The art of the selfie! Stop laughing, there really is an art to the selfie. I know, it seems weird but it’s true! Our phones have amazing capabilities now, you can run a multi-million dollar business from your phone! How crazy cool is that?  Let’s take full advantage of those cameras, m’kay!

 

This is my friend Tammy, she runs a multi mission dollar business from her phone. She has a long gorgeous face, but this made selfies a bit hard and she would get what she called, the horse face, her words, not mine. Holding the phone a little above eye level and finding just the right angle for her has helped her to create the perfect selfie.  Maybe that seems like something small, but she is building a multi-million dollar business on social media and works as her own assistant, camera man & content creator. Learning to take a professional looking selfie is part of rocking her online business.   Be like Tammy, ROCK YO SELFIES!!!!

 

Lighting is where it’s at!

Bright harsh light is a no go for good selfies and dark and gloomy is just as bad. You can create your own lighting using something like this  RING LIGHT.  I use mine for videos and since my new office is like a cave, I use it a lot for extra lighting. But, you can’t just carry a light with you everywhere you go. That would be weird.  What you can do is look for the right lighting. Use something like a porch, tree branches, overhanging roof to diffuse that direct light. This is called the Penumbra Effect. It is used a lot in photography and you may already be doing it and not even realize it.  You can can hold the phone up and rotate, watching the light hit your face to find the best spot!

Penumbra Effect: This is the area where some, but not all, of the light source is hidden by the object.

 

Let’s talk angles.  Angles are EVERYTHING when it comes to the selfie.

The low selfie no no!

A lot of people want to hold the camera low, I am not sure if we are just to lazy to hold our hands up or if we just do it out of habit. Either way, just don’t. Bring that camera up ya’ll! When the camera is low, it is not a good look. Whether you are making a video or taking a selfie, this is not a good look for anyone.  Next time you take a photo with your BFF, bring that camera up and rule the selfie.

The straight on selfie.

Every now and then this works for me but for the most part, it makes my neck look like I swallowed a person and they are fighting to get out. The straight on selfie is a no go for me, bring that phone/camera up like a selfie boss.

Raise the camera selfie.

Yep, this is where it’s at! Raise that phone/camera just a little above eye level and play with holding the phone at different angles to find just the right angle.  Play around and find just the right angle for your beautiful face.

MEN: The straight on selfie does tend to work better for you guys, it exudes power and confidence.

 

Want to know how to edit your photos and play with filters, which are called presets for Lightroom & lighting like a pro. Check out Lightroom and start experimenting with different settings. I love these presets by Kari Rae and probably use them the most.  The Jana Bishop Collection also makes my heart swoon!   Whatever you choose to use, make sure it is your style and fits your brand.  I love taking amazing photos with my phone/camera and Lightroom can help you to take your photos from your phone to the next level of awesome!  

 

Having fun? Come on over to Facebook and hang out with us on  our Amanda Star Photography education page and get in on all the awesomeness coming!

Amanda Star