5 photography tips to take good selfies

Almost everyone has done it: taking a selfie. Or a groupfi. It is also a lot of fun to do, because that way you also have yourself in the picture. There are plenty of people who travel in groups, but nobody in the group thinks: hey, nice, a picture of person X. Take matters into your own hands, but make sure you take a good selfie. You can do that with these tips.

1. Avoid the arm

For some, a selfie is only a selfie if you see that person using his or her arm, but in many cases that arm is much too clear in the picture. That is not necessary at all, because often you can see how close it is that it is a selfie (even with smartphones that have a kind of wide-angle selfie camera for group photos and photos with a bit more background). Try not to have that arm in the picture too much, because it’s much more fun to see your head and where you are. Think of it as an art to amputate that arm as much of your photo as possible, however essential it is to the selfie.

Unless you’re wearing a dress with Snow White arms, because it can be seen.

2. Watch out for the shadow

This is one of the most common mistakes: even selfie queen Kim Kardashian still makes it regularly: you want to take a nice picture that you are lying on a beach chair by the pool, but don’t think about it (or can’t see it because of the full sun) , that then of course a shadow falls over you from your arm with that phone in your hands. It looks pretty dull and often that shadow falls exactly on your face: not charming. Just turn up the brightness of your screen a bit to see if your selfie has a shadow or not.

Not in the face, but also in the neck it is a disturbing factor, that shadow.

3. Find that corner from above

It’s the number 1 selfie tip, but I still see it go wrong a lot (and regularly fail to do it myself). Think about that corner. The perfect selfie angle is still 45 degrees. So every time you take a selfie, just say to yourself: arm a little higher. That way you mainly have your expressive eyes in view, and not that double-looking chin. Incidentally, this rule certainly does not always apply, because there are also very nice selfies to be made in more creative ways. It is the most basic rule, because a selfie usually works much faster with that angle.

Many selfies just get better at a 45-degree angle.

4. Try using the other camera

Now when you think of a selfie you traditionally think of the selfie camera combined with the arm, but everyone who is on Tinder knows that there is another very nice selfie possibility: the mirror. By using the other camera on your phone (which is often much better in quality), you can use the mirror to take a good selfie in which you stand completely on it. You can see it below, especially the bathroom is a popular place for this, because there are often the largest mirrors in the house. But also think about the elevator and the gym, which are very popular mirror selfie spots. Dating apps are certainly full of them, because you can take a picture of your whole body without needing someone or having to run with a timer.

It used to be a bit of a no-go, but the bathroom selfie is now allowed.

5. Pay attention to the background

You often see it on social media, those hilarious selfies in which something very strange can be seen in the background. Just like someone who is bare buttocks, or someone who is secretly very crazy photo bomb. It’s always good to realize what the background is like. Is it really the best selfie spot on vacation to stand somewhere in a corner of your apartment with a pack of make-up wipes in view, or is it better to turn a quarter turn and capture the breathtaking view? While the selfie may only be about you, it is recommended that you also pay a little more attention to the setting where you are. And, of course, to make sure you don’t snap those socks you took off yesterday and left them lying on the floor.

Poor, background: none of it helps.

The most important thing is to just have fun with it. Often the failed selfies are also very nice, because they are a bit more spontaneous. Fortunately, the selfie has long ceased to be a paragon of vanity and self-centeredness, it’s just a fun way to show where you are or who you’re with and that you’re having a good time. Try not to feel ashamed, because a lot of people do it. Moreover, it is nice to look back in your selfies at how your appearance is changing more and more. Well worth it! Especially if you regularly change your pose, because we all tend to adopt the same pose every time and that ends up being a bit boring. So have fun experimenting! And for those of us with a visual challenge, try the selfie assistant on Google Pixel, which gives you instructions on how to take the perfect selfie. Have fun!

Do you have any good tips for taking selfies? Share them in the comments.

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