How to take the perfect selfie

MANILA, Philippines - Today is the era of self-portrait photographs taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone, a phenomenon more commonly known as “selfies.” About one million selfies are being taken each day according to some studies. Taking selfies is a new way of self-expression that is a make or break experiment. When you take really bad selfies, you’re headed for a social suicide but when you post interesting ones, you gain popularity.

Taking selfies has evolved from merely taking photos of yourself within arms’ reach to using different tools such as monopods and mirrors. These tools allow us to be more flexible and creative with the kind of selfie that we share on our favorite social media sites.

One of things that we usually like to share is our #OOTD. It’s been a big hit because these fashion bloggers show what they normally wear on a daily basis, which appeals to a lot of people. There are two ways to achieve an OOTD shot — ask someone to take your photo or take a perfect mirror selfie.

Mirror selfies are relatively easier because it requires very minimal effort when you know how to take one. Plus, it’s always less stressful to pose for someone else. If you’ve taken a ton of bad photos, it’s very easy to delete them before anyone else can see. To make your lives easier, here are some useful tips you can follow to perfect that mirror selfie you’ve always wanted.

Tip 1: Pick a good side of the room and tidy it up.

If you plan on showing off your head-to-toe look using the mirror, remember that there should be no clutter in your background. This could distract your viewers of the subject (You) and the details you want to emphasize in your outfit, which could only ruin your perfect mirror selfie. How the room looks like adds to the overall quality of your mirror selfie and note that you don’t necessarily have to spend for revamping up your room. If possible, choose a room that is painted with a plain color; white, light blue, yellow, green or pink is always safe. Pick one side and make sure it’s clean.

When you have a mirror mounted on a wall or cabinet, you have no choice but to use the opposite side of the mirror as your background. You have nothing much of a choice here. In this case, just make sure that anything the mirror can reflect looks nice.

Tip 2: Secure a full-length mirror.

Mirror is the most important thing you need to have to get your OOTD photo done. There’s no other way you can actually capture your whole body outfit without a full-length mirror. Full-length mirrors are typically about 160-175 cm. tall and about 60-70 cm. wide. Mirrors that are mounted on the walls or cabinets are the best ones for a mirror selfie because of the neutral angle it provides. Also, it gives you more space to move. The problem with a wall-mounted mirror is that you can’t easily move it from one position to another unlike free standing mirrors. Ideally, it should not face direct light if you intend to use it for your mirror selfie.

Like your room, make sure that the mirror is clean. Stubborn mirror stains can, in fact, ruin your photo. Moisture may cause spots that are hard to come off. If you don’t have a glass cleaner, you can use a lint-free rag dipped in white vinegar and lemon juice. Clean mirrors result to better selfies, don’t you think?

Tip 3: Use a high quality camera.

A perfect outfit on a perfect background wouldn’t be as perfect if the final output would be bad. Fret not because there are a lot of smartphones nowadays with improved rear camera, like the Lenovo S850. This model is specifically designed for the fashion-conscious as it features a classy all-glass exterior to compliment your #OOTD. It features a 13-megapixel rear camera and a five-megapixel wide-angle front camera to capture sharp photos effortlessly.

It also helps that your smartphone is easy to grip, something you can use single-handedly. The Lenovo S850 is thin and light weighing only 140 grams so it won’t really get in your way of striking a pose in front of the mirror.

Remember never to use the flash. A lot of people forget to turn off the flash when taking a mirror selfie. The flash of your camera will reflect in the mirror and give a bright “hot spot” or glare in the photo that can ruin your selfie. 

Tip 4. Pay attention to good lighting.

In photography, lighting is everything. It gives your photo drama and life.  Professional photographers manipulate light in different ways but you don’t need to be a pro to achieve your desired mirror shot. The best light you can use is natural light so take advantage of it during the day. Open some windows and allow sun rays to penetrate into the room but make sure not to stand against the light when taking your mirror selfie.

If you’re taking a mirror selfie at night, make sure that the room is well-lit. Ideally, a good mix of white and yellow light can enhance your skin tone.  Plain white (fluorescent) lamps tend to make your skin look dull and sometimes darker than your actual color while yellow (incandescent) lamps may be too low and soft to light up room as desired. 

Tip 5. Practice your pose.

Be comfortable with yourself in front of the mirror. Practice some poses and make sure your posture is right. If you’re not comfortable with your pose, people will see the awkwardness in your photo. On the other hand, if you are confident with yourself, there’s no way you can’t get noticed. Angle your body to make it a little more flattering versus shooting straight on.

Most mirror selfies are done with the smartphone positioned in line with your shoulders or just beside your jaw line so you won’t cover your face. Try taking as much photos as you want and then choose what’s best afterwards. Here’s a little secret: when you’re ready to press the shutter, look into the camera lense that you see in the mirror.

Don’t be afraid to experiment! You may wish to try a new pose each day and play around with your look. You can make silly faces but don’t overdo it. You can mess up you hair a little bit too if you wish. Makeup is not required but if it makes you feel more confident about the way you look, then go for it. Lastly, don’t forget to smile! 

Now that you’re ready to share your OOTDs with  your friends on social media, might as well take advantage of on-going Facebook contest by Lenovo and get a chance to win P5,000 worth of gift certificates from Forever21.

For information, visit https://www.facebook.com/lenovomobileph/app_941568679193922.

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