Everybody who is somebody, from Van Gogh to Andy Warhol, has made self-portraits – it’s not only Kim Kardashian that does it! Take a look at some tips on what you can do to improve your selfies and make them the best ever so that you could get your own fifteen minutes of fame.
1. Let There Be Light
Lighting is literally everything. It doesn’t only affect the angles of your face, but the general quality of the picture. Better phones are more capable of reading the light in a dark room which is why they take better pictures. The darker it is around you, the more obvious the low quality will be. Not to worry! If your phone camera isn’t the best, you can still take a great selfie. All you need is a location with a good light source, like the sun. When you are taking a picture of yourself, make sure that the sun is in front of you so that there are no silhouettes, unless a silhouette is what you want. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t go to the other extreme and blow out too much information on your selfie. We all have angles on our face and you shouldn’t hide yours, just find the ones that work best for you.
2. Messy Hair Don’t Care
There are countless ways to do your hair and makeup but whatever you decide to go for, try not to do the same look for every picture. Variety excites the audience. More importantly, you don’t want to be that girl who is too uncomfortable in her own skin to ever be seen without makeup and a blow-out. Have some fun. If your hair is messy, don’t try to make it look like it’s not – own it! Let people know that it’s a lazy kind of day. Make them want that “just woke up” look. Obviously, you are not going to wake up with your mascara intact and a perfectly contoured nose. However, if you want just a little touch of something to enhance your natural beauty, consider eyelash extensions and consult some experts. That way you could take your perfect no makeup, morning selfie, care-free.
3. NoFilter
“Natural” seems to be the keyword of the year when it comes to beauty. Try sticking to this trend when you edit your selfies. By all means, use filters, just don’t overdo it. Don’t be that person we all were when we first discovered Instagram and drowned all the natural beauty out with vignettes and filters on top of filters on top of extreme contrast changes. Leave that in the past where it belongs. Instead, try something more elegant and subtle. Pick a filter for your selfie that changes the colors just enough so that it fits into your overall scheme. Also, you might want to try to stay away from any frames or borders. Keep it clean, simple and about you!
4. What’s in a Selfie?
Your face is not all that makes a selfie great. Think about what you are wearing and then consider where you are wearing it. Does the color of your outfit complement the background in some way? Does it give it a bold contrast? Does it enhance the image? Great! Take that picture. However, if your outfit is on point, but your location isn’t very photogenic – like that same elevator you have in every photo – wait a minute. You should take all the factors into account. Take a walk, find another selfie-worthy place and don’t let those clothes go to waste.
5. Quick, do something!
From time to time, bring something new into your frame. Try to take a picture while you move around or flick your hair. It’s hard to be spontaneous when you are the one photographing yourself, but your audience will appreciate any sort of action. If you are always smiling, for example, try taking a picture in which you are pouting. Show your followers your family or introduce them to some adorable four-legged friends through your selfie.
Taking a selfie isn’t rocket science but many people get it wrong with hard-to-see pictures taken in weird locations with unflattering lighting. Just one small factor could greatly affect our photos for better or for worse, which is why we sometimes need a little push in the right direction. However, if you do take a selfie which is mostly bad, but you really want to upload it because it is dear to you, then go for it! If a selfie isn’t picture-perfect, find a good caption for it. Try something like “bad selfie because #YOLO”, or have some fun with irony and say “best selfie ever”, even when it’s not.
Author-Bio:
Audrey Taylor was born in San Francisco and moved to Adelaide at the age of five. Marketer researcher and social media manager on hold, full – time mommy of a cheerful two-year-old. Graduated from Queensford college, I worked in a couple of marketing agencies across Australia, eager to learn more about business and share her experiences. Traveled across Europe. Her hobbies include home decor, fashion, travel, music, old movies.
