Since the invention of small handheld devices equipped with cameras that we can use for taking photos, the selfie game has improved over the years. Both men and women take pictures they post on social media, and everyone is looking for better ways to take a selfie.
There are endless ways of holding an instrument and taking a picture of yourself, variations, and ideas to spruce up your selfies. Statistically, 54% of males generally take selfies, and you may also want to look good in a self-portrait. Here are some tips that can help you next time you take your phone out and take a picture of yourself.
1. Have Confidence
An essential factor in taking a self-portrait or a selfie is confidence. Some may think taking a photo is embarrassing, especially in public. However, know that a selfie is a prevalent thing to do nowadays, and you need to own the moment and the frame when you take a picture of yourself. If you are worried about how your selfies might look, you can experiment for a while or practice in the mirror before snapping a good photo.
2. Determine The Mood
People take photos for various reasons. It could be for an occasion, an accomplishment, a vacation, or simply wanting to check their looks on camera. When taking a selfie, determine the mood of your current setting and match your photo with it. For example, when you’re taking a selfie on vacation, you can include the background or take a picture in a relaxed and happy manner. If you’re wearing something formal, you can also have your outfit in the frame. The variations and possibilities are endless, and the key to a good selfie is showcasing yourself and the mood you are trying to convey.
3. Consider Focal Length
You may find yourself looking different on camera than in front of a mirror, and it is because of perspective distortion caused by camera lenses. The focal length of a camera can usually make things appear larger or smaller than they are. Modern cell phone cameras typically have very short focal length lenses, and the distance of your phone to your face can determine how much distortion it can make to your nose, eyes, or face shape. Choose a phone equipped with good camera lenses. Generally, placing the camera at around 12 inches is advised to lessen the effects of focal length.
4. Change Angles
A photo usually has nine boxes, and you can use this to tilt and angle your face to get the perfect shot. Depending on what looks best ad makes you feel comfortable, you can experiment with these angles by slightly turning your head either to the side, downwards, or to other directions that you think will frame your face the best. For some people, a forward-facing photo suits them. It is common for most men to prefer angles that have their faces tilting slightly upward or sideways to accentuate strong jawlines and silhouettes. You can even use mirrors to take mirror selfies if you want to.
5. Choose An Expression
You can choose between a light-hearted smiling photo, a more serious looking one with lips sealed and eyes focused on the camera, or candid-looking pictures of you. Choosing an expression for your selfie depends on whatever mood you want to present in the image and what suits you best. You can even pose for a funny or wacky selfie if you show a more fun side of yourself. Use expressions as your advantage to up your next selfie game.
6. Use Good Lighting
A light source can dramatically change the face by using shadows to create lines or accentuate parts of your face. Try different angles for your light source, and find out which looks best for your selfie and the mood you are setting. Additionally, photographers recommend that people use a natural light source such as outdoors for their pictures, as this can make the selfie more natural with balanced color tones.
7. Take Multiple Photos
When looking for a good selfie, take as many as you want, experiment with the above mentioned factors, and choose which photo to keep and which to delete later. You can also ask for an outside opinion on which of these photos they think looks best, or you can spot blurriness, unwanted things, and other mistakes in some images that you can discard afterward, leaving the best shot.
8. Use Photo Editors
Numerous apps are available to enhance, edit, change the color, or fix something in the photo. These apps make your selfies look better, and you can emphasize whichever mood you want in your picture’s theme. Photo editors are now available for smartphones and computers; feel free to use them to get the perfect selfie.
Conclusion
Since the early 2000s, the use of the word “selfie” and the internet trend for self-portraits on social media has been one of the most common occurrences in today’s world. Anyone can choose which selfie can make them look and feel awesome depending on whatever they want to convey using poses, lighting, angle, and other factors. Next time you feel the right moment, take your phone out and click for a fantastic photo of yourself.