At some point in time in our lives, most of us have probably encountered some unflattering pictures of ourselves posted on social media. We might have been caught on camera mid-sneeze, unintentionally exposing our ‘double’ chins or doing a weird pose. Unfortunately, with the nature of the internet, many of the pictures are here to stay, unless they are graciously deleted by the original source who uploaded them.
Contrary to the above, sometimes we end up being our own saboteurs by posting poorly taken selfies that inadvertently expose our flaws. Thankfully with the advancement in photo editing applications and selfie tutorials available on the web, shooting perfect, photoshoot worthy selfies might not seem that hard after all. With some good filters and tried and tested selfie techniques, you will be able to capture stunning pictures and experience an ‘enhanced’ version of yourself just by using your handphone.
So, how exactly can we achieve and attain our selfie ‘nirvana’? In an ideal world, we would have plenty of time to practice our photo taking skills. Sadly, this is not the case. Thus, we have compiled some selfie-taking tips for your easy reference below.
The Road to Selfie Success
Although viewed by some as a narcissistic pastime, learning how to master the art of selfie-taking will come in handy on several occasions. For instance, you might require a decent selfie to use on your online job profile during the job hunting process or simply would like a nice photo to set as your header image on social media.
Without further ado, here are 6 selfie hacks that will help you to look your best.
Take Multiple Shots
When it comes to selfies, a fail-safe practice would be to take as many pictures as possible. The key idea being that there is bound to be a satisfactory shot among the massive quantity. If you dread the idea of having to click the ‘shutter’ multiple times just for that perfect selfie, a shortcut would be to use the burst shots function on your mobile phone. With the ability to take multiple photos in various seconds, it is a handy tool for selfie-taking novices.
Choose Your Background Carefully
A common mistake that many selfie-taking beginners to make is the lack of emphasis on their surroundings. Although you are the main focus of the selfie, backgrounds play an important role in amplifying the quality of your selfie. Complicated backgrounds with lots of activities ongoing will detract the attention away from your face. Sometimes, there are also backgrounds that are less than flattering such as a messy bedroom or bathroom with grainy and poor lighting, hence bringing up the next important point: Lighting.
Utilise Natural Lighting
The right lighting works wonders when taking selfies. Natural lighting such as sunlight gives a softer and warmer glow to your facial features, thus allowing you to hide some of your imperfections. However, in the scenario that you do not have access to any form of natural lighting, a trick would be to avoid taking selfies under harsh, fluorescent lights that will wash out your features and make you look dull and lifeless.
Angles And Poses Matter
The angle at which your selfie is taken can drastically affect the overall results. Rule of thumb for a good selfie is to slightly tilt your head to the side while tucking in your chin so that your face appears smaller and your jawline looks more defined. You can also play around with different poses when taking a selfie instead of just taking it straight on, so as to give your shots more variety.
Use Photo Editing Apps
With the abundance of photo editing applications available, stay on top of your selfie game by using different types of filters and special effects. Get rid of your dark spots, unwanted blemishes with just a swipe or tap of a button. There are also functions that allow you to upload selfies in batches for comparison based on a specific feature that you would like to emphasize. For instance, your smile or a wink. After which, the app will then let you select the selfie that you like best, based on the specific feature. For those who are more adventurous and want to stand out from the crowd, there are also photo editing apps that allow you to customize your eye colour, hair style, makeup and even accessories.
Zoom
If you require a close up shot, a good trick would be to make use of the zoom function instead of putting your phone closer towards your face. This is because by holding your mobile phone camera closer to your face, you are essentially altering the proportion of your face. Subsequently, this might cause either of your facial features such as your eyes or nose to become magnified or disproportionate.