Girls tips

Chapter 13: how to take a perfect selfie

1

Start with good lighting. Having a solid light source is an essential part of taking any kind of photograph, and selfies are no different. If you try to take a selfie in a dimly-lit room or one with harsh fluorescent lighting, it won't turn out the way you want it to. Natural light is the most flattering kind, so try to take your selfie near a window or outdoors. Keep these factors in mind when you shoot:

Keep the sun or other light source in front of you, a bit above eye level, for the most flattering shot. The light will brighten and soften your features, rather than casting harsh shadows across your face. If it's off to the side or behind you, your features could appear shadowy or distorted. [1]

Consider using a thin curtain to diffuse sunlight or a single light source. It makes the light softer and more flattering. It will give the impression of smoother, softer facial lines so that your smile appears more attractive.

Natural light renders colors more faithfully than artificial light, but you can use artificial light to fill shadows. If you don't have the best lighting, most modern digital cameras have some automatic color correction to make up for it.

Don't use your flash if you can help it. It'll create a forehead glare, distort your appearance and possibly give your selfie the redeye effect.

2

Use your phone's back camera. Many cell phones have two cameras: one in the back, and one in the front. Instead of using the camera in the front to take selfies, use the one in the back. The back camera takes higher-resolution pictures than the front camera, which will end up taking a blurrier selfie. You'll have to turn the phone around, and you won't be able to see your face as you take the picture, but it's worth the trouble to use the back camera.

3

Don't use a mirror unless there's no other way to get the shot you want. The picture will appear in reverse, your camera will be visible, and you're likely to end up with a strange glare. Plus, your selfie could appear distorted, since mirror glass doesn't always reflect back a perfectly accurate image. Stretch out your arm, use your wrist to point the camera toward your face, and snap away. It might take some practice to get it right, but eventually you'll know exactly where to position the camera to make sure it captures your whole face (and never cuts off the top of your head).

The exception would be if you want to take a full-body selfie, since it can be hard to capture more than your head and shoulders without using a mirror.

Practice using both your right and left hand to take selfies. See which one allows you to get the angles you want.

4

Consider the background of your picture. The best selfies have more than just a face. There's something interesting to look at in the background, too. Whether you take your selfie inside or outdoors, check around you first to see what's going on in the background. Position yourself so that you're in front of the background you want people to see.

Nature always makes a great background. In the spring and summer, you can pose in a small wooded area or near a blossoming bush of flowers if you need a quick and easy backdrop. For fall, capture the color of the changing leaves in the background, and in winter, capture the majesty of ice and snow.

If nature is not your thing, you could stay indoors and take a selfie in your room. Tidy things up first, though. You could also display something interesting in the background as long as it is not distracting. For instance, if you love to read, then a bookcase or stack of books would be a good backdrop. A movie poster with a lot of different people on it could be distracting, however.