of you. This will illuminate your face as much as it is possible.
  • Make sure the light is natural. Otherwise, your face will be extremely bright, you will receive a huge amount of contrast in your selfie. For example, if you are shooting in the bright noon sun on a cloudless day.

    On the other hand, if the light is too low, there will be no contrast and highlights to add volume to the photo. Therefore, try to search for the golden balance.

Secret #2: Try to extend only your neck forward

This is one of the effective techniques that many photographers use when taking portraits. This way your face will look a lot thinner and will reveal all your features more. If you possess a double chin, this is also a useful trick. It can either eliminate or reduce its size.

This secret is one of the most effective techniques that all photographers use when taking portraits. This way your face will look like a lot thinner and will reveal all your essential features more. If you possess a double chin, this is also a useful trick. It can either eliminate or noticeably reduce its size.

Simply try placing your chin out a little bit and slightly down. Be sure not to tilt it too far down, unless you would like looking up through your lashes. This can cause a bit more of an intimate portrait. If you are a man, when using this technique, push your chin forward but not down, unless you want to define your jawline.

This is undoubtedly the easiest magic for better selfies. Remember performing this especially when you’re laughing in photos too. In this specific way, you will prevent the inborn tendency to shift your head back. Which results in generating an undesirable effect of the double chin.

Secret #3: Smile sincerely

When you smile for a photo, it should typically look like you undoubtedly mean it. It is as if you have something real to smile about. Like it is telling an emotional story for people to understand.

This specific rule sounds extremely essential, but it takes some effort to deal with a smile. If you do practical experiments by looking at different photos of smiling people, you will immediately notice that there is an enormous difference in their emotions and radiation.

If the photographed smile is artificial, the whole expression suggests it. An easy trick to prevent this specific effect is to think of something that entertains you. Or something that you enjoy remembering? Remember, the importance is to transmit your character in the final frame.

Fondly imagine, for a mere moment, taking a selfie in the modern bathroom and seeing someone’s flip-flops and towels behind you. It’s not aesthetically pleasing at all, right? The wrong background just sets a lot more visual stress on the viewer’s eyes.

Some PRO tips: 

  • Don’t say “CHEESE!”. This technique should be used only at kids’ birthday parties. When you’re posing for selfies say “money” instead. This movement of the lips will make your smile look more natural. And, well, sometimes the thought of money can bring a smile to your face, too.
  • Try closing your eyes. Breathe deeply, and then open your eyes again. You’ll feel calmer and smile more naturally.
  • Try to relax your face and jaw muscles. Focus on them and take a second or two to consciously relax them. The natural smile will come on its own.
  • Try to think about something that makes you happy. Think about people, situations, or things that feel you up with positivity.

Secret #4: Experiment with different angles and find the right one for you

Trying different angles is a valuable exercise for discovering your better side. At this moment, you should know that everyone possesses a better side of himself. You should instantly start to look for your own.

It is a significant advantage to recognize your unique features well. This means you will find the right angle so the important parts of you stand out.

To help yourself with this task, you can either:

  • review other photos in different poses and from various sides. Or 
  • you can skip all this and start a new photo session. In which to experiment with poses and angles. This way you will clearly understand how to pose correctly for the foreseeable future.

This way you will discover how to pose correctly for the foreseeable future. In such a type of experiment, you have to take light into account. It will be different when you shift your positions. Therefore, it is more efficient to always comply with it too.

Secret #5: Keep your face not too close to the camera

If you want to capture a nice picture, to stand inches from the camera, is not a practical solution. Your face will just look distorted and weird. Your nose can look considerably more noticeable than it is.

If in doubt, try it out! You will see it for yourself. This is not the way to present yourself in a pleasant light. And in this way, your unique features will not stand out. Instead, you will not look like yourself and your expression will be visually altered. 

Secret #6: Do not overdo the processing

If you overdo the post-processing of the photo, you are willing to risk ruining all the effort invested in it. To some extent, it is impossible to set a clear line where there is already too much processing. What you can carefully consider, however, is whether the radiation remains yours, whether you still look like yourself.

Always compare “before” and “after.” If the two options have nothing in common, then you have undoubtedly gone in the wrong direction. The whole idea of editing should make the image emphasize on you. Be careful, don’t lose yourself in the edit.

Of course, everybody knows it’s tempting to try out different filters sometimes. There is nothing wrong with that. Unless you overdo it. However, let your selfie bring naturalness and ease.

Secret #7: The background is part of the photo

The background matters. You have to be careful about it because just as it can ruin your photo. It can also make it far more interesting than it would otherwise be.

Although it is not the most important thing, the background is still greatly involved in the photo. If you do everything else perfectly, but forget about the background.. you will just reduce the potential of the photo, so to speak.

Imagine, for example, taking a selfie in the bathroom and seeing someone’s flip-flops and towels behind you. It’s not aesthetically pleasing at all, right? The wrong background just sets a lot more visual stress on the eyes.

Not only because of the form of the objects behind you, but the background is also important because of its colors. They can significantly enrich any photograph. The proper colors are going to reveal your excellent features. They will also contribute to the mood that the frame overall conveys. You can play with contrasts or an interesting color pallet. Therefore, everything will be in harmony and will be pleasing to the human eye.

Secret #8: Avoid repetitive ideas

If you want your photo to impress anybody, you must leave your unique signature style in it. No one needs to constantly look at the same filtered selfies in which you can’t recognize any person from the other.

Of course, you can think “What type of originality is there in selfies? A selfie is just a selfie.”. And yes, that’s quite true. But if you try applying the secrets mentioned here and experiment with them. You will see how much better results you can get. The idea is to do it in a way that matches both your taste and your artistic vision of the craft. Not to blindly follow every single trend of capturing a certain type of image.

Conclusion

So, even if you already learned how to take good selfies, keep on practicing. Over a while, you will start feeling much more comfortable and confident in front of the camera. As a result, your pictures will be more attractive and natural. 

Once you master the above secrets, you will start to subconsciously implement them. You will begin working much more freely with your camera.