Mastering the Selfie
I must admit, when it comes to taking selfies, I am no good at it. I seem to always have a large forehead and a long nose. These are not necessarily bad things, except my forehead and nose are naturally large, and any addition is unpleasant. Not to mention, I always look concerned, or confused. Definitely things to work on. I decided to do a little selfie research. Thanks to the Huffington Post I learned Beyonce’s Stylist created a case that features a LED light system to create photo perfection. Since I have no plans to buy a case with a light on it, I decided to do a little more digging. I figured this would be an easy task in this day an age of oversharing and self-help, and I was right. A lot of people, have a lot to say about selfies. Wired out of the United Kingdom writes about Andrej Karpathy’s formula for the perfect selfie using artificial intelligence. Feeding ‘good’ and ‘bad’ selfies through his system, it ranked them and found similarities. The best selfies had certain similar traits that formulated a list for a great selfie…Your face should occupy 1/3 of the image, cut off your forehead, oversaturate your face, take the photo at an angle, and few other pointers. I have gone through the countless articles, picked my favorite suggestions, and put them together for all of you. You will see my before and after, and you will agree, I have learned something.
I have left out suggestions about adding lipstick, mascara, foundation and contouring. These are not bad things, but they do make the spontaneous selfie near impossible. Not to mention a lot of men are makeup free and also take selfies. We look how we look, when we look it. Take a selfie because it’s you in a moment, not because you planned it. The selfie will appear authentic and your personality will shine.
Mastering the Selfie
LIGHT
Find the Perfect Light
According to Seventeen, Buzzfeed and Oz Beauty, the right lighting will make your skin and hair look great. Natural, indirect light is a selfies bff. Try next to a window or go outside for the natural light. If the sun is shining bright, adjust until the sun is directly behind your head. Lighting is the most crucial element for selfie perfection. The right light will soften your features and make you look fab.
TILT
Tilt your head at an angle.
The tilt highlights your cheekbones and makes your eyes look bigger according to Seventeen, and some practice of my own. When you are ready to snap the selfie, hold your camera slightly above your head. Get the angle right. The Telegraph suggests a 45 degree tilt to your smartphone, positioned just above the eyeline, is the best bet for beauty. Experiment until you find your best angles. Everyone has a good side, and if you can figure out yours you will look great every single time, thanks to Oz Beauty and selfie determination.
POSE
Find your Signature Pose
When you feel great you look great. Strike a pose that defines your personality. On Buzzfeed I learned if you want to show your curves, try your hand on your hip, a popped knee or cross one leg in front of the other. If you are lying down, don’t forget to prop a pillow under your head. And, if you are taking a mirror selfie make sure you are lit from the front or in natural light
EDIT
…If you must
Famed Clinton Kelley notes if the conditions were less than perfect, use some photo editing tools. Brighten the image, increase saturation, and crop. When in doubt, add a filter.
So there you have it. Three steps to the perfect selfie, four if you need to edit. It may take a little practice, but I am certain eventually you will have the perfect shot, and as I like to say…A “Case-Worthy” shot. The best of the best go on the smartphone case you carry around every single day. So when you have that perfect selfie, make a custom case. You will always recognize your phone in a pile, and you can be sure many will be in awe of the hottie on the case. Put your face on a case at www.casestation.com.