You want to take great selfies but end up looking more like Shrek instead of Kim Kardashian every time, huh?
Well, there’s hope. There are techniques to taking good pics. And though you may not be shooting for an exclusive on the front page of Vogue, you’d like your friends and family to be able to recognize you when you post your pics on your social sites for them to see. You’re tired of people asking you who that is in the pictures. And you’re probably starting to wonder if maybe you really do look like Shrek. Maybe when you’re looking in the mirror and seeing this pretty amazing person looking back at you, you’re just being delusional!
Not! You just don’t know how to take good pictures. It’s okay. We’ve all had to learn.
First of all, get a good camera. And it doesn’t even have to be a camera. Just make sure the photos you phone takes are good quality photos, which is almost a guarantee now with technology the way it is.
But say, you don’t have a camera and your cell phone is a piece of… you know what. Well, I bet you’ve got a laptop. Those have great cameras on them! Check out the webcam. It will show you what you look like on the screen before you snap the photo. Walk around with your computer in your hands and the webcam on if you need to find some good light. That’s right. Light makes all the difference. Look at how your look changes with just a few changes of light.
Now, notice the difference in your features when you hold the laptop lower, directly in front of you, a little higher, closer to your face, farther away. Did you see that? If the camera is too low, you’re going to look like Shrek. That’s probably most of what you’ve been doing wrong. You’ve been used to looking down at your phone when you’ve been texting or answering your calls, and that’s how you took your pictures.
Practice with your laptop since you can get a full screen view of yourself. Your laptop has a battery backup that should give you about 2 hours of figuring out how to take a good pic. So change rooms, change angles, try pics near windows and away from them. Set your laptop on the table and take some pics. Then place books under your laptop to increase the height a little at a time. Pull the lid forward when you have to.
Never, ever, ever take a picture with your back to a window full of sunlight… especially if you’re blond or grey. Your hair will light up like an aura around your head. Darker hair will look stringy and unkempt. Turn around and face the window. You’ll be amazed what natural sunlight can do for a profile picture.
Explore the different times of day and how you look.
Make sure your hair is well groomed. Use some hairspray. Because hair has a habit of looking one way while you’re standing there looking in the mirror, and then rearranging itself on your way to the photo shoot. Try different styles. And then make it stay.
Try some makeup to touch up miner flaws that seem to get accentuated in pictures. Even if you don’t usually wear any makeup, use it to downplay any skin issues for photos. Get rid of the shine by either using a little face powder or a paper towel gently dabbed on your skin. Shine doesn’t look great in photos unless you have flawless skin.
Okay, you’re ready to go. With a little practice and lots of fun, you’ll become a pro in no time. And, hey!
Don’t forget to smile ~ get your Kim Kardashian on!
