Learning how to take selfies from Asians. How to take a selfie: the most important rules

Everyone knows what a selfie is. Even if you have not heard the name of this phenomenon, you have definitely seen it on the Internet. A selfie is a photo of you that you take yourself. In the mirror or just at arm's length. Today the internet is just filled with selfies of all kinds. And these are not only photos of ordinary users. Many celebrities, politicians and astronauts show their images to the world. In Russia, this phenomenon is sometimes called "crossbows". In fact, the reasons for the popularity of selfies are quite interesting. Let's see why such photos have become a fashion trend.

We take selfies not only for ourselves, but also for other people. After all, photos are immediately sent to social networks. This means that we want to get ratings from other users. An ordinary day of an ordinary person can be traced through ordinary photos taken on a smartphone. Gatherings with friends, going to the theater and cinema, business meetings - everything is saved with the help of a selfie. Some lovers of such photographs do not hide the fact that the ritual does not make much sense, they are simply used to performing it daily. Although the meaning of the selfie exists. We measure our own life in visual images, and this feature is of significant interest.

Opportunities for self-expression

Not everyone is able to fully open their personal space to outsiders. But sometimes you really want to do it. In this case, the mobile phone camera allows you to show the world your features. Selfie acts as an intermediary. The goal of a person is not a specific reaction, but directly its presence. He is pleased that other people paid attention to the inner world. Even if the manifestation of this attention is also absent, a fantasy appears, the likelihood that we have been noticed. Each person creates his own inner space within which he exists. But the real world looks richer and richer. Selfie allows you to let a part of the outside into the inner world, thereby expanding it, making it more multifaceted. Photos also develop creativity. Any photograph, even the simplest one, includes a theme, an expression, an idea and a realization. It takes creative effort to create this. Own network image z - it is always something new, unique. Even if the selfie is part of a flash mob, there will still be a creative element to it.

Fake "I"

I exist

People need to tell the world about themselves, this is where selfie-style photos come to the rescue. Photos are a way to tell about yourself, to indicate your presence. The answer to our statement is likes or comments under the photo. Here, too, one can draw an analogy with the psychology of young children. They experience the world through their connection with their mother. If a mother does not pay attention to her child, then it seems to them that the world has turned its back on them. If a similar situation occurs in adulthood, then this is an occasion to think. A person tries to draw the attention of the world to his own personality, fearing that the world has turned away from him. This can lead to an addiction to likes. Without them, we will begin to doubt our self-sufficiency.

Lack of real feelings

It takes a little imagination to describe this effect. For example, a person who is crazy about selfies meets his true love. His relationship will soon become more important than posting pictures on the Internet. The network image will fade into the background. Although it cannot be said that selfies are something bad. The main thing is to decide why we need it ourselves. It is possible that games with one's own self are just games. If you don’t get addicted, if you realize your creative potential in real things, if you know how to live a real life, then there is nothing wrong with a selfie. Often creative people use selfies as a tool for their own realization. For example, the Pope recently posted a selfie to attract young people to religion. So he showed that Christianity can be modern, open to young people. For such photographs, the main thing is the border between a real person and an invented selfie.

How to take a selfie?

Ready? Then shoot. We choose a suitable place, pick up a mobile phone, point it at ourselves, make a carefree face if possible and click. In a few seconds, your portrait is already online. “A selfie taken with a smartphone or webcam for posting on a forum or social network” is the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of selfie, which became the word of the year just five months after its official recognition. Simply put, now portraits are not painted by artists.

The use of this neologism on the Internet increased by 17,000% in 2013. As indicated on the specialized site Fstoppers.com, 10% of photos on the Internet were published during the last year. And many of them are portraits. More than three million photos have been posted on Instagram with the caption "I", 73 million with the caption "Selfie" and 187 million with the designation "Mine". According to experts from the reputable Pew Research Center, 91% of American teenagers have taken a selfie at least once.

But it's not just teenagers who do this. Photographed by US President Barack Obama (together with the Prime Minister of Denmark), Hillary Clinton with his daughter, celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Rihanna. Even Pope Francis agreed to take a selfie with a group of young people. Thousands of such photos appear every day. The trend is becoming irreversible and causing lively debate.

Of course, it is based on a mobile phone. “The technology itself is pushing for selfies. The smartphone is small in size, the photos do not imply any costs. Strictly speaking, this is not too different from photographing objects, gastronomic dishes and other events in which you are a participant, ”says Javier de la Rivera, media sociologist and member of the Cibersomosaguas group at the Complutense University of Madrid, engaged in the study of Internet culture and social movements. The front camera, which most modern mobile phones are equipped with, greatly facilitates the process of photographing. Previously, you could also take pictures of yourself, but everything was much more complicated: you had to stand near the mirror, have the function of photographing from a distance, and bend your arm so that it was impossible to see how the picture would turn out. Now everything is done with a single click. Miracles!

“It's like Christopher Columbus showed the Indians a mirror, and for the first time in their lives they saw their face in it,” says Enrique San Juan, director of Community Internet, a well-known expert on digital topics.

Professional photographer Pep Escoda, winner of 16 Lux awards and a member of the Association of Professional Photographers of Spain, believes that “compared to a conventional camera, a mobile phone has the advantage that the image appears instantly. With a mobile phone, everything is much faster, and now there is a huge need for instant image transfer.”

Some see this as a potential danger or a sign of some kind of disorder. Others urge not to dramatize the situation, arguing that this is a new form of communication. The question is open for discussion. Post a selfie? This is vanity and narcissism,” says Carol Lieberman, known in the United States as a psychologist in the field of electronic communications. “This is a clear manifestation of the growing trend towards narcissism. Through these photographs, we express a desperate need to shout out loud: look at me! she thinks.

Approximately the same harsh opinion was expressed by the Italian psychoanalyst Massimo Recalcati (Massimo Recalcati) in his recent article: “People have already stopped photographing the world, which serves them only as a decoration. Feeling worthless, they become more obsessed with narcissism."

Researchers Laura Buffardi and Keith Campbell point out in a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin that "narcissistic individuals use social media to make themselves known." And selfies are used as a tool to achieve these goals. “This is a modern way to inflate your own importance. More and more people are using the Internet, and this is where a person with his self-portrait is striving, ”says English psychologist Diana Parkinson (Diana Parkinson).

Young people are more interested in this. In the work of researchers from the University of North Carolina (USA), published in The Altantic, it is indicated that members of the Internet community are far superior to previous generations in terms of the degree of narcissism. The report, prepared by the staff of the University of Birmingham and Edinburgh (UK), concludes that those who publish a lot of their own photos are prone to superficial relationships and are unlikely to maintain true friendships. In addition, they tend to shun other people and compete with them through photographs. “It is better to think carefully before publishing. And post the photo only once,” the researchers warn.

But all these negative judgments do not take into account the fact that the motives for creating a self-portrait can be very different. Someone prefers not to post a photo on the network, but send it to a friend or save it as a keepsake in their mobile. In this case, the desire to declare oneself fades into the background. In addition, there are different types of selfies. Someone does not hesitate to show themselves even in frank poses, showing their chest, muscles, body curves. Others feel like they are doing something worthy of attention, and this needs to be shown to everyone else, say, when they are in some important place. But there are also people who realize that they look funny and take pictures both to please their friends and to capture funny moments.

In this regard, Phil González, creator of the social network Instagram, notes the playful aspect of this phenomenon: “Selfies are entertainment designed to be able to look at oneself. No more". Its success is partly due to the fact that the photos are taken instantly and look quite natural. Sometimes with poor lighting, blurry focus and incomprehensible angle ... As photographers say, a person who is always posing is of no interest. “Selfies are not just a face caught in a frame. And it's not about looking pretty, it's about displaying a certain scene,” says Frederic della Faille, founder of Frontback, a photo-sharing app.

There is a fairly common belief that a self-portrait is just one way to tell about yourself. Psychology Today magazine writes that, contrary to the opinion of the most virulent critics, the selfie debate should not focus solely on personality. Those who look at these photographs want to know what is happening and in what setting. They are no longer so much interested in who is depicted there, but when and where the photograph was taken.

For example, instead of saying "I went to work," a person posts a photo of him wearing work overalls; children who a few years ago carved their initials into the bark of trees are now posting photos of their beloved online; if earlier celebrities were asked for autographs, and their photographs were pasted over the wall and invited friends to their homes to look at them, now celebrities simply publish selfies on the Internet; if earlier people appeared in society on the occasion of holidays or balls, now the newly-minted bride or groom declares himself in a virtual community using a mobile phone; if in the 80s they sent postcards from the places they visited, now they prefer to send their own photograph taken next to some historical monument. One way or another, a new form of visual diary is now emerging that captures evidence that we have been there and done that.

A generation of active Internet users have been photographing others and themselves for many years. “But what if self-portraits using a mobile phone are a completely normal thing? The development of technology redefines the concept of normal: it refers to everything that can be put on public display and found using search engines, ”says Pamela Rutledge, director of the Center for Psychological Research in the Media (USA). “If you don’t do this, then in some circles you will even be perceived as an unsociable person. It is believed that everything on the web should be open and accessible,” confirms Enrique San Juan.

A basic tenet of the internet is that images make a bigger impression than text. The consequence of this, perhaps, is the rise of the selfie. “Unconsciously, we tend to respond and leave comments on a photo. Our brain processes visual images faster and we feel more involved when we see faces. If you look at a page full of photos, you'll end up only paying attention to the selfies, Routledge notes. Enrique San Juan is even more categorical: “Consumers of digital information do not like to read, they only perceive images. That's why I don't talk on my mobile phone about what I'm doing, but just send a photo.

A few years ago, when the Internet entered our lives, some researchers warned about the dangers of loneliness, isolation and depression. Not now we have something quite the opposite. Experts point out that social media can boost self-esteem, improve perceptions of other people's appearance, and help strengthen relationships, especially when positive ratings are received. Therefore, selfies should not be seen as a static self-portrait, but as an invitation to closer communication. It is a form of communication that stimulates social dialogue. These photos are not just for viewing. This is a kind of invitation to friends on a social network. Selfies are an interaction tool.

Andrea Letamendi, a psychologist and researcher at the University of California (USA), argues that this practice is especially effective in the case of children and adolescents. “Selfies are primarily the result of self-study. Self-portraits allow you to express your mood and tell about your experience. These photos not only exist in the electronic world, they create it. This habit has already become part of our social culture and is therefore beneficial.”

“Our relationship is no longer built the way it used to be. We do not have direct contact with friends, clients. But we still want someone to give us a friendly pat on the back, says Pep Escoda. – Therefore, I believe that a selfie is not just a portrait, it is part of a long search for oneself. With the help of these self-portraits, we strive for self-assertion.”

And here another question arises. Do these photos really reflect our essence? “These photos show more than who we are, but who we seem to be,” says psychologist Jill Weber of Psychology Today. The nuances are very important, because in the case of a selfie, it is the user who decides what the self-portrait will be. And he ultimately decides whether to publish it or not. Robert Arkin, teacher of pedagogy at Ohio State University (USA), argues that selfie is a way to control our image, which is formed in others. We expose our self-portrait to them with certain intentions and goals. What exactly?

Mariano Choliz, a professor of psychology at the University of Valencia and one of the authors of Adicción a internet y redes sociales, points out that selfies were born out of competition: “Celebrities started taking them. for the sake of self-promotion. And then, imitating them, everyone else began to do the same. Enrique San Juan explains the value of a self-portrait taken with a mobile phone by the fact that for the first time there is an opportunity not only to disseminate information, but also to process it. “Users are now suddenly discovering that they can also do this with selfies. They can declare themselves on social networks, publish their photos. Sami!" he explains.

Of course, this is a fairly fleeting pleasure that lasts only a few seconds. As Andy Warhol would say, we'll all have fifteen minutes of fame, broken down into chunks of five seconds each that repeat every time we post a selfie. “The user, finally, can form his own image. This, of course, causes a certain euphoria, since a mini-space of glory is formed around a person,” emphasizes Enrique San Juan. “With the help of selfies, we create our public image. Not necessarily the best, but the one we want. And we have the ability to support it. To a certain extent, with the help of these self-portraits, a person forms his reputation. And we can offer this image at our discretion to friends, ”he emphasizes.

Not at all trying to either denigrate or whitewash this phenomenon, as is often done with regard to technical innovations, it is best to maintain a reasonable balance. “Posting selfies is always nice. It can even be fun. The whole world will know about you. And that is why it can be addictive,” warns Mariano Cholis. The publication of photographs on the Internet means making a certain contribution to the work of electronic media. But their unreported publication may indicate a lack of self-esteem. “In the most extreme cases, it can be assumed that a person’s personal experience has no value if he does not share it online with other people. Young people in particular may have a greater need to express themselves and feel the support of friends,” says Javier de Rivera.

“Some people start to feel like photographers just because they tirelessly take pictures with their phones. But a true photographer is completely different. He has his own philosophy, lifestyle, - says Pep Escoda, emphasizing the creativity of this profession. - Selfie is a complex phenomenon that should not be reduced solely to narcissism. Some people take pictures, while others comment on them. And still others are content to simply look at them in silence. It looks like a new form of voyeurism is being born before our very eyes." But this is a completely different matter. Or not.

Selfie step by step:

Use a mobile phone with a front camera.
Provide proper lighting. The light should not fall directly on the face, because in this case, its features may lose their naturalness.
Turn off the flash.
Assess the background and overall setting. This is much more important than you think. And people notice it. What matters is where you take the selfie: in the bathroom, next to a celebrity or near a monument
Do not lean your head back while shooting, as you risk distorting the chin and facial contours in this way.
It is better to choose a three-quarter angle than to be photographed from the front. In this way, you give facial features greater softness and proportion.
Don't extend your arm too far as it may be in the frame and look longer than it is.
Try to look natural. Naturalness and ease are highly valued online.

Selfie problems

The publication of a selfie does not carry anything bad, but it can create problems if, for example, the photos are of dubious content. The American media warned that people were increasingly being photographed next to beggars, funeral processions or disaster sites. All this is a manifestation of bad taste, not to mention the photos of a sexual orientation. “Parents may not like it if their son posts pictures like this. If we add a sexual component to technical addiction, then we get a really uncontrollable mixture, ”admits Enrique San Juan, an expert in the field of Internet technologies, who believes that in any case one should not scold, but educate. “Young people have grown up with technology. When they were first born, modern technologists already existed. But we, adults, had to adapt to these technologies, which is why it is sometimes so difficult to understand what is happening,” says teacher Mariano Cholis. The recent success of the Snapchat app, which allows you to send photos that self-destruct after a few seconds, is quite revealing. The temptation to let go of any restraints in such a short time is strong enough. “Most want to destroy the selfie. It's a trendy and somewhat unhealthy trend, especially among men and women in relationships,” notes San Juan.
first

It is important to choose the right angle, adjust the light if possible, mask the flaws, emphasize the merits and take 10-15 shots. Then you choose one of them - the most attractive one, in your opinion - and publish it on a social network. To use filters or not? Fold lips like a duck or take more adult photos? Add erotica or wait with it until adulthood? Let's figure it out.

How to take a selfie: TOP 5 rules

1. Choose the right angle

Strict full face and profile is not the best solution. In most cases, a 3/4 head turn is recommended. However, it is important to take into account the individual characteristics of your physique. If you have a double chin or your neck seems short and full, lift your chin and slightly roll your shoulders back. If there is a scar on the left cheek, for example, take a picture on the right side and so on. Remember also that half of our faces are asymmetrical - choose the one that seems the most attractive.

2. Set up the camera

Bloggers and smartphone reviewers periodically conduct surveys to determine the percentage of users who have looked at the camera settings at least once. But your phone probably has something to configure. This is not only the usual brightness and contrast, but also sharpness, focus, saturation of colors and individual shades, textures, specularity and much more. Experiment and choose the best modes, settings and filters for selfies.

3. We select the background

Photos in the toilets, against the backdrop of carpets and shabby sheets frankly tired of the majority of social network users. Show a modicum of respect to those who will look at your photos - take care of choosing a background. It should be simple and concise, but not shocking, banal and repulsive. Then all attention will be drawn to you and the viewer will not experience any visual discomfort.

4. Set up or look for light

The light source should be in front of you, not behind you. If you take a selfie during the day, stand in front of a window. If you are outside, turn your face towards the sun. Be careful: the sun's rays should not make you squint, you do not need to look at the sun.

You should also be careful with artificial lighting: it often ages the face in photographs, especially when it comes to outdated incandescent lamps with yellow light.

5. Emphasize strengths and hide weaknesses

We will not lecture you and talk about the need to get rid of complexes. If you consider yourself full (full) - raise your chin and take a picture of your face on an outstretched and slightly raised arm. If you don't like the position of your face, try rotating it about 45 degrees - for most people, this is the most photogenic position.

What to consider for girls and boys

Girls . Most of all, girls are afraid to appear plump and plump in the pictures. To avoid the effect of fullness, do not pull your head into your shoulders - this guarantees the appearance of a second chin. Try also not to take pictures of yourself from below. In order not to look older than your age in the photo, try to avoid bright red lipstick, artificial lighting and furrowed eyebrows - all this visually ages your face in the pictures.

Guys . Young people are most afraid of appearing feminine and overly thin. If you do not have the desired muscle mass, try to refuse photos in T-shirts with short sleeves - long sleeve, cardigan, sweater will be more suitable solutions. Using "classic" techniques like crossed arms to "enlarge" the biceps or suffer from "broad back syndrome" is not recommended. The position of the body should be natural, artificiality, the feeling of your tightness should not be caught.

What photos to avoid

With a terrible background. Do not want your picture to be included in the collection of fails on entertainment sites? Do not take pictures of yourself in the toilet, against the backdrop of a carpet or curtains, in shabby apartments and porches. Choose a simple, concise background.
With unsuccessfully photographed people. Such photos should not be posted even out of revenge. Firstly, you risk ruining relationships with friends who failed. Secondly, the overall impression of the picture is spoiled, even if you look luxurious in it.
With pouty lips. This trend is long gone. There are a bunch of other relevant positions, no less strange and dubious. Anything but pouting lips - they will cause nothing but negativity in your direction for most people.
With artificially enlarged biceps and chest. You don’t need to use your last strength to squeeze your chest with your forearms and cross your arms over your chest “until powerful biceps appear.” Be natural, do not show your complexes on social networks.
Over-filtered. People have been achieving accurate color reproduction for decades. Appreciate it and don't dehumanize your face with crazy filters. A white canvas with contrasting lips and eyes, but without a visible nose, is out of fashion for a long time.

Extreme photos: pros and cons

Where to take a selfie if you want to get cool and rare shots? When skydiving, climbing rope, mountain climbing, river rafting, or snowboarding in freeride mode. Extreme selfies are spectacular, interesting and original, they always attract attention. If you are constantly involved in any extreme sport, then you can try to take such pictures. After all, you probably have enough experience to reduce the risk of injury.

But if this is your first time skydiving or rafting on a mountain river, this is not the time for a selfie. Of course, if you do not want to receive the Darwin Award for the most ridiculous death.

Extreme selfies on iPhone are cool, worthy of attention and admiration. But the pictures from the emergency room are unlikely to be as joyful.

Try to soberly assess the risks and never start taking photos if it will create even the slightest threat to your life or your health. Only a sober look at things will help you avoid serious injury.

How to take beautiful selfies: TOP 7 secrets

Avoid shadows. A shadow can hopelessly spoil even the most spectacular photo. To avoid it, learn to catch the light. Avoid placing light sources behind your back. It is unlikely to be able to remove the shadow even with the help of graphic editors - only with professional processing. Pay special attention to the shadows on the face and body - they can create dubious visual effects.
Use the functionality of the phone. Understand the phone settings, select the optimal mode, if necessary, manually adjust the brightness, contrast, color saturation. If you have enough time, then conduct a series of experiments - take pictures with different settings. How to learn how to set up your phone and take good photos? There is no universal instruction for all smartphones. Read the individual recommendations of experts, given specifically for your model.
Choose the best camera. You can take a selfie not only on the front, but also on the main camera. Do not forget about the possibility of using a countdown timer - even in 4-6 seconds it is really possible to take the most advantageous position and take a picture with the main camera. Ideally, if you can install the phone statically. Not necessarily on a stand or tripod - it can be mounted on any flat surface with a support. Then the pictures will not be blurry, they will become clearer.
Remember the 45 degree rule. How to take a selfie if your photogenicity is far from ideal? Try using the 45 degree rule. Its essence is to abandon full-face shots - it is better to leave them for documents. Turn your head to the left or right 45 degrees. According to experts, this position is the most photogenic for the vast majority of people. Try turning both ways and choose the one that seems the most attractive.
Take pictures at arm's length. Do not reach for the camera and do not move away from it with your face - choose the best angle with your outstretched hand or a selfie stick. The coverage of the image in this case will be greater, and the potential for choosing the optimal angle will be much wider. How high should you hold your camera? This is up to you to decide. In each case, the optimal height will be different and it can only be selected through trial and error.
Watch your facial expressions. A photograph should convey a mood, not artificial emotions. How often do you see on social networks pictures of girls from a neighboring village with the expression on the face of a British duchess or sophisticated model? Do you feel dissonance? Strive for natural, inherent emotions. It is strongly not recommended to depict and even more so to demonstrate grief. Social media is not the place to seek solace. Try to show subscribers only positive emotions to avoid unnecessary questions.
Make yourself fit. A little thinness never hurt anyone. Do not take pictures from below, do not pull your head into your shoulders. To achieve a wider look, a narrower chin, and a more prominent cleavage, hold the camera just above eye level with your arm outstretched. If the photo is "with legs", you can adjust the width of the hips by slightly turning the knees inward. Remember also that a slight tilt to the side and a hand on the belt visually slim the silhouette.

Super trendy fun selfie— has become a part of our lives. Millions of people saw in it an opportunity to demonstrate self-confidence, their own uniqueness and sense of style. And do it in a fun, humorous way. This passion has not passed and the greats of this world - politicians, actors, presidents and prime ministers. Let's talk about what a selfie is like, how to make it attractive and what are its rules.

Selfie- this word finally established itself in our vocabulary in 2010. It means "taking a picture of yourself," in the dictionary language, or "crossbow" and "self" in Internet jargon. In a word, self-portrait. A new word in "art". Art is in quotation marks, because selfies are not at all drawn to the artistic genre.

The word was introduced into international circulation by the Australians in 2002. In 2013, there was a real boom in selfies, when about 50 types of them were born. Psychologists are not sounding the alarm yet, but they are slowly starting to publish explanatory articles about the consequences of excessive selfie addiction.

Selfie types

Selfie lovers know how to diversify their photos to such an extent that they had to give them separate names. A description of all types is a topic for a separate article. Let's look at the TOP 10 most frequent and interesting.

Liftoluk

This is a selfie taken in front of a mirror in an elevator. The most common species that even the most famous personalities did not ignore.

Melfi

This is a male selfie. Many men consider such a hobby not at all masculine, women do not understand it at all, and psychologists tend to see men who take selfies as latent psychopaths.

Grufi

This is a group self-portrait.

Short for "farmer selfie", but this does not mean that only farmers take them, although there are even specialized online communities of "felphists". It is also photographing yourself with your favorite animal - a dog, a cat, a lion, an elephant - it does not matter.

Relfi

The most lyrical kind of selfie though, depending on how you play it. This is a "self-photo" with loved ones. The Internet audience does not really welcome such pictures.

extreme selfie

The name speaks for itself. These are self-portraits taken in conditions of extreme danger - on high-rise buildings, on the edge of an abyss, and so on.

beefy

This is a bikini selfie. The notorious Kim Kardashian leads in the number of bifi. Our stars, too, have not escaped the craze for this type of selfie.

As if he says: “Look what (what) I’m done! I lead a healthy lifestyle, I train my body, I look great! This is a photo in the gym with exercise machines in the background.

Selfie "wake up" or "just woke up"

Called to show the world an awakened angel who has barely opened his eyes, but is already fresh and beautiful. Unfortunately, this happens infrequently, so the pictures do not always please both their owners and the vast audience of social networks.

Horror that appeared in 2014 thanks to Jim Carrey. Some exalted American woman, after watching a movie with an actor where he wraps his face with tape, decided to repeat this and perpetuate her image in the photo. She gained a lot of followers, and this selfie was singled out in a separate form.

To complete the picture, let's add - retro selfies, cat selfies, body selfies, toilet onions, in a bag from a supermarket and other creations of the wild imagination of young people.

Why and why take a selfie?

The simplest answer is because they want to capture themselves, their beloved (beloved). Where before you could show yourself and look at others? That's right, at dances, in a club, go to the cinema, just walk down the street. Today, in the turmoil of working days, there is no time to walk, dance floors are closed, clubs have a different purpose. Young people communicate mainly in the virtual space. Many scientific and non-scientific articles have been written about this, but the fact remains. It is in this way that you can show yourself to a huge audience, and very quickly - take a picture and immediately post the photo on Instagram, Facebook or another network.

Why do people post selfies online?

To be the center of attention or just to attract him to you. Ambition and ambition are far from the last qualities inherent in us. Some just need to constantly be at the peak of popularity. These can be photos with famous people, photos in "pathos" places, etc. It's good if this is not the only way you attract attention to yourself.

A selfie can simply carry information. Demonstrate a new suit, jewelry or a good haircut. You can consult with a friend at the stage of choosing a purchase. Communicate information not with words, but with a picture. The video sequence comes to the fore, pushing verbal messages aside.

Choosing a pose for a selfie

After we have decided that a selfie is interesting, cool and even sometimes useful, let's figure out how to make yourself as beautiful and attractive as possible on it.

How to choose an angle

It is known that the human face is asymmetrical, its right half differs from the left. Try several angles and settle on the best one.

The main rule is never shoot yourself from below. This will give you a double chin, neck creases and a fuller face overall. Shooting from above will make you look older. Try not to shoot yourself in full face. Otherwise, the camera will zoom in on the nose, and you'll get a funny but not pretty picture.

The camera level is just above the eyes. This will emphasize their expressiveness - they will seem more open, wide open. In addition, the view of the face slightly from above will make its oval clearer. The rotation of the head in relation to the camera should be 25-40°. With this angle, the chin line is emphasized.

Tilt your head slightly to the side. It is not necessary to look directly into the camera, some people do not like this look. Take him aside a little. And smile, smile! Sponges "bow" is no longer fashionable!

The position of the camera on top will allow you to capture the chest in the frame. Do you want to draw the attention of the audience to it? Press your elbows to it, this will emphasize the hollow. The success of your bust and photo as a whole is guaranteed.

Selfies are taken not only to show themselves, but also to renew themselves. Or a new haircut. Here, too, you will have to work hard. To focus on a new hairstyle, you again have to choose a favorable angle.

To demonstrate new glasses, you need to take a frontal photo, and to show new earrings, you need to take a half-turn view.

Forget about static and strict facial expressions. The pose should be lively and natural. If you're a beginner selfie photographer, practice in front of a mirror. Norma Jean would never be amazing Marilyn Monroe, if I had not rehearsed for hours in front of the mirror the naturalness of the pose. The same with facial expressions. You can even learn how to make funny faces.

Selfies made with a good sense of humor are becoming more and more popular in networks. Don't be afraid to be funny (or funny). Use fun accessories.

To highlight one, in your opinion, the most attractive feature on your face, emphasize it with the help of cosmetics. Emphasize the beautiful shape of the lips with bright lipstick, without highlighting the eyes and cheekbones. Or vice versa, if you want to highlight your eyes, apply discreet lipstick, and emphasize your eyes with mascara and light shadows.

Full length photo

These photos are always taken from above. So the figure looks taller and slimmer. No need to stand at attention, heels together, toes apart. Take a seductive pose with one leg slightly bent. Tilt slightly to the side, towards the camera. Lever the shoulder opposite the camera slightly forward. Just lower your free hand or rest it on your waist. This pose will also make your figure slimmer. The most successful full-length selfies are obtained in front of a mirror.

This is another “trick” for selfie fans. There are rules here too. Never take off your legs just from the ankle. Take the legs into the camera from the middle of the thigh or from the knee. Then they will look slimmer and longer. Experiment with the position of the camera, remembering one thing - it should look straight down.

In order to capture your own buttocks (belfi), you need to arch your back and lean forward a little. It is better to shoot from behind and a little from the side. Then even a not very impressive “fifth point” will look beautiful.

Fashion poses and stories

Naturalness and ease are in fashion now. “Cozy” selfies are welcome in an armchair under a blanket, hugging a pet. Photos with wild animals, especially on vacation and especially with exotic ones. Photos taken as if by chance, that is, not staged.

The latest trend in selfies is when hands are raised to the face, demonstrating a flawless manicure.

What is no longer in trend?

It is not at all fashionable to make “duckface” - lips folded with a duck's beak and big eyes. In addition to a contemptuous "fu-u-u" you will get nothing from the audience. Unless, of course, you let her know that you are joking like that.

There was such a fashion to portray that you are taking a selfie, and your smartphone is being taken away. Was and ended. Try to post such a photo, and you will be laughed at.

Impressive priests and selfies in front of the mirror in the elevator are gradually becoming a thing of the past. It is not fashionable to pretend to be asleep, to strain your muscles and to pretend that you have been taken by surprise.

How to take a selfie?

There are a few rules that must be followed, otherwise all your efforts will go to waste. This is the choice of gadget, lighting, background and the use of special assistive devices.

Lighting

Poor lighting can ruin your entire photo session. The best lighting is natural. The light should fall on your face, and not shine from behind. It's like taking a photo in front of a window - only the silhouette will be visible.

The best time to shoot is morning, evening or overcast day. In this case, the clouds will naturally scatter the light.

If you're taking selfies in artificial light, cover the light source with a thin cloth to make it softer and more diffuse. This is important because this way the photo will convey color and midtones with greater accuracy.

Selfie flash is not recommended. It gives too bright light, which is almost impossible to adjust. As a result, you will get a shiny forehead, red eyes, and the face will be too bright against a darker background.

What to shoot?

Anything - ordinary cameras, tablets, smartphones, in a word, everything that has a camera. The most convenient way to do this is with a smartphone that is equipped with two cameras - front and rear. In addition, shooting on a smartphone is easier. It is easier to hold it in one hand, it can be done very quickly, as soon as the opportunity or desire arose to take a picture of your loved one.

Front and rear cameras

Usually the front camera has a lower resolution than the main one, but it is on it that selfies are taken, because it is more convenient to frame the frame.

To make satisfactory shots, a resolution of 2 MP is enough. Manufacturers, catching the trend, began to produce smartphones with a reinforced front widescreen camera. Moreover, recently the largest of them, such as Sony and HTC, have introduced selfie phones.

The main camera is equipped with a flash, usually having several modes, as well as autofocus. It is more difficult to take a selfie on it, it will take skill and experience in building a composition. Usually it has a higher resolution (from 5 to 8 MP) and the pictures are of high quality.

Using a monopod

It is a stick with a gadget mount at the end and a power button on the handle. A monopod expands shooting possibilities. With it, it is convenient to take group photos, extreme selfies, shooting when you need to capture the natural environment or the urban environment in the frame. Monopods can be of three types:

With Bluetooth function. With its help, it connects to a smartphone. Convenient because it runs on batteries. On the other hand, if the battery is dead, you will no longer be able to take pictures. This is the most expensive option
Monopod with a headset that resembles headphones and connects to a smartphone through a connector for them. The other end of the wire is connected to the activation button located on the handle. This tripod is slightly cheaper than the previous one.
Without the power button, in this case, the voice control of the smartphone is used. This is the cheapest option.

ambient background

Imagine a lyrical shot taken against the backdrop of a dumpster, and you will understand how important the surrounding background is for a photograph. If you're taking selfies at home, make sure the room is tidy. You should not take a photo of a new modern outfit against the background of an old wall with dangling doors. There will be terrible dissonance.

Choose a suitable background, because it will be seen along with your face. A good option can be a large houseplant. If you are an intellectual, love to read, a bookcase can be a background.

Nature is considered the most successful background, it will not let you down at any time of the year. Forest, river, mountains, sky - everything is impressive.

The most popular views against which tourists and travelers are photographed are world-famous monuments and attractions, for example, the Eiffel Tower, London's Big Ben, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, etc.

Selfie in the mirror

One of the first selfie fashion trends was to take a picture of yourself in the mirror of an elevator - liftoluk. They do it now, but it is already considered boring and few people are impressed.

But photography in front of a mirror is not limited to this genre. It can be a full-length photo or a photo of just the face. There are two immutable rules:

do not obscure your face with a smartphone, keep it at chest level;
don't look at your smartphone, look at yourself in the mirror, that's how you will be seen in the photo.

Selfie - a photo with a loved one - is considered one of the most annoying types of selfies, but, nevertheless, one of the most popular. To get a good photo, you need to consider the following:

avoid accuracy in the photo;
make sure that the faces are at the same level (as far as possible);
choose a photogenic angle for faces (if you are already an experienced selfie, then you know in which angle your face looks most attractive);
before pressing the shutter, make sure that the eyes of all participants in the shooting are open;
diversify selfies by inviting friends;
remember about focus and take into account the minimum shooting distance for your camera;
check in what form the surrounding objects fall into the frame (if the branches stick out from behind the partner’s head, etc.);
find an interesting background.

You are taking a photograph not for the public, but for memory, so do not strive for high artistry. The main thing is that the photo warms your soul.

They can ruin any photo. If you're taking a selfie at home, choose a time when you can't be interrupted by small children suddenly appearing in the background. If this selfie is not with your beloved cat, then put him out of the room for the duration of the shooting.

When photographing on the street, choose a place where a passer-by cannot appear. So that there is no nearby sports or playground, from where a ball can fly or playful horns appear above your head.

Pay special attention to unwanted neighbors in the frame on vacation, especially on the beach. Otherwise, your sweet face may be in close proximity to the hairy legs of a sunbathing tourist nearby.

Image processing

To make a photo more interesting, cooler and funnier, there are special applications for processing them. It is enough to download them to your smartphone, or maybe they are already there.

Overlay filters

You can improve your photo by applying light filters. Usually these options are already included in smartphones. The simplest and most common of these are Sepia And black and white. Try to experiment and apply all the options available for this in the phone. With the help of a light filter, you can make a photo in retro style, play with the brightness of the image. Choose what suits each particular picture.

One of the powerful photo editors is Afterlight. With it, you can change the illumination, brightness, sharpness and contrast. It's perfect for fixing bad shots.

Applications

There are many applications for correcting or enhancing an image. In particular, these are programs:

Cymera for Android will improve the quality of the picture, make an interesting frame for it and provide it with a funny sticker;
pics art is a photo editor with which you can remove unwanted defects, make a collage and apply various effects;
By using Mextures you can change the texture of the photo;
Lens Light adds spectacular highlights to the picture;
VSCOCam allows you to add effects in real time, that is, while photographing.

Company Instagram released a new program for creating collages layout. It is good because it automatically sorts the photos accumulated in the smartphone. A collage can be formed from 9 photos, and the application will offer you several options.

Overlay effects

Do not like boring photos and have a good sense of humor? For you, several applications that will bring your creative ideas to life:

Fantimate- you can choose a fun animation effect, make a collage or a video clip;
cam up- you can apply funny "chips", do hairstyles and provide a picture with a variety of effects;
SnapDash- offers more than one and a half thousand scenarios for your photos;
Masquerade is an application that allows you to overlay various masks on the image - animals, horror stories, clown ones. Now there are only about 15 of them in the application, but the developers promise more. It allows you to create animation. It is very funny to send a video message to a friend with such an animated mask overlay.

Editing

Agree, we can not always look perfect in the photo. And I want to appear before the public in all its glory. In order for the photo not to be frightening, there are editor programs:

You Cam Perfect- this application will help to even out complexion, remove pimples and pimples that have come out inappropriately in the picture, wrinkles and generally make you younger;
Facetune designed specifically for mobile platforms and is able to retouch photos, up to changing the color of the skin and eyes, facial geometry and hairstyles. And to remove the hated bags under the eyes - even more so;
Perfect365- Another wonderful editor that automatically finds the places of application - the contour of the face and its key points.

Where and how to upload selfies

Most visited by young people are facebook And In contact with. Odnoklassniki and Moi Mir is a hangout place for older people who, of course, also take and post their selfies, but much less frequently.

Application for instantly sending and viewing selfies - snapchat- designed to allow you to share pictures in real time. They will be visible on the recipient's screen for only a few seconds, and then deleted. Designed exclusively for displaying photos, your friends will not be able to save them.

Instagram

Instagram is a social network. Officially owned by Facebook, it is intended for use on mobile devices with iOS and Android platforms. Users tell about themselves in pictures - photos, including selfies. They put likes under them, comment on them. In order to upload selfies in it, you need to download the application, install it and register.

Inside it there is an application that allows you to upload a photo from the gallery or take it right there. It also has an editor in which this photo can be improved. This network constantly holds contests for the best thematic selfie.

Be trendy

It is very fashionable to take pictures of yourself while traveling. There is a kind of selfie - "follow me"— follow me. When one character pulls another along with different tourist spots in the background. Filmed using the main camera on a smartphone.

The extreme selfie never goes out of style. But the risk must be reasonable, and it is desirable to use a monopod so that the environment gets into the frame, showing what the extreme is.

Retro selfies are trending. Many smartphones are equipped with special programs to take an "old" photo. It remains only to choose an outfit and accessories - and you are in trend.

Fitness selfie - photo in the gym. Be sure to pay attention to the surrounding background so that there are no legs around you wringing out the weight on the simulator or sweaty puffing fat men in the background. Our Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also made a mark in this genre.

The “Just Woke Up” selfie is also gaining momentum. You should not take a photo just by opening your eyes, usually we all do not look very good at this moment. It is better to get up, wash, comb your hair, giving your hair a somewhat careless look and apply very light makeup, which will not be visible in the picture.

Emphasize femininity

Girls want to look attractive in the photo, this can be done by emphasizing their femininity.

Start with clothes. One-shoulder tops are very tempting, avoid button-down blouses or turtlenecks. If you have beautiful hands - open them, if full - put on a blouse with a free ¾ sleeve.

Highlight your bust. If you are a happy owner of a beautiful high chest, raise your hand and put it behind your head. Raise your hair a little with your hand. If the chest is small, slightly push your shoulders forward and lower them a little, so your bust will look more erotic.

If you are shooting sitting, do not highlight your feet, it is better to pull your knee towards you so that it is near your head in the picture. A very disturbing pose.

The technical recommendations remain the same as for women. But the plots ... This is a topic for a separate discussion. In a nutshell, a male selfie is very annoying for women. How to make it to please beautiful ladies?

Avoid banal subjects - the gym, I'm in the car, I'm with friends at a pajama party, I'm sleeping, and the like.

Well, if you want to make yourself "yourself", choose the proper background and take on the appropriate look. For example, against the backdrop of a cool car with a slight unshaven and in stylish clothes suitable for the moment.

It can be a courageous selfie, for example, during mountain trekking.

For a selfie at home, you do not need to take graceful poses, the simpler the better. Choose simple, discreet clothing. The pose looks good when you throw a jacket over your shoulder. In the office, you can take a photo in a relaxed pose, sitting in a chair.

If you're a big fan of selfies, practice in front of a mirror just like women do. After all, no one sees you at this moment!

Selfie etiquette

Selfies are not always appropriate. In order not to offend anyone's feelings, remember situations when a selfie is taboo or can be taken only with permission:

pictures in the toilet are in bad taste;
do not do a “crossbow” surrounded by a large number of people - not everyone wants to remain in the memory of your friends, but they can accidentally get into the frame;
refrain from taking photographs during funerals, mourning ceremonies, in the church;
away - only with the permission of the hosts;
in the company of friends, first invite everyone to take a selfie, and only then take an individual photo
And, of course, compliance with safety rules is important - remember how many extreme selfies you have seen that ended tragically. After all, you are not photographed for this!

Good luck and good stylish photos!

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Proper lighting

Good lighting is half the battle. Take pictures in bright daylight, outdoors or by a window. Daylight hides skin imperfections, while hair and eyes look shiny and vibrant. Choose a location where the sun illuminates your face and is above eye level. In no case should you stand so that the sun is behind you, otherwise you will get a dark and ugly picture.

To make your face appear more even and bright, take a self-portrait in soft morning or evening lighting. Too hard daylight can be scattered by a thin light curtain or a sheet of white transparent paper.

To properly take a selfie when shooting at night, try to find a bright source of artificial white light that is in front and above, or use the built-in flash on your gadget. For soft dispersion, buy a special flash attachment.

Favorable angle

The best angle to take a beautiful selfie is when you hold the camera above eye level and turn your face 20-30 degrees to the side. Girls are advised to raise the camera higher, then the look at the photo will be open, the eyes will appear larger, and the contours of the face will be clear and toned. In addition, at this angle, the chest is captured.

To emphasize the hollow on the chest, the girl should bring her elbows under the bust. Guys also fit the three-quarter angle. If you raise your hand, then a voluminous biceps will appear in the frame.

When photographing in full growth, the face and shoulders should be full face, and the lower part of the body is turned half-side to the lens. So the figure looks more elegant. Girls will have beautifully accentuated waist and hips, while guys will have shoulders and muscles.

There are also "harmful" camera angles. The shot taken from below adds a double chin and a couple of extra pounds. If you turn sideways to the light source, then the second half of the face will remain in shadow. When shooting strictly full face, there is a risk of getting a bulbous nose, neck wrinkles or a powerful chin.

In which direction to turn the face also plays a role, because the left and right sides of the face are asymmetrical. Each photo model has its own "working side", from which it is always removed. Therefore, you will have to practice to learn how to beautifully shoot yourself from the favorable side.

thoughtful background

As strong as the urge to snap yourself right now is, look around. If you are on the street or in a crowded place, make sure that people passing by and unnecessary, not very photogenic objects get into the frame. Having started a photo session at home, tidy up the room, choose an attractive place in your interior. Do not be too lazy to specially prepare the background for shooting, bright pillows, garlands, flowers, paintings, decorative ornaments can serve as props.

Now special backdrops for photo shoots made of vinyl are gaining popularity. Buy a few of these "backgrounds" and you can forget about the bad background on the selfie.

If fantasy is bad, then a win-win option is to beautifully take a selfie - a snapshot in nature. Green grass, blue skies, blossoming trees or fallen leaves always look good in pictures. Use the colors of nature for your photos.

Take pictures of yourself when doing outdoor activities and extreme sports in nature, climb into hard-to-reach places and virgin corners of the earth, such backgrounds are always relevant.

With friends and pets

For a photo with a friend, stand close to each other and press your foreheads together. Hold the camera strictly in the middle, at eye level or higher. Two friends can be photographed at different distances from the lens. One holds the camera in front of him, the other steps back a couple of steps. The same angles can be used to take pictures with your pet or zoo animal.

Want to take a selfie with a big group? Then the main rule is that the photographer should be in the middle so as not to cut off those who are standing from the far edge. It is better to take such a photo from the front or from above. By experimenting with angles, you can also inadvertently cut off a couple of friends.

Accessories

What will help make your portraits even better?

Filters. Before posting photos on Instagram, experiment with filters. They will correct the color balance or simply give originality to your self-portraits.
Monopod. The Selfie Stick helps you capture even more of the background and a full-length figure. Also, a monopod is indispensable for group shots.

Velcro cover. A smartphone in such a case can be stuck on the wall and enjoy full-length posing
Timer. Useful if you need to have time to take a place in the frame
Applications. With the help of virtual applications, you can beautifully arrange a picture: crop, add brightness, apply a photo effect, make a frame, inscription, insert a picture-sticker and much more

And most importantly - smile! Sincere photos with a bit of humor always become popular.

Facetune

What is he doing? Definitely our favorite selfie app out there! If you still don't have it on your phone, be sure to download it! This best selfie app can literally do everything from teeth whitening (hello Hollywood!) to a “patches” feature to remove extra blemishes, pimples or bumps. All in all, the perfect thing to create the best selfie!

CamMe

What is he doing? Tired of constantly seeing selfies with outstretched arms? Oh yeah! How to take the perfect selfie? Especially for such “handy” shots, the CamMe application was created, which allows you to set a timer, put your phone on a plane and take a series of shots. In general, the idea is a solid five, if not for one thing, but - the application can fail at the most inopportune moment.

Afterlight

What is he doing? Quickly, conveniently and incredibly easily turns any picture into a real art. This application is used by most lovers of perfect selfies. A good selection of really high-quality filters allows you to share pictures with friends in real time!

funny mirror

What is he doing? If you like to make fun of your friends or even laugh at yourself, then Funny Mirror is for you! The application can create really funny pictures by distorting faces. Bigger nose and narrower eyes? Yes, there is nothing easier!

VSCO Cam

What is he doing? Just like Afterlight, this selfie app for Android and iPhone transforms any, even the most unfortunate shot very quickly and coolly. Nothing miraculous, just good technology: straighten the horizon, shutter speed, temperature, contrast, framing. Everything you need for a selfie lover! By the way, we give VSCO Cam a separate point for the user-friendly interface!

snapchat

What is he doing? Now you can send your "naked" selfies to your loved one without fear that someone else will see them, having got his phone in your hands. The secret of Snapchat is that you can take absolutely any photos, send them to the right addressee, and then the picture is simply deleted. I mean, the recipient can see the photo, but after 10 seconds the photo is automatically deleted. And even a screen cannot be made without your knowledge - the sender will definitely know about it.

selfie cam

What is he doing? The main "chip" of the application, according to the developers, is the emotion recognition function for automatic descent. This is convenient for those girls who can take many shots in a row to make one, but perfect. True, in our experience, we found some shortcomings - only a smile is recognized, while other emotions remain unknown. But we hope that everything will be fixed soon!

Silent Selfie

What is he doing? Do you want to take a selfie, but are embarrassed by the people around you? Then download rather Silent Selfie - an application that turns off the sound of the camera. Of course, we don’t have other weighty arguments in favor of this application, but it’s still cool to take pictures without anyone noticing. And it will be possible to process the picture in other applications.

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Voice Selfie

What is he doing? We just talked about silent shots, but we can’t keep silent about the Voice Selfie app! Its creators assure that pictures can be taken using voice commands without the help of hands! Brilliant, Watson!