You know something is here to stay when it’s added to the dictionary. Such is the case with selfie, which has been defined as “a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media” in the Oxford Dictionary. Used as a form of self-expression (quite literally) the selfie has taken several social media platforms by storm. Most commonly seen on Instagram, it’s nearly impossible to scroll through your feed without catching at least one or two selfies.
It seems the battle against the selfie is over and we’ve learned to embrace it. So, if you can’t beat them, join ‘em. And if you’re going to do something, do it right. Below are some tips and tricks to learn how to take a better selfie.
Pick a Background
Double (and maybe even triple!) check the background of your picture before taking it. Pick a nice, clear background, free of clutter. Your messy bedroom is probably not an ideal choice. A sleek, solid colored wall is always a good option. I think we’ve all seen our fair share of “selfie fails”, meaning an embarrassing object caught in the background of a picture. You might have great lighting in your bathroom but you don’t want to be like those people caught taking selfies while on the toilet!
Find Your Angle
Take some time to find your best angle. Certain angles will work best for different people. Experiment in the mirror and by taking several pictures until you catch the angle that’s just right. As a rule of thumb, pictures taken with the lens under your eyes tend to result in an unflattering shot. Raising your phone or mobile device slightly above your and tilting it down tends to slim the face – this angle works best for most people. Don’t take our word for it thought! After all, practice does make perfect, so get out there and snap away until you find what works best for you.
Perfect The Lighting
Lighting. Is. Everything. The real secret to a perfect selfie lies in the lighting situation. Harsh overheard fluorescent lights will cast bad shadows on your face; try to avoid them as much as possible! Natural lighting is the best, with the light behind you (standing with the sun in your face will case you to squint – not the best look). Don’t have access to good natural lighting? Sounds like a job for Chatlight. Designed to fit onto any mobile device or laptop, the Chatlight offers high-quality LED lighting, perfect for taking a good selfie. Simply slip the light onto your device, choose the level of brightness, and snap away!
Order your Chatlight today.