30 Tips on How to Take an Amazing Selfie

The 21st century gave us social media, and social media gave us selfies. The selfie portrait as a genre has always existed in photography; the photographer himself set up the camera, set the aperture, set the timer and quickly stood in front of the camera to take his portrait. Thanks to modern technologies, you and I just need to turn on the camera on our smartphone and take as many portraits as we want. Celebrities and bloggers on social networks show us that selfies can and should be taken anywhere and anytime: on vacation, at a business meeting, at the stadium or at lunch, alone or in the company of friends. Selfies have no age or status restrictions and are limited only by your imagination.

Each of us probably has one or a million selfies on our phones taken over the past month. Thus, we save our emotions for ourselves at a certain moment, selfies from the airport where you fly to on vacation, or selfies from your grandmother’s garden where you sit on the apple tree can become very popular on social networks. At any moment of our life that we want to save or share with subscribers and friends, we take a photo of ourselves and leave it forever in our memory and phone memory.

After reading this article, you will learn the tricks of successful selfies and some ideas from a professional photographer for creating original photos that will bring you many likes on social networks. Want more? Moscow photographer Oleg Bagmutsky will answer this question.

1. Remember the right lighting

Good lighting is the foundation of photography. You should not take pictures outside in bright sun, as you will get unnecessary shadows on your face and excess light in the photo. Use artificial lighting or face a window. But the most beautiful photographs are always taken in the morning and evening, an hour after sunrise and an hour before it disappears beyond the horizon. This will be the perfect lighting option for outdoor selfies. The light will be soft and diffused, which will make your photos even better.

2. Give preference to the front camera

The camera on the front of your smartphone may take better photos, but you can’t see yourself in the reflection and you rarely take good selfies. If you take a self-portrait with your front camera, you can control the light, the angle, and immediately see exactly how you will look in the photo.

People have come up with a large number of devices and things that make the life of a telephone photographer easy and simple. Take some of these into account:

The ingenious invention of the monopod, the so-called “selfie stick,” forever solved the problem of taking photographs of large groups of people. Anywhere, at any time, you can always take a photo with the whole family or a large group using this useful device.

If you have a Selfie Ring Light, then issues with proper lighting will no longer arise. This portable LED light attaches to your phone and creates a virtual studio light for your selfies. This gadget is especially loved by makeup artists and beauty bloggers, so the result of their work is visible in all its glory.

Tripods are sometimes compared to monopods, and everyone prefers to buy only one of them. But we insist that these are completely different devices that serve different purposes. A tripod is a portable tripod stand that is designed for support and stability, used for cameras, phones and other devices. One of the main advantages of this device is the static effect it gives to photographs. You will never take a photo on a monopod with a really large group of people with Niagara Falls in the background, for example.

An underwater lens cap is a great way to get Little Mermaid and Aquaman-themed selfies. With this cover you can arrange an underwater photo shoot in the pool or in the ocean. It’s not just a waterproof case so your photos will be blurry, it also has a built-in wide-angle lens that lets you take clear photos. The case is equipped with a tripod that can easily be attached to the underwater mask for unique self-portrait ideas.

4. Be aware of the background during the photo shoot

You can capture the perfect light and perspective, but if there is an unnecessary or ugly object in the background, all your efforts will be in vain. Before you take a photo, turn around and evaluate what and who is behind you and whether they will be included in your frame. Many of the best selfies have been ruined by scattered objects, awkward reflections, or pets in the background.

5. Get perspective and cool examples for collages

The most advantageous angle is with the head turned halfway, the face visually becomes smaller, the cheekbones become sharper, and the neck becomes longer. If you are shooting a face, you need to turn your head a little, this will make the photo better. Practice a little in front of the mirror: turn your head, raise and lower your chin, choose which angle you like best.

6. Enjoy fun selfie poses

The right pose will help you look taller and slimmer in photos. Sit in front of the mirror and choose two or three poses in which you look like yourself. Here are some basic posing tips: watch your posture, straighten your shoulders, pull your stomach in, lower your arms along your body, this will help you look slimmer.

7. Try top selfie photo ideas

When you take an original selfie, raise your hand above eye level and take the photo. This way your eyes will appear larger and brighter and there will be no double chin. But don’t raise your phone’s camera too high to avoid wrinkles in your forehead.

8. Be positive to master the art of Instagram (продукт Meta Platforms Inc., компания признана экстремистской организацией, деятельность на территории РФ запрещена)

Think of something beautiful before taking a photo, it will set you in the right mood and give your face extra charm. Good thoughts always bring a sincere smile and sparkle in the eyes. Listen to yourself and do as you want at the moment: if you want to smile, smile, if you want to stick out your tongue or wink, don’t hold back. Emotions always benefit photographs, be yourself here and now.

9. The more inspiration, the better.

The case when quantity turns into quality. The more photos you take, the more likely it is that there will be 2-3 very good poses among them. Even celebrities don’t always get it right the first time, so they take a series of 10 to 50 photos to then choose the best one. A little advice: if you are looking for a good angle and changing the pose in a photo, do it smoothly, without sudden movements, this will give you a better chance of getting good photos.

10. Use photo editors to create creative self-portraits

Nowadays there are a huge number of photo editing programs with tutorials. Different styles and interfaces provide varying degrees of complexity and focus on different activities and topics. In this application, you can apply a filter, hide makeup imperfections, remove unnecessary things from the photo and carry out many other manipulations to get the perfect photo. Explore all the features and choose the one that suits you and reflects your needs. Understand the basic functions of the photo editor, practice a little, and your traditional cute pictures will become even more interesting.

We’ve covered the basics for getting beautiful, high-quality photos, now let’s look at some original self-photography ideas.

11. Take a representative photograph of your silhouette.

These photos come out with a shallow depth of field and have a nice dreamy look. To achieve this sculpted silhouette, stand in front of a background that is lighter than you, making sure to highlight the contours of your face nicely.

12. Use reflection to create your own project

Ideally, if it’s the reflection of your face in the water, you’ll have to get wet and play with perspective, but the results may exceed your expectations. Look at the world more carefully and understand that reflections can be found in many, even the most unexpected places in the room: mirrors, puddles, walls, and sometimes even in a cup of morning coffee you can find an interesting shot.

13. Create a rainbow effect on your face

Bright colors always add creativity to a photo. You can use a lens to get a rainbow effect, or you can use a regular one and a flashlight. Shine a flashlight on the shiny side of the disc until rainbow streaks appear on your face; for these photos you may need a mirror and a tripod.

14. Create your own photo background

You can easily make an interesting background for photography yourself. You will need fabric with an original texture, a flower arrangement, crumpled and straightened paper, and a design on a large sheet of paper. From the simplest materials you can get a creative and beautiful background for your photos. This is the most creative craft that couples, kids and even serious guys can adore.

15. Show off your main hobbies.

When a person does what they love, they look different and these are great fun self portrait ideas. For example, you love cycling and take a selfie while cycling through the forest: your cheeks are red from fast riding, your eyes are burning, you are doing what you love and leaving this wonderful moment as a memory.

16. Dressing techniques for students and experts

Sometimes you want to be a different person, all you need to do is use a wig and clothes. A little creativity, bronzer, a wig from the store and you are already Rihanna’s twin. Such tricks will give you not only successful photos, but also a good mood.

17. All attention to detail

When learning how to take a self-portrait, it is important to remember that you can photograph your hands playing the guitar or cooking, a silhouette on the beach against a sunset, feet in rubber boots walking through puddles, eyes or lips with beautiful makeup. Look at yourself in the mirror and take a photo of the part of yourself that you like at the moment.

18. Take funny photos

Cheer yourself and others up with funny photos. Even if you don’t really like the shooting and the results after it, you will still enjoy the shooting process.

19. Black and white photos

When you convert a photo to black and white, you always get a different effect, deeper and more dramatic than in color. This turns out to be a completely different photograph and a different story. When you don’t understand what else can make your photo better, try converting it to black and white and watch how the most banal portrait turns into a frame of old film.

20. Become a movie character

Cosplaying movie characters is always fun. You can become Scarlett O’Hara or Harley Quinn or dress up like Men in Black. A little makeup, sunglasses, a formal suit - and you are already a secret agent. Such photos show your preferences in cinema, collect likes and immediately lift your spirits.

21. Hide part of your face

You can use fabrics, hair, or even your own fingers to cover part of your face. Photos in which the face is partially covered by a palm leaf look very beautiful. If you put on a beautiful smokey eye makeup and cover the rest of your face with a silk scarf, you will get a very sensual selfie.

22. Don’t forget about selfie hats

Original hats don’t necessarily cost a lot of money. You can easily make them yourself. A wreath of flowers is one of the most beautiful options; by making delicate and romantic hats, any girl will look like a fairy fairy. A handmade crown or a purchased item will make you a real princess. And the cute straw hats are perfect for photos in the park or on the beach. Choose a hat to suit your taste and take the most beautiful photos.

23. Experiment with shadow and light, or choose the middle

Shadows add an element of mystery and magic to a photograph. This could be a darkened part of the face, a silhouette against an open door at sunset, stunning photographs are obtained with the shadow of leaves and plants on the face. Find a light source and a beautiful background and let your imagination run free.

24. Selfie with pets

If you have a favorite pet at home, it means you are a very happy person. There’s nothing sweeter than a cool photo with your favorite fluffy cat in your arms, or your pet parrot sitting on your head, or your favorite dog licking your cheek. Animals in a photograph always add warmth and comfort to it and make us smile.

25. Use triptychs

Triptychs are a new trend in self-portrait photography tips. A series of three photographs that share a common theme and tell one story is called a triptych. This selfie-style genre allows you to tell your little story through photographs.

26. Selfie with friends

These are the most fun photos in the world, and the more creative your friends are, the more interesting the photos will be. You can be Charlie’s Angels, sit on sofas like the characters from the series Friends, just laugh and have fun. And it doesn’t matter how many of you there are - two or ten, you will still get the most fun photos. The only thing you can’t do with friends is take boring photos.

27. Use a color scheme

Make the background, your clothes and makeup in the same color scheme. Not all the same color, but in the same color scheme. This may seem like a simple task, but it will require a lot of creativity on your part.

28. Let the seasons play their part

Each season has its own special charm: winter photographs in hats and mittens against the backdrop of the New Year tree, spring picnics on green, green grass, selfies on warm summer evenings and, of course, red-orange autumn gardens. Every time nature reveals itself in a new way and gives us beautiful backgrounds for photographs.

29. Bring a selfie from every vacation.

Every holiday is a special magic and mood. Holiday photos with a Christmas tree in the background, selfies with a huge turkey at Thanksgiving, and festive confetti at New Year’s all beg us to take a photo and capture this beautiful moment.

We hope our article was useful to you and will help you create your own galleries and styles.

Whatever portrait idea you choose, these tips are sure to give you a little idea on how to organize everything. We wish you pleasant and sincere emotions, and for everything else there are modern applications and editors. But there is one more nuance that is worth knowing:

30. Selfie is not a portrait

Successfully photographing yourself is a whole science. Wherever you are, if you have a mobile phone with you, you already have a minimum set. However, using a selfie to reach the level of your portrait that a professional photographer can take is as difficult as giving yourself a good haircut.