Taking photos of yourself can be a fun way to express your mood, record a moment you want to remember, or share an event in your life's path. Taking photos yourself can be annoying if you don't like how you look in all of them. Do not worry. Changing a few things about the way you take photos can help you take more interesting photos of yourself.
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Method 1 of 4: Composition
Step 1. Highlight the camera from above
Taking photos from above will provide a point of view or angle that makes you look more attractive. This angle will most likely accentuate your eyes and make your face and neck appear smaller.
- Taking photos from below can make a person look very strong, but it usually makes the chin and nose stand out and this look doesn't look great on most people.
- We recommend that the camera position is not too high so that the photos are not distorted.
- Hold the camera out and slightly above eye level. Then take the photo.
Step 2. Find the side of the face that is shadowed
Look at your face in the mirror or camera (or take a trial shot) and find the side of your face that looks darker because it's farther from the light source. Take photos from the shadowed side for an artistic, streamlined effect. This approach may not work in direct sunlight.
Step 3. Use an artistic approach
Instead of traditional self-portraits, try taking photos in a different way. Here are some shooting alternatives you might consider:
- Profile photo from the side
- Half of your face-either the right or left side.
- Zoom in on your eyes, mouth or cheeks.
Step 4. Don't put yourself in the middle of the photo
The best photos so far follow what's known as the rule of thirds. This means that your eyes should be one-third down from the top of the photo and toward one side. This rule results in more interesting photos and perhaps gives a more captivating angle.
Step 5. Keep the camera away from your face
The lens from the camera will physically distort anything close to it. A selfie-since it's usually made by holding the camera an arm's length away from your face-often makes the nose look bigger than it really is, and this is a look that many people pay close attention to.
- If you want a close up photo, zoom in or zoom out a little on the camera lens and then hold it away from you or place it further away. After that crop the photo to make it look as if it was taken up close.
- If your camera has a timer aka timer, put the camera on something, set the timer and back off. The resulting photo will most likely be much better.
Step 6. Use the main camera of your phone
While the front camera is easier to use for taking photos of yourself, your smartphone's main camera is usually much higher quality and will produce better photos.
Step 7. Place a mirror in front of your camera
It's easier to see how you look in a mirror, so if you put a mirror behind your camera or phone, you'll be able to preview the photo you're about to take more effectively. Make sure you don't show a fake smile!
Step 8. Ask someone to take your photo
While this isn't always possible, it's usually better to ask someone else to take your photo. Chances are you can focus more on what you're doing and how to pose when you don't have to worry about holding the camera and pressing the shutter button either.
- Ask a friend to take your photo. He might tease you a bit, but he might also want you to take a picture of him.
- If you're at an event or doing an activity, ask someone else there to take a photo of you (and friends if you're there with other people). Just make sure the person is trustworthy so your camera or phone isn't stolen.
Method 2 of 4: Various Poses
Step 1. Avoid the appearance of a double chin
One of the most unattractive facial features in a photo is the appearance of a double chin. Usually the double chin appearance can be avoided if you extend your neck and move your chin slightly away from your body. This step will feel weird and clunky, but it will look more interesting in photos.
Step 2. Pull your shoulders back
Slouched shoulders and poor posture never look good, so make sure you pull your shoulders down and back. This will make you look more alert, lengthen your neck and enhance your photos. You can also try tilting your shoulder from side to side for the photo instead of having it perpendicular to the camera.
Step 3. Set your attitude
Taking and sharing too many photos of yourself that all seem too serious will make you sound serious or tense. Make an effort to take photos in a goofy style instead. Often times when you're relaxing and having a little fun, you'll accidentally snap a more captivating photo of yourself.
Step 4. Tilt your face or body
Instead of taking photos that are perpendicular to the camera, try tilting your face or body slightly. Experiment with both sides of your body to determine if you have a "hands on." Tilting yourself in a full-body photo will make you appear slimmer and accentuate your curves.
Step 5. Keep your gaze away from the camera
Even if your eyes are your best facial feature, try not to look at the camera for a more interesting photo.
- You can still define your eyes by making sure that your eyes are wide open and looking up or to the side of the camera.
- Make sure your gaze is completely away from the camera. If your gaze only looks very slightly away from the lens, the result will look as if you don't know where the camera is. If you look at least one meter away from the camera, this will come across as a deliberate choice.
Step 6. Show feelings
True feelings generally show on your face. A fake smile isn't usually a pretty smile, so if you want a photo of yourself smiling think of something that makes you genuinely happy or funny before snapping it.
- If you want to look happy, make sure your eyes smile too, not just your mouth. The trick is to be truly happy.
- It's also okay to show other feelings if you prefer a photo of yourself that is gloomy, teasing, sad, pensive, frustrated or as-is. Just try to be honest.
Step 7. Customize the clothes you wear with the desired theme
If you are taking a photo of yourself for a special purpose, think about how you should dress for the picture.
- For a business photo or a profile for a business networking website, opt for simple professional attire and a sleek hairstyle.
- For a dating site, you might want to wear something colorful or fun, but don't look too sexy (because you'll look like you're trying too hard to be sexy). Style your hair casually so that it shows that you care about your appearance.
- For social media websites, think about how you want the world to see you. There are plenty of outfit options for a photo like this, but a tattered t-shirt isn't the ideal choice for a selfie unless you're showing off that you've just finished a 32km hike.
Step 8. Avoid the duckface pose
The pursed-lip pose, known as the duckface, has become a cliché and a despised choice for a photo. self. Try another, more captivating facial expression instead.
Method 3 of 4: Environment
Step 1. Look for natural light
Natural light is always better for photography. However, direct sunlight-especially at midday when the sun is directly overhead-often doesn't make for a great photo.
- If you can, take photos on a cloudy day.
- If you're indoors, try to take photos near a window where natural light (but not direct sunlight) is coming in.
- If you must use an unnatural light source, avoid fluorescent lights and overhead lighting. If you're indoors, you might want to turn off the ceiling light and turn on the table lamp for a better light effect.
- If direct overhead lighting (whether natural or artificial) is unavoidable, use the on-camera flash feature to fill in the light so that there are no shadows under your nose or eyes.
Step 2. Check your background
Don't be a shameful internet artist for taking and sharing photos of yourself with embarrassing things behind you.
- Cluttered bathrooms and bedrooms are often not the best options for taking selfies, but they are often done there. An image never looks appealing if there is a toilet in the background.
- If you're indoors, look for a neutral background like a blank wall or window.
- If you're outdoors or at an event, make sure you include yourself and your surroundings so the image tells something.
Step 3. Think about framing
You can add some visual interest to your photos by creating visual frames (or visual frames). Here are some suggestions for framing your photos:
- Posing at the entrance.
- Use both arms outstretched to hold the camera instead of just one hand.
- Stand between two objects, such as trees or bushes outdoors.
- Use your hand under or on your chin to frame the bottom of your photo.
Method 4 of 4: Editing Process
Step 1. Zoom in on an area
If there's a specific body part you'd like to highlight, use a photo editing app to zoom in on that part, then save the edit. Most smartphones and computers have photo editing software, most of which are very easy to use.
Step 2. Cut out the things that don't look attractive
Any unattractive parts of the photo can be cropped. If you're taking a photo with one hand, it's usually best to crop the photo of the arm, as it can appear larger. If you find your hair looking messy, cut it off. Nobody needs to see your photos as they are: don't be afraid to edit before sharing them.
Step 3. Use filters
Many websites for sharing photos have filter options built into them. These filters will change the appearance of your photo, bringing out different colors and changing brightness and contrast levels. Experiment with different filters until you find the one that makes your photo look the best.
Step 4. Beautify your photos
In addition to software and applications for editing photos in general, there are also applications made specifically to beautify photos. With these software programs, you can remove facial blemishes, remove red eye and perform other beautifying steps to even out skin tones and enhance your photos.
Step 5. Blur (blur) your photo. While many people wish their photos were 'not' blurry, sometimes slightly blurring or selective blurring can improve the look of your photos. By keeping parts of your photo in focus and blurring the rest, you can direct the viewer to focus on what you want to highlight and you can reduce the appearance of other things, such as an odd photo background or an unattractive body part.
Tips
- Make an effort to shoot in a variety of different spaces so you know which room has the best lighting for you.
- Use photo editing apps especially those with a 'soft touch' effect, this will hopefully cover the background of the photo and make your skin look more flawless.
- There's nothing more cliché than seeing your arms extend out to take a photo. Consider using a timer and setting the camera. You can also try experimenting with different angles or angles to avoid the outstretched hand look.
- Take multiple photos so you can choose the one you like the most
- Let your feet do the talking. A photo of your feet in front of a beautiful backdrop can document your attendance at an interesting event without having to worry about your appearance.
- Look in the mirror before taking the photo and correct anything you want to change about your appearance.
- If you don't like certain parts of your face, focus more on other parts. For example, if you don't like your lips, wear a light-colored eye shadow.
- Be happy as you are. No one else is really exactly like you. You are second to none and unique, so accept yourself.
