8 Tips To Take A Better Selfie

iPhone Photography // Photography Tips // Wedding Photographers Huntsville Alabama

This is a technically a guest post by Joel. He created this list and gave me creative liberty to fill in all the blanks. Aka – he preferred that I write it. And that’s why we make such a good team!

You might be wondering what selfie-taking tips has to do with wedding planning tips. You might be too busy on your wedding day to be taking many selfies, but there’s plenty of selfies going on leading up to the wedding day! Selfies with your with your fiancé, with the girls, with your mom, at your manicure appointment, etc, etc.

Tricks for Selfies

There’s no time that selfies aren’t awesome. Did you know that there are a few tricks for getting the best kind of selfies? Whether it’s multi-thousand dollar professional gear or your iPhone, cameras all react to the same principles.  Things like light, motion blur, and subject placement are principles that cross the span of picture taking.

So today we’re going in a completely different direction and sharing Joel’s 8 tips for taking a great selfie.

1. Clean your lens!

If there’s a smudge somewhere on one of our lenses, it will show up as a little blur in the picture. Your iPhone camera is the same! Even some little specs of dirt, sweat, or makeup and bring some extra blurring to your selfie.

Solution: before you snap that shot, just give your lens a little swipe with some kind of material. Don’t use your thumb because those natural oils won’t help.

2. Find good light 

As professional photographers, we’re a little obsessed with light. We believe that light is one of the most important factors in how your picture will turn out. While diving into lighting would be way too much for a post like this, we’ll share a few easy principles that you can apply.

Watch out for really brightly lit backgrounds. This is called “backlit”, which means the light is lighting your back instead of your face. What happens is that all that light is pouring into the camera lens and makes your faces look really dark. A bright background like the sky or strong lights are going to give you this backlit effect.

Similarly, don’t take a selfie while you’re facing the darkest part of the room. Your faces will be darker than the background because there’s not much light hitting your face.

Solution: face the light! If you’re inside, face a large window so the soft light and hit your faces. If there’s no window around for that pretty natural light, at least face toward light of some kind.

3. Use the 3-second timer

When you’re taking a selfie, it’s hard to push the button while holding the camera perfectly still. If you find yourself looking a little blurry (motion blur) because you’re struggling to keep the camera still, try the 3-second timer option. It’s on every phone, and it gives you enough time to steady the phone, put on a real non-distracted smile, and get the best kind of selfie.

4. Use your volume button to take the picture

If you aren’t crazy about the 3-second timer, a second option is to use your volume button. It’s easier to hold your phone steady while gripping the side than it is to balance the screen button. Most phones have this function, so check it out if you don’t already use it!

5. Look at the CAMERA, not yourself!

I laughed a little bit at this one because it’s one of Joel’s pet peeves about taking selfies with me. I forget to look at the lens instead of the screen, so my eyes will be looking slightly down in the picture. I’ve gotten much better at this and hardly ever stare at the screen, but it took a few reminders to get there.

6. Hold the camera just above eye level

It’s one of the most flattering angles for a picture, especially for women. Have you ever taken a selfie from a low angle and shuttered at the results? A low angle is much less flattering, so avoid it when you can!

Solution: hold the camera up just a little bit when you’re taking a selfie, and we think you’ll love the results!

7. Slightly move your face towards the camera to avoid a double chin

A double chin is one of the most common insecurities we come across with people in front of the camera. None of us want it, and we’re all a little afraid of it!

Solution: the turtle. Especially if one of our clients tells us they’d love it if we helped them avoid a double chin, we teach them the art of the turtle.

All you have to do is bring your nose toward the camera just a little bit. Pretend that there is a string pulling you just a few centimeters. It doesn’t have to be much.

Just that little pop will help define your jawline and slightly stretch your neck so the skin doesn’t double up.

You can also add a little side angle to your face for even more definition. Turn your face just a little bit to the right or to the left to add definition.

A shout out to our super sweet Carrie and David who brought us back a stuffed turtle from their honeymoon from the Bahamas in honor of our turtle joke! It has permanent residence in our office, and we love it!

8. Don’t stand in front of a mirror. But if you must, hold the camera off to the side to not block yourself!

Mirror selfies don’t hit the epic list of good selfies. But if you want a selfie in front of the mirror (new outfit, you know), try to discreetly hold your camera off to the side a little bit so it doesn’t cover your face.

Whether you’re taking a selfie at a friend’s wedding or just want something to post on Instagram, these tips will help you nail the best selfie possible!

 

Your short & sweet cheat sheet:

Clean your lens!

Find good light

Use the 3-second self-timer

Use your volume button to take the picture

Look at the CAMERA, not yourself!

Hold the camera just above eye level

Slightly move your face towards the camera to avoid a double chin.

Don’t stand in front of a mirror. But if you must, hold the camera off to the side to not block yourself!

*hugs*

Joel & Amber

Looking for more wedding planning resources? Check these out!

7 Tips for Feeling Confident In Front of the Camera

3 Bouquet Holding Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

3 Reasons You Don’t Want To Skip A Professional Engagement Session

Just Engaged? Get our top 8 tips for free, right here!