The rise of Instagram has resulted in the rise of the selfie. Now, anyone with a smartphone can regularly take and share pictures of themselves.
Plenty do. That said, not all selfies are equally impressive. This is a unique type of picture. You need to keep certain points in mind to take selfies that show you off in your best light.
These tips will help. By learning to take better selfies, you’ll develop your photography skills in general.
How to Take Better Selfies: Key Tips
Try to Use Natural Lighting
This won’t always be an option depending on where you are. You might not have access to natural light all the time. However, when possible, use it. Natural lighting will look more flattering than anything artificial.
Just remember not to face the sun if you decide to take a selfie outside! While sunlight can be ideal for a selfie, if you’re facing the direction of the sun, the glare will cause you to squint.
Try Laughing
Not all selfies require smiles. Maybe you want to indulge your inner model with a serious or seductive look.
That said, when you do want to smile for the camera, the results will look much more appealing if your smile is authentic.
The problem is, many people struggle to fake authentic smiles when taking selfies. If that’s the case, try making yourself laugh before snapping your shot. Laughter results in genuine smiles that will translate to stronger selfies. Thus, you could quickly watch a funny video before taking your picture, or simply think of a funny story.
Keep Your Chin Down
It’s important to experiment with different angles if you want to take better selfies. The more angles you try, the better you’ll understand why some work and some don’t.
That said, you should always try to keep your chin down and the camera up when taking basic selfies. Some of the most unflattering selfies happen merely because the person taking the picture held their camera below their chin.
Pay Attention to the Environment
You should be the focus of your selfie. However, you can’t prevent your environment from affecting the picture. Even if you look great, a selfie might still be unattractive if something in the background draws attention away from you. For instance, you wouldn’t want to take an outdoor selfie with an ugly construction site in the background.
Take the time to consider everything you see in the frame when taking selfies. You don’t want to ruin what could have otherwise been a great photo because you didn’t pay attention to your surroundings.
Follow Models & Photographers
Improving your skills in any area becomes much easier when you learn from the best. If you’re on Instagram, follow models and photographers who take impressive selfies. Paying attention to what they do differently will help you better understand what you should be doing.
Most importantly, keep taking more selfies. Taking better selfies requires practice. By remembering these tips and taking selfies every day, you’ll naturally improve your skills.