The Summer of Selfie: 7 Tips To Make Them Better

Can you hear it?  It’s the 2016 version of the Simon and Garfunkle classic “Sounds of Silence.”  Only now it’s called the “Sound of Selfies.”  That little artificially generated shutter click.   We’re all doing it and there’s no escaping it.  So why not look your best in those shots that are going to last  forever out there somewhere on the internet?

If you’ve ever had professional photos taken, you know that the experts can work magic.  Even the most plain among us can look glamorous.  Just like the celebrities do.  But you don’t have to be a celebrity or even an expert to learn a few of the photographic tricks that make a huge difference.  Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel is a world renowned facial plastic surgeon, who knows all about making us look our beautiful best.  He’s kindly provided these awesome tips  to make sure your summer selfies don’t come back to haunt you!

Selfies 101

•  Women should look up slightly towards the camera as it will make your eyes larger, and raise your eyebrows creating the attractive look of large eyes
•  Men should protrude your chin slightly. This creates a strong face and eliminates a double chin.
•  For men and women, slightly lean your neck towards the camera.
•  For Women – a minute before your photo, tap on your lips a few times (somewhat stronger than you’d think!).  This will send blood to your lips making them redder and fuller – both considered very attractive.  Similarly, you can pinch your cheeks a few times to get a little bit of a rosy glow.
•  Stand at an angle to the camera.  This creates a slimmer body profile, and adds some interest to the photograph.  Also, try slightly lowering the shoulder towards the camera.  This will relatively elongate your neck and slim it out.
•  Blink just before the camera goes off.  That is, if they are counting to three to shoot, blink deliberately on two.  This will help guarantee that your eyes are not closed during the picture, and importantly, will get you with the most open and bright eyes – and remember, bright eyes are critical to looking good.
•  Smile with your eyes!  A fake smile is just your mouth.  A true smile is when your whole face is laughing.  Think about sending energy to your eyes or smiling with your eyes, and your beauty will shine into the photograph.

And don’t forget just be relaxed.  Think about relaxing your face and trying to convey that to the camera.   That emotional change will show in your photos.   As long as you’re going to be snapping a ton of those selfies, they may as well be good ones!

Images:

Main Silke Remmery selfie Ellen De Vos