How To Take A Selfie (Camera Phone, Android, Iphone)

How To Take A Good Selfie (Men, Women); How To Be Photogenic In Selfies, Attractive Poses, How To Take Your Own Headshot

With the explosion of cameras on phones, addition of front-facing cameras on phones, social media and quality improvement on said camera phones, selfies are everywhere. People take them all the time and everywhere – of their food, in bathrooms, in their hallways, in their cars etc.

Selfies are inescapable. They are taken by those that don’t even want to take them (pressure from friends and verification tools for apps and sites.

Selfies might seem straightforward and simple, but the reality is that people spend lots of time and take dozens of photos before posting said selfies to the internet or sharing them with friends, families and dates. Of course, there are outliers like Kim Kardashian that take hundreds and sometimes thousands of selfies a day.

I am not a fan of selfies and do not recommend them in general, but if you must take them, at least don’t be cringy about it and make it quick. Excessive selfies can be associated with narcissism. Below are some tips to get the most out of your selfies.

How To Take A Good Selfie, Tips For Flattering Selfies On Your Phone (Android, Iphone)

1. Take photos at or slightly above eye level (avoid high, weird, misleading angles)
2. Aim for soft, indirect light i.e. light reflected off walls, diffused through windows
3. Extend your arm fully (the closer the camera is to your face, the more it will distort it – make it wider)
4. Pull your face forward, leaning back can lead to double chins
5. Use the rear-facing camera (higher quality than front-facing camera, but won’t be able to see the screen)
6. Look at the camera (otherwise you will like cross-eyed, drunk etc).
7. Don’t use flashes (will create harsh shadows)

Selfie Tips For Guys, Girls; How To Take Attractive Selfies, How To Be Photogenic In Selfies

You can’t just fake photos all the time. If you live a boring life, are not happy on your own or not happy in the moment, doing whatever is you are doing, it’s going to be tough to look photogenic in selfies.

1. Look alive, smile (avoid constipated or intense looks)
2. Clean your room, pay attention to the background
3. Avoid cringy/boring backgrounds like gyms, cars, mirrors.
4. Have a purpose (w/ a friend, celebrity, epic travel location, lookout). Avoid mundane reasons for a selfie.
5. Clean your screen/lens.
6. Avoid portrait mode (removed details in background and suggests you planned photo/trying harder).
7. Practice angles (don’t be slumped over, stand up straight, relax your pose, bend one leg, cross legs etc.)
8. Most people can only hold a smile for 1-3 seconds. Gather yourself, move around and try again.

How To Take Good Photos On Your Own, How To Take Pictures By Yourself

If you want to take even better photos, check out these tips.

1. Use a timer.
2. Use video, burst mode or live camera mode to capture more frames and select the best frame.
3. Ask a tourist, server, or cute stranger.
4. Get a remote trigger, tripod or newer phones with folding setups.

Bad Selfies, Cringe Selfies, Unflattering Selfies

• Gym selfies
• Bedroom selfies
• Bathroom selfies
• Mirror selfies
• Flexing selfies
• Shirtless selfies
• Bikini selfies
• Intense selfies
• Duckface selfies / pouty-face selfies
• Looking away selfies
• Two-handed selfies
• Cleavage selfies

How To Take A Good Selfie For Guys, Girls

Selfies are ok in a pinch but you should really think twice about using them on LinkedIn profiles and dating apps as you want to convey a good first impression. If you have to take selfies, make it count, have a purpose, put in the effort and get feedback on it as most people are biased.

One selfie may be ok for a dating profile, but several might suggest narcissism, lack of friends or insecurity which and limit potential dating pool drastically.

Related read: Are Selfies Bad For Dating Apps?

Do You Need A Photographer For Headshots? Do I Need A Professional Headshot?

No but consider the fact that many photographers hire other photographers for their own headshot. Taking your own headshot is a lot of work and in many cases, time wasted exceeds costs of hiring someone else. A great photographer provides more than just a great photo, they assist with wardrobe, positioning and angles.

Depending on your industry, age and long-term goals, you may not need a professional headshot but for those that are thinking of career growth, want to get an advantage or want to improve visibility, a professional headshot can certainly be helpful.

Best Phones For Headshots, Headshot Apps? What Phone Do I Need To Take A Headshot?

To take your own headshot, you will need a tripod, camera phone (Iphone 7 and above or Pixel 3 and above or similar phone), big windows, indirect light and a good background behind you. Of course, a good dslr or mirrorless camera can work too (use 85-135mm lens for optimal performance)

This will allow photos in a pinch but are generally not professional if you care about your brand or your image. This is mostly for ID badges, temporary headshot for company website or something casual like that.

You will need the tripod to take the photo at eye level or slightly above but also to frame your photo effectively. You will need to use a timer but if you can’t get someone to take the photo for you.

How To Take A Headshot At Home? How To Take A Professional Headshot With A Phone

You will need to use a room with lots of windows (natural light) and face said windows about 3-7 feet or more away depending on set up. Using a timer is necessary because you will need to use the rear-facing camera (higher quality). Framing should be consistent with above images for a rough idea. Make sure to clean your lens. 

You will need to be about 3-5 feet away from the camera. Any closer than that and the photos will come out distorted (wider than what you appear in person). If you take photos further away than that, then the photos will need to be cropped and can be too small when adjusted.

Typically, you want to avoid zoom as much as possible (if possible at all) because the more you zoom, the lower the resolution the image will be.

Photos should be taken 60-90 minutes after sunrise or before sunset if indoors otherwise within that timeframe if outdoors in the shade, with indirect light (overcast days, fog and clouds are good for soft diffused lighting).

How To Take Your Own Headshot For Work, A Job, DIY Headshots On Your Phone

Regardless of indoor or outdoor setting, you will need to rotate to see which angle provides the least shadows but also avoid direct harsh lighting and avoid reflections, glare or uneven lighting from small windows, additional lighting sources or plants or similar items blocking the light from the windows.

A ring light with adjustable dimmer can be helpful to aid with lighting as well in which cases the phone should be in the middle of the right light. For a slightly more flattering angle, pointing the camera slightly toward you (top back of the camera 5-10 degrees max).

You don’t want to do more than that as the angles will be distorted (top of your head/face wider than the bottom).

Please note that taking your own headshot is only recommended if you have no other option, are patient, and don’t need any editing, posing, wardrobe help. Most people lack the ability to use good judgment, are biased about their looks and don’t know what is the best combination of setup and factors to get the shot they need.

Similarly, use the above methods may not be enough for your company’s requirements, size, resolution, cropping, background etc. Using portrait mode can be a bit overkill as areas around the head and shoulders can become blurred which is not an ideal look.

Can A Headshot Be A Selfie? Can I Take My Own Headshot At Home?

It’s possible but most selfies are amateur in nature, too grainy or are not composed correctly. It helps to take photos using the back camera (better quality) and extending arms (shorts are don’t provide distance needed to get flattering poses).

Do I Need To Look At The Camera For A Headshot?

Most people do, but some don’t. Those that look away can be viewed as narcissists, insecure or hiding something. In few cases is looking away from the camera in a headshot recommended.