{"id":81951,"date":"2022-04-07T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=81951"},"modified":"2022-08-11T06:48:47","modified_gmt":"2022-08-11T10:48:47","slug":"how-to-take-a-good-selfie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/how-to-take-a-good-selfie\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Take a Good Selfie in 6 Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Who among us has never taken a selfie? Chances are, just about everybody reading this, or at least 8 in 10<\/a> of you, have taken a selfie and shared it online at one time or another. Unfortunately, I\u2019m sure the same number of you (myself included) can also confess to having taken a fair number of not-so-great selfies as well. It\u2019s worth noting that my critique has more to do with technique rather than your looks. Regardless of the genre of photography, technique matters. That said, knowing how to take a good selfie will give you better results and set your selfies apart from the billions already posted online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selfies Vs. Self-Portraits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, what exactly is a selfie and how does it compare to or differ from a self-portrait? You might get different answers, depending on whom you ask<\/a>, but we can break down the basics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selfies, which the Oxford English Dictionary deemed the \u201cWord of the Year<\/a>\u201d in 2013, can be described as photos that people take of themselves (either solo or with others) using a digital camera for sharing on social media. Easy enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Self-portrait by Dawn M. Wayand<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Self-portraits are basically similar, but they often differ in intent and technique. For example, whereas people usually capture selfies at arm\u2019s length with a smartphone (or perhaps using a selfie stick), photographic self-portraits are often captured using a tripod and a remote shutter release or timer on a higher-end camera. Selfies also tend to be more ephemeral in nature as they\u2019re generally meant for use on social media. Self-portraits, on the other hand, typically require more prep, and as a result, they\u2019re usually more carefully preserved. At the end of the day, both forms qualify as self-portraits, but context usually determines which term you\u2019d use to classify them. You can learn more about how to take better self-portraits here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Take a Good Selfie<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
  1. Use the \u201cRight\u201d Gear<\/a><\/li>
  2. (Usually) Go with Flat Lighting<\/a><\/li>
  3. Compose with Intention<\/a><\/li>
  4. Pose Yourself for the Perfect Selfie<\/a><\/li>
  5. Get Creative<\/a><\/li>
  6. Don\u2019t Skip the Edit<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    How to Take a Good Selfie Tip 1: Use the \u201cRight\u201d Gear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In terms of the \u201cright\u201d gear when considering how to take a good selfie, we\u2019re not really talking about cameras. More often than not, you\u2019re going to use your smartphone as the camera of choice in this genre. You can find specialized \u201cselfie phones\u201d that come equipped with higher megapixel front cameras and LED lights, but pretty much any smartphone will allow you to capture good selfies. We will cover lenses via a discussion on focal length later in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For now, however, the \u201cright\u201d gear for selfies falls more under the accessories category. Here are some basic gear choices to consider to help take a good selfie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Selfie Sticks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You\u2019ve no doubt seen selfie sticks<\/a> in use as they qualify as one of the more popular selfie accessories. Whether you love them or hate them, no list of gear for how to take a good selfie would be complete without them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Photo by Cottonbro<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    While they\u2019re banned in some spots, including Disneyland, selfie sticks offer a number of benefits. First, you can distance yourself from the camera for wider shots and more interesting angles. The added distance will also help minimize lens distortion in regards to making certain features on your face (such as your nose) appear disproportionate. Some selfie sticks support larger cameras, like a DSLR, giving you more lens options to help find a flattering focal length Somewhere near the 50mm range should suffice, or 85mm if you\u2019re using a selfie stick that doubles as a tripod. For the shyer folks, selfie sticks allow you to capture wider shots without having to ask anybody else to snap the pic for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tripods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    Setting up a shot using the Peak Design Travel Tripod’s smartphone adapter | Photo by SLR Lounge<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Although some people call selfies taken with tripods \u201cposies,\u201d they\u2019re still selfies if you\u2019re pushing the wireless shutter. If you already own a tripod, you can pick up a smartphone adapter and repurpose your old tripod. Some tripods, like the Peak Design Travel Tripod<\/a>, already include them. In fact, even some selfie sticks, like I mentioned above, can transform into nice, compact tripods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Just make sure that you don\u2019t forget to get a wireless remote to trigger the shutter so that you don\u2019t have to rely on the timer and hope you can hit your mark in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Drones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    Photo by SLR Lounge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    While you probably won\u2019t go and get a drone specifically for taking better selfies, they can assist in this department. You can pick one up for relatively cheap that is easy to control and put to use right away. Drones will allow you to capture unique angles and perspectives that are just impossible without them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lighting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    As I mentioned above, some smartphone makers (Sony, LG, Vivo, and more) have started offering specialized selfie phones that include more selfie-friendly features, including higher megapixel front cameras and LED flash. You don\u2019t necessarily need these features to capture a good selfie, however. In fact, if you understand light direction and light quality, you can use natural lighting to take fantastic images. See the lighting section below for the type of light you want to use when determining how to take a good selfie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Photo by Cottonbro<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    For dim lighting scenarios, there are some lighting options that will help you. Here are a few:<\/p>\n\n\n\n