It has been few years that we have ushered in the era of the selfie. So much so, that I am beginning to wonder if I am too late to write this article! Then on second thoughts, I chose to still go ahead and do it. I see many people (who used to be averse to phone selfies) have also begun to take selfies seriously, and have started clicking them as well! Being a photography enthusiast, I keenly observe, and I tend to spot the scope for improvisations in a picture. I cannot undermine the importance of a good selfie being instrumental in how your viewers or most essentially, you yourself – connect with You.
Ever since I started taking selfies myself, several people have come up and complemented on them. I realized that it was more about technique that made them stand out during a time, when so many filters were not even there!!! In this article, I have put together 10 tips how you can click better phone selfies for yourself. Selfie photography is an art, that can be improved. Hope you will find these tips useful ?. I believe these should also be helpful for anyone who is shy and uncomfortable for selfies...
- 1) Get comfortable with yourself – See, it isn’t always about looking your best and clicking a selfie and posting it. What is striking is how you see yourself when you are not looking your best. Feeling your best is what can make even the most simple selfie turn out to be your top grosser of the week! The pic below was clicked when while during one of my travels, I had fallen ill. I was not in my best form so to say. I clicked the pic and posted it. It helped me not just try out something new, but reinforced my confidence as well. Self confidence can do what skill sans confidence will not. If you are not sure, just try clicking some at home and post later.
- 2) Use a self timer – That way you will be free to pose your way. Just prop the phone up somewhere and let the timer do the job for you. Even for my videos, I have often used a pile of books to support the phone as I have talked away!!! The below picture was shot with the phone propped on a window sill.
- 3) Try clicking in the portrait mode, without the beauty mode on – Yes. Please do that. Because you want a number of effects to try on, on the same picture after you click it. You can always use the filters to edit later on to check which ones look best to post! And, try practising clicking in the portrait mode (the vertical mode) rather than the landscape mode (horizontal one). The square mode should be specifically used if you want to upload the picture directly from your phone as your facebook profile picture.
- 4) Try out different angles – The same angle often gets repetitive. And try experimenting with not looking directly at the camera and say cheese. Yes, there is your “good” angle, or "high angle" shot, but you never know, a straight up shot can also do wonders! Here's a shot of me not looking at the camera.
- 5) Let special additions tell a story for you – Mehndi on your palms? How about being a bit creative about the shot instead of just posing with your arms extended? Trying out a new jhumka? A close up of the ornament will add the extra spark! Travelling? How about a selfie with the cab door open?
- 6) Make the best use of doors and windows – Because that’s where natural light comes from. Your selfies take an interesting turn that leave people wondering if it is a selfie at all!!! The below one had done just that for me.
- 7) Be mindful of backgrounds – It is best to avoid distracting backgrounds and use one that actually makes the picture stand out. However, if you are posting a travel picture, or are in an event, you would probably want to take a selfie or a groupfie with the background in view. Make sure to turn off the “blur” effect in that case. I love the below groupfie from Rishikesh!!!
- 8) Use a mirror – I cannot stress how effectively a mirror helps you in taking meaningful selfies. Throw in a cool caption, and you’re done. "Be your own best friend" was my caption when I had posted this one.
- 9) Use the phone’s front flash with discretion – I prefer not using it and making use of natural or the ambient light only. The flash will blow out the exposure to a level that you wouldn’t like it. The pic was taken from the "down angle" which is not usually preferred, but look how the backlight adds effect? If the flash would have been fired, the entire frame would have gone all wrong.
- 10) Use a prop – This picture was my Woman’s Day click of this year. The flower and the sunlight worked as perfect props.
Last but not the least - Practice. Practice. Practice. If selfies are your thing, keep clicking I would say. But do it on purpose. Like any other skill, you will get better with practice. If you focus on the likes, you might be moderately satisfied, so focus on building up on your overall confidence with each click, let the likes be showered !!! :-)
By the way, do you want to take a guess which one of the above are my favourites? Tell me in the comments below.
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