How To Take The Perfect Selfie #NoFillings
Natural light is your best friend, so if you’re inside, stand near a window and away from any harsh yellow artificial lighting (looking at you, changing room lights). If you can’t find natural light and need to use the flash, here’s a Kardashian approved trick: hold a white piece of paper or a napkin near your face to offset the glare. If you’re outside, embrace a grey day! Bad weather makes for good pictures, and any shots taken in the ‘magic hour’ (an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset) will be…well, magic.
The Rule of Thirds is a nifty trick professional photographers use to get perfectly balanced shots – and it works for selfies, too. Turn on the ‘grid’ function on your smartphone and you’ll see your screen is broken into three sections, with 4 intersecting lines. Try lining up your face (especially your eyes) with one of the intersections for your next selfie. People’s eyes are naturally drawn to those points, plus it will make your picture look more balanced. Selfie win-win!
Do a quick double-check of your background while composing to make sure it’s more ‘inspirational and artsy’, less ‘should have cleaned up my room’. White space is clean and classy, a soft pink is very hot right now, or selfie in front of an amazing view to show off your adventurous side!
Experiment with angles to play up your absolute favourite features: a high angle is universally flattering, so hold your camera a little higher than your face when selfie-ing. Experiment with turning your shoulders a little to the left, then a little to the right, working with your natural light (which you’re in because you read point 1) to find the angles at which the light hits your face in the most flattering way. Use your front-facing camera and you’ll soon find the angle that makes you feel fabulous!
Your smile is the main attraction of your selfie, so take good care of it all year round! Schedule regular check ups with your dentist every 6 months, brush and floss regularly, take your oral hygiene seriously, and rinse with water after enjoying staining liquids like red wine or coffee. That way, when the selfie urge strikes, your pearly whites will be ready to go!
You’re probably holding your camera with one hand, so here’s a quick iPhone selfie hack: the volume buttons also take a picture, which makes it easier to take a steady picture than using the shutter release on-screen. Then just smile – think of your favourite inside joke or scene from a movie to help you have a relaxed, natural smile – and snap away! Take a couple shots to be on the safe side, or use Burst Mode if your phone has it – then, you can pick your absolute favourite!
Instagram has some easy-to-use editing tools to take your selfie to the next level – not only do they have a variety of filters, but you can edit your photos for lightness, saturation, and sharpness. There are also editing apps to give you that celebrity glow by fixing blemishes and flyaways. While these apps are not necessary, the best selfies are all about confidence; if a quick post-production fix helps you post with more confidence, then you do you. #NoJudgement
You’ve composed, taken, and crafted the world’s best selfie – post your work of art and share your smiling face with the world!