How to Take Better Selfies in 2018 and Beyond

There’s no denying that taking selfies has been a social media phenomenon of the decade. Not to mention, Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year 2013 was ‘selfie’.

And you know it or not, the fact is that selfie-taking is an art! Celebs like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner have been setting the benchmark and Instagram is THE place to explore supermodel-y selfies. So drawing tips from them, here we’ll tell you how to take better selfies in 2018 and beyond.

1. Get Experimental with Angles

Angle is everything, no matter what you use: a selfie stick, a digicam, or a phone camera. The best angle is keeping your chin down and camera up. And the worst is snapping from under the chin. Every time you take a selfie, remember to hold the phone so that the bottom of it is in level with your eyes. Holding the phone high up will make you look elegant just like a supermodel.

It’s better for you to not stare directly into the camera as most people don't look their best straight-on. So turn slightly to the side but not to the point where it's a full-on profile.

2. Be Mindful of Lighting

Paying heed to the lighting you’re taking pictures in is a must. You do need good lighting but too much of it may spoil the whole thing. Natural lighting works wonders by illuminating the face, reducing the double-chin effect, and disappear under-eye circles and shadows. Rather than facing to your computer screen or TV, turn toward a window with natural light.

3. Use Right Photo Apps & Filters

Instagram has many lesser-known features for its users to make their pictures look more appealing like Lux Edit. Valencia is the dreamiest filter that makes everyone look gorgeous. Facetune is especially for portrait and selfie editing, allowing you to subtly shape, blur, morph and define certain features of your face.

VSCO, Perfect365, and Adobe Photoshop Fix are also great apps. Blur the under-eye bags and whiten your teeth by using a trick on Facetune to "detail" your eyes. It’ll make them look bright and sparkly.

4. Learn to Use Flash the Right Way

You go for a flash when it’s dark or there’s little light. Snapchat is a great app for it has a flash feature for a front-facing camera. Hit the little lightning bolt icon on the top left corner and take a selfie. A bright white light will burst on your screen face. A blue cast would be there, but of course, it won’t look perfect, you’ll be able to see your face.

5. A Real Smile Can Make Your Selfie More Beautiful

Happy faces are the prettiest. Flash a real and natural smile while taking a selfie. Try Duchenne smile (smiling with your eyes). A Duchenne smile or smize can be perfected by practicing in front of the mirror.

6. Pose in Front of Interesting Backgrounds

The best selfies you’ll ever see have really interesting backdrops. Whether you’re skydiving, snorkeling, skiing, or engaging in some other fun activity. Just be careful about photobombers!

7. Get over Cliche Selfies

Selfies with duck lips face are a passe, so you better avoid it. The fish gape is a new pose to make, do try that out.

8. Avoid Over-Editing

Too much editing can make your selfie look unnatural. Use a really light touch it’s in your hand to reduce the severity of the filter. Touch up only those areas that look glaringly obvious to you. Use a really light touch for editing.

9. Prop it Up

If you’ve got something new, flaunt it in a selfie. Props are as important as a perfect setting. So don’t shy away and accessorize. Handbags, sunglasses, headphones, food, and whatever you’d love to flash.

10. Keep Snapping Until You Nail the Perfect Selfie

Now that you know how to go about taking better selfies, you must be wondering how many selfies should you take. Well, just keep your camera focused and begin snapping selfies. Keep on clicking them until you nail the perfect selfie.