V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

Edit by: Vicki
Dec 04, 2019

Snap: How To Take The Perfect Selfie

snap-how-to-take-the-perfect-selfie-vicki-archer

Selfie – a photograph taken By oneself and uploaded to social media- isn’t just that, is it?

From Ellen DeGeneres and her celeb friends at the Oscars to Obama in the White House and us on Instagram, the selfie culture has become a social phenomenon that doesn’t seem to be dying out anytime soon.


But why? Are we all just self(ie) obsessed?


While some argue that this is a modern trend developed by self-obsessed millennials, I have a different take on it.


A selfie can be a fabulous way for people to feel good about themselves.


Put your best outfit on and wear heels, take a few selfies and remind yourself how wonderful you are and how good you look in that dress you never wear anymore.


A selfie can be a souvenir.


While professional photography is an art I admire, we don’t always have a professional camera with us and we don’t all know how to use one anyway. Snapping some pictures with your phone is the easiest way to capture yourself and your loved ones during the best moments. Your phone becomes your very own digital photo album, full of memories to never forget.


A selfie can be just fun.


I mean, why not snap a shot when you’re feeling yourself? Sometimes we take life a little too seriously. That’s why goofy selfies are my favourite.


I hadn’t realised until VA mentioned how naturally taking a selfie comes to me. I don’t take them that often yet I know almost by default how to take the perfect one.


Taking the perfect selfie is a matter of following some very easy steps:


Lighting, Lighting, and More Lighting


Lighting is what will make or break your selfie game and natural lighting is hands down the best. Just find the right spot in your house and position yourself in front of it. Remember that the light should always be on your face and never behind you.


If your house isn’t light enough try a selfie light.


If you want to go the extra mile and get an award-winning selfie, photograph in the golden hour. Golden hour is the period just after sunrise or just before sunset when the sunlight is splendid.



Angles


This is a little trickier but practice makes perfect.


Everyone has an angle. All you need to do is find it. If it’s hard taking selfies while holding the phone, use a selfie stick, a tripod or a phone stand.


**The best trick I know is to use your headphones, almost like a remote control to snap the picture. Place the phone in a position to capture your image, plug the headphones in and press the + volume button. This gives extra distance and control over your photo.



Editing


Don’t over-edit.


Nobody likes a selfie that is overly enhanced but a little editing is key in selfie-ing. Brightness, contrast, vibrancy and saturation in small doses are our friends.


Be subtle, emphasise what is already good in the picture. Photo-editing apps – VSCO Cam, Afterlight and Lightroom are my favourites.


Follow these three steps for the perfect selfie.



And practice, practice and practice some more.




Take A Selfie Wearing This

chi chi london lace midi dress  ||  ***stradivarius tulle skirt (this one is not to be missed)  ||  pink smoke lace skirt  ||  red grape lace tier


valentino lace and crepe midi  ||  stan smith sneakers  ||  eileen fisher cardigan



this feature contains affiliate links

text, elisa balau

 

Edit by: Vicki
In This Post: Lifestyle , Shopping Stories