take a decent selfie

[Beck31]

I got a new mobile and am just learning how to take pics. How in the hell do people take good pics of themselves?

 

[unregistered]

 

[rubydlite]

I've got a selfie thread and learned a lot. Use the self portrait feature...look up/snap down...Google plus has a good edit feature for phones.
Sunlight...and the self timer are musts.
And truthfully...I take a dozen and keep one.
Hope this helps.

 

[satindesire]

I got a new mobile and am just learning how to take pics. How in the hell do people take good pics of themselves?

A few (non gender specific) tricks to taking good selfies:

1. Don't be afraid to wear makeup. Even if you're a dude! It's 2013, time to stop freaking out over gender roles. A little bronzer won't make you spontaneously break out with a bad case of the Tits.

A little lip balm and some bronzer can perk up your complexion and give you a "I just got out of the woods where I was chopping wood aren't I a hunky outdoorsman sort of guy" look. And chapped lips are just...well. Not sexy. Make sure your skin is clean and apply sparingly over the high points of the face. It's easier to build up color than to remove color, so apply in thin layers until you look nicely tanned. Be sure to apply color not just to your face, but any skin that's visible in the picture so that you don't look like you have a pumpkin for a face! Any details you need on cosmetic tips for man makeup? Come visit me on my Makeup Fairy thread. (Psst, the link's in my signature! GO SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION !!)

Girls? Wear more makeup than you'd normally wear out. The camera will wash you out and make you look pale if you wear your normal every-day makeup. You'd be surprised...TV anchors look like Drag Queens in full fabulosity when they're in camera-ready makeup. That means extra bright blush, darker eyeshadow and a great excuse to wear giant fake eyelashes. I mean, I never need an excuse to wear them but YMMV. Also, if you can, use High Definition Powder. It's a great way to make your complexion look ultra soft and buttery smooth on camera.

If you're going to show your hands, make sure your nails are neat and clean and if you have chipped polish, fix it before you take the pictures. Pretty nails are very flattering.

2. Use more light than you think you'll need. Warm natural light is best, but soft yellow toned indoor lighting can be your friend. Hard white light will make you look like a zombie, so if that's all you have, try draping the lamp with a warm-toned tee-shirt (Yellow/cream/bone/eggshell) to soften the color.

3. Relax. Stress and anxiety will show up in the pictures. Human beings are physically wired to be able to recognize the telltale signs of tightness around the eyes and a not-so-genuine smile. Drink a cup of hot cocoa or do something fun and relaxing before taking the pictures so you feel calm and happy.

4. Don't be afraid to take a hundred pictures, or more, until you find the perfect one. Try different poses, facial expressions, hairstyles, whatever you want to change. You are your own photographer and there's no time limit, so take as long as you need to to get the shot right. You won't even begin to guess how long it took me to get the selfie you see as my avatar!

5. Don't be afraid to make silly faces, frown, pout, smile, or be goofy. The best selfies are the ones you have fun in. Be spontaneous!!

6. People often look best when their face is viewed at a 3/4 tilt instead of straight ahead. Tilt your head slightly and experiment to find the perfect facial tilt for the maximum flattering angle. Also, angle the phone slightly up to get a "top down" isometric view, which is also very flattering.

I hope this helps!

 

[suckonsimon]

My amateur offering, Beck: take lots and expect to delete nearly all. Think about how the light falls on you, to give light and shade to your features. Flash off. Pics taken of you in a large mirror can work well. Have in mind you will crop the pic. And have a lot of fun with your attempts at getting that illusive great shot! S.

 

[unregistered]

 

[Strawberryslip]

Natural light and clear the background. And it's digital don't be afraid to take a million to get just one good one

 

[oggbashan]

Use decent lighting, a camera with a delayed action shutter release, and be prepared to delete/throw away your first attempts.

Low tech solution:

I have several of these:

http://anusf.anu.edu.au/%7Eaab900/photography/cameras/zenit-e.jpg

The lever to the left of the lens is a clockwork delay mechanism. Once wound through 180 degrees, press the button above and you have about ten seconds before the shutter fires. If the Zenith camera is mounted on a sturdy tripod or resting on something solid, the picture will be free of camera shake.

 

[satindesire]

Satin, I love you.

Now I feel like taking selfies, lol.

Girl you know I love you too!

 

[Hypoxia]

I like to shoot into mirrors. Depending on the camera, I'll use or rig a diffused bounce flash.

 

[Aquagal]

Make sure you put away the pic of wifey/gf, and take off the black socks! Clean the room too.

 

[1Browneyedguy]

Selfies?

Take a look at the Kahrdashians selfies..... It's been said they are the best !

 

[7inchglory]

you need to rotate the camera on different sides of you until you find your good side. Watch your back posture, and don't tuck your chin in.

 

[amofiga]

It depends on what sort of selfies you're taking. Your face? Or other parts of your body. Some you can do holding the camera. Some are best done with a timer option or app. It can feel pretty stupid with the timer, but the results are generally better because the camera is further away and you don't get so much distortion.