7 Steps for a Good #Selfie

I decided to share some tips and tricks for taking good selfies. In case you're unaware, the term selfie refers to pictures taken of you by you. This may come naturally to some of you and for that I say congratulations. Other may find it a bit harder and therefore might opt out all together. This is a huge generalization but for the most part it seems like the younger you are the better you are at it. Mature men are not winning the selfie competition. Of course there are exceptions, Wooferstl is older than me and he takes the greatest selfies I've ever seen, It honestly looks like he brings an entire photo crew with him wherever he goes. If you don't follow him on Instagram or Tumblr, I highly recommend it. He puts us all to shame. For those of us who are less talented, here is a guide to getting the best selfie possible.


1. Look at the camera! (not yourself) It can feel awkward not to look at the screen but force yourself. Remember you want to be looking at the little round lens at the top of your phone. 

 No                                         Yes

2. Smize Everyone laughed when Tyra coined the ridiculous word but she was telling the truth. You might focused on what to do with your mouth or the best angle but don't forget about your eyes. Dead eyes never help a picture. If you look at the pictures below, from the nose down there really isn't much of a difference in my facial expression. It's all in the eyes.

Dead                               Smizeyed

 3. Look Behind You. Be aware of whats in the background of your picture. A messy room or dirty dishes can ruin cuteness. Along those lines, when you're taking the ever popular 'bathroom selfie' pay attention to the shit on your counter. Clear it off or crop it out.

Background Fail                     Foreground Fail

4. Work with yourself not against yourself. I've got a lazy eye that becomes very pronounced the wider my smile gets. I have to be extra careful that my smile is not too broad to make my eyes none existent. Conversely if I over do it and try and open my eyes too wide I've got a solid case of crazy eyes. Solution? Work with what you've got = Put on sunglasses.

Right side squint                    Cool and covered

5. Be a poser.  Learn what angles and poses work best for you. Sitting usually makes you look chubbier while standing can thin you out. Depending on what look you're going for, work your poses. What to eliminate a double chin? Hold your phone above your head so you have to look up. What to look beefier? Pull your belt extra tight and puff up those shoulder. Poses, lighting, and angles can make you look like a totally different person. Tip: when looking at Growlr pics, beware of picture where a guy is lying down. That's a very deceptive angle and who knows how everything will distribute once he stands up.

Small belly                          Medium belly

Large belly

6. Get a timer. Its super easy to download one of the many camera timer apps. I got a simple one for free and it works great. It gives you many more posing options beyond head up and arm stretched out.

Old school                               New Wave

8. Filters are your friends. I like Instagram's filters best but there are any number of apps that have the feature. (Even FB now has filters) Instagram turned provided the main picture for this post.

Beginning                         Ending

7. TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES! If you get nothing else from this lesson at least remember that the best way to get a good picture is to take a lot of them. Trust me. When they're are shooting the cover of Vogue do think they walk in, take one picture and then call it a day. There are thousands taken to be narrowed down to a tiny few. Sorry but you're not better the Naomi Campbell. You need those extra frames. We all do. I took every picture above today. To get those usable ones I took almost 50 pictures total.

The out takes

One final note: Along the lines of #3. If you're not happy with the way you look or can't find an angle that works for you. Take the first/main picture as an inspiration. Everyone looks better in pretty surroundings. Dump the boring beige wall for an outdoor pool and flowering tree. Trust me, it helps.



*This post is dedicated to my wonderful boyfriend. The ultimate master of the perfect selfie.