11 Tips for Taking a Selfie

Last Updated on September 30, 2020 by Ellen Christian

If you’ve checked out my Instagram profile, you know that I enjoy the occasional (or too often) selfie.  For some, taking a selfie may simply mean snapping a picture with your phone. For others it may be a heavily staged, full make up, designer outfit kind of process. I find that I fall somewhere in the middle of the two.

11 Tips for Taking a Selfie

As a wanna be beauty/fashion blogger, taking selfies comes with the territory. Showing off makeup, accessories or clothes is sort of expected and something that I enjoy. One of the biggest challenges in taking a self is holding the camera so you get a good shot. Here are a few tips for taking a selfie that I hope you find helpful.

• It doesn’t have to be a face photo. I know, most people hear the word selfie and think of a photo of your face. Really though, you can take a selfie of your feet, handbag, jewelry, etc. Try a few different options for variety.
• Crop it. If you hold the phone too close to your face, it picks up imperfections you may not want to highlight. If you hold the phone too far away, the background may distract from your photo. The solution is to hold the phone further away and then crop out what you don’t want in the photo.
• Rule of thirds. As with any photo, remember the rule of thirds. Your selfie will come out better if your face is slightly off center rather than right in the middle.
• Experiment with angles.  Try different angles to find the most flattering one for your selfie.
• Check the lighting. Making sure you have enough natural light will often result in a better selfie.  One hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset is often the best window for taking selfies.
• Add an accessory. Add a little bit of visual interest in your selfie by including an accessory. It might be sunglasses or a hat or it could be a cup of coffee, flower or your favorite lipstick.
• Try a full body selfie. If you have a full length mirror, you can angle the camera so you get a full body selfie. This is a great way to show off your outfit of the day.
• Scan the background. No one wants to see a pile of dirty dishes or unwashed laundry in the background of your selfie. Take a quick scan of the background to be certain it’s the most flattering.
• Take a few photos. While people may think that flawless selfie on Instagram is the result of one quick random snap, chances are the person taking the photo took more than one shot to find the perfect one.
• Editing and filters. Don’t be afraid to play around with the photos. There are some really interesting vintage filters available. You can also editing lighting, crop your photo and add words if you want to.
• Try different lenses. Experiment by adding a different lens to your phone. There are lenses you can add to give you a starburst, shoot in wide angle or create special effects.

Do you have any tips for taking a selfie that I’ve missed?

Ellen Christian

Ellen believes you can feel beautiful at any age and size. She shares healthy beauty and fashion information geared toward women over 40. She is a direct sales rep for several fashion and beauty businesses.