The 21st century gave us social networks, and social networks gave us selfies. Self portrait as a genre always existed in photography, photographer himself set the camera, set the aperture, set the timer, and quickly stood in front of the camera to shoot his portrait. Thanks to modern technology, you and I just need to switch the camera on the smartphone and take as many portraits as you like. Celebrities and bloggers on Instagram and Facebook show us that selfie can and should be done anywhere and anytime: on vacation, at a business meeting, at a stadium or at lunch, alone or in the company of friends. Selfie has no restrictions on age or status and is limited only with your imagination.

Each of us in the iphone probably has one or a million selfies made over the last month. Thus, we keep our emotions for ourselves at a certain moment, selfie from the airport, where you fly on vacation, or a selfie from your grandmother's garden where you get on an apple tree can become very popular in social networks. In any moment of our life that we want to preserve or share with subscribers and friends, we take pictures of ourselves and leave it always in our memory and in the phone’s memory.After reading this article, you will learn basic rules of successful selfies and a few of our ideas for creating original pictures that will bring you a lot of likes in social networks.

1. Keep in mind proper lighting

Good light is the basis of photography. You should not take photos outside in bright sunshine, so you get extra shadows on your face and excess light in your photo. Prefer artificial light or face the window. But the most beautiful photos are always obtained in the morning and in the evening, at an hour after sunrise and an hour before it disappears behind the horizon. This would be the ideal lighting option for selfies outside. The light will be soft and diffused, which will make your photos even better.

2. Give preference to the front camera

The camera on the front of the smartphone can and takes better quality pictures, but you don’t see yourself in reflection and you rarely get good selfies. If you shoot a self-portrait on the front camera, you can control the light, angle and immediately see exactly how you will look in the picture.

3. Use extra gadgets for creative self portrait ideas

People have come up with a large number of devices and things that make the life of a telephone photographer easy and simple. Take into account some of the following:

  • Brilliant invention of the "monopod", the so-called "selfie stick" , forever solved the problem of photographs of large groups of people. In any place, at any time, you can always be photographed by the whole family or a large company with the help of this most useful device.
  • If you have a Selfie Ring Light, then questions with the right lighting will no longer arise. This portable LED lamp is mounted on the phone and creates virtual studio light for your selfies. This gadget is especially loved by makeup artists and beauty bloggers, so the result of their work is visible in all its glory.
  • Tripods are sometimes compared with monopods and everyone prefers to buy just one of them. But we insist that these are completely different devices that serve different purposes. Tripod is a portable tripod stand which is designed to maintain and sustainability, used for cameras, telephones and other devices. One of the main advantages of this device is the static it gives to photos. You will never take a photo of a monopod with a really big company against the Niagara Falls, for example.
  • A lens cap for underwater shooting is a great way to get selfies in the style of Little Mermaid and Aquaman. With this cover, you can arrange yourself an underwater photo session in the pool or in the ocean. This is not just a waterproof case, so the photos would be blurry, a wide-angle lens is built in here, with which you can get clear pictures. The cover is equipped with a tripod which is easily attached to the underwater mask to realize unique self portrait ideas

4. Be attentive to backgrounds during the photoshoot

You can catch the perfect light and perspective, but if the background is an extra or ugly object, all your efforts will be in vain. Before you take a photo, turn around and evaluate what and who is behind you and whether it will fall into your frame. Many of the best selfies were spoiled by scattered things, ridiculous reflections, or pets in the background.

5. Get perspective and cool collage examples

The most advantageous angle is the head half a turn, face visually shrinks, cheekbones become sharper, and neck is longer. If you shoot a face, you need to turn your head a little, it will make the picture better. Practice a little in front of the mirror: turn your head, raise and lower your chin, choose which angle you like more.

6. Enjoy funny selfie posing

Properly selected posture will help you look taller and slimmer in your photos. Sit in front of the mirror and select two or three positions where you look like yourself. Here are the main tips to pose: watch your posture, straighten your shoulders, pull in your stomach, lower your arms along your body, it will make you look slimmer.

7. Try self pictures ideas from the top

When you take an original selfie, raise your hand above eye level and take pictures. So the eyes will appear bigger and brighter, there will be no double chin. But do not lift the camera of your phone too high so as not to wrinkle the forehead.

8. Be positive to master Instagram art

Think about something beautiful before you take a picture, it will set you on the right wave, and give your face an extra charm. Good thoughts always cause a sincere smile and sparkles in eyes. Listen to yourself and do as you want at the moment: you want to smile, smile, you want to show your tongue or wink, do not restrain yourself. Emotions always benefit photos, be yourself here and now.

9. The bigger inspiration, the better

The case when the quantity goes into quality. The more pictures you take, the greater the chance that there will be 2-3 very good poses among them. Even celebrities do not always work well on a photo the first time, so they take series from 10 to 50 pics in order to choose the best one later. A little advice: if you are looking for a good angle and change your position in a photo, do it smoothly, without sudden movements, so you will have more chances for good shots.

10. Use photo editors for creative self portraits

Now there is a huge number of photo editing programs with tutorials. Various styles and interface provide different degrees of complexity and focus on different actions and themes. In this app you can impose a filter, hide makeup flaws, remove excess in the photo and many other manipulations to get a perfect picture. Examine all features and choose the one that suits you and display your needs. Understand basic functions of the photo editor, practice a little and your traditional cute images will become even more interesting.We sorted out the main points to get beautiful high-quality images, now let's look at some original self photography ideas.

11. Take a representational picture of your silhouette

Such photos work with a small depth of field and have a good dreamy look. To get such a sculpture silhouette, stand in front of a background that is brighter than you, make sure that the outline of the face is beautifully underlined.

12. Use reflections to invent own project

 

Ideally, if this is a reflection of your face in water, you will have to get wet and play with the perspective, but the result can exceed all your expectations. Take a closer look at world and realize that reflections can be found in many, even the most unexpected places indoor: mirrors, puddles, walls, and sometimes even in a cup with morning coffee you can find an interesting frame.

13. Create a rainbow effect on the face

Bright colors always add creativity to the photo. You can use a lens to get a rainbow effect, or you can take a regular option and a flashlight. Shine a flashlight on the shiny side of the disk, until rainbow stripes appear on your face, for such photos you may need a mirror and a tripod.

14. Create your own photo background for the caption

An interesting background for a photo can be easily made by yourself. You will need some fabric of original texture, flower arrangement, crumpled and straightened paper, drawing on a big piece of paper. You can get a creative and beautiful background from your simplest materials for your shots. This is the most creative craft ever, which can be adored by couples, babies and even serious guys.

15. Show your primary hobbies

When a person is engaged in his favorite work, he looks different and these are great fun self portrait ideas. For example, you like to ride a bike and take selfies while cycling in the woods: the cheeks blush from a quick ride, your eyes are burning, you are busy with your favorite work and you leave this beautiful moment in your memory.

16. Dress up tricks for students and experts

Sometimes you want to be a different person, it’s enough to use a wig and clothes. A little bit of creativity, a bronzer, a wig from the store and you are already a Rihanna twin. Such tricks will add you not only good photos, but also a good mood.

17. All the attention to details

Learning how to take self portrait it is important to remember that you can take a picture of your hands when playing guitar or cooking, a silhouette on the beach against a sunset, legs in rubber boots walking through puddles, eyes or lips with beautiful makeup. Look at yourself in the mirror and photograph the part of yourself that you like at this moment.

18. Make funny photos

Cheer up yourself and others with the help of funny pictures. Even if you do not really like shooting and results afterwards, you will still enjoy the process of filming.

19. Black and white shots

If you convert a picture into a black and white format, you always get another effect, deeper and more dramatic than in color version. It already turns out a completely different picture and a different story. When you don’t understand what else can make your pics better, try convert it to black and white and watch how the most banal portrait become a frame of an old film.

20. Become a movie hero

Cosplay movie characters is always fun. You can become Scarlett O’Hara or Harley Quinn or dress up in the style of People in Black. A bit of makeup, sunglasses, a strict suit and you're already a secret agent. These photos show your movie preferences, collect likes and raise your spirits immediately.

21. Hide part of the face

You can use fabrics, hair and even your own fingers, covering part of the face with them. Photos on which the face is partially covered with a leaf of a palm tree look very beautiful. If you make a beautiful makeup with smokey eyes effect and close the rest of the face with a silk scarf, you will get a selfie in a very sensual style.

22. Do not forget about hats for selfies

Original hats do not necessarily cost a great sum of money. They can easily be made by yourself. A wreath of flowers is one of the most beautiful options, making delicate and romantic hats, any girl will look like a fairytale fairy. A handmade crown or purchased item will make you a real princess. And cute straw hats are just made for photos in the park or on the beach. Choose a hat to your taste and make the most beautiful pictures.

23. Experiment with shadow and light or choose the middle

Shadows give photos an element of mystery and magic. It can be a darkened part of the face, a silhouette against the background of an open door at sunset, stunning photos are obtained with a shadow from the leaves and plants on the face. Find the source of light and beautiful background and give freedom to your imagination.

24. Selfies with pets

If you have a favorite pet at home, then you are a very happy person. There is nothing more pleasing than a cool snapshot with your favorite fluffy cat in your arms, or with a domestic parrot that sits on your head, or when your favorite dog is licking your cheek. Animals in a photo always add warmth and comfort to it and make us smile.

25. Use Triptychs

Triptychs as a new trend for self portrait photography tips. A series of three photos, united by a common theme and telling one story is called a triptych. This genre in selfie style will allow you to tell your little story with the help of photos.

26. Selfies with friends

These are the most fun pictures in the world and the more creative your friends are, the more interesting the photos are going to be. You can be Charlie's Angels, sit on the couches like characters from the TV series of Friends, just laugh and have fun. And it doesn't matter how many you are two or ten, you still get the most fun pictures. The only thing that can not be done with friends is boring photos.

27. Use color scheme

Make the background, your clothes and makeup in the same color scheme. Not all the same color, but in the same color scheme. At first glance, this is a simple task, but it will require a lot of creativity from you.

28. Make seasons play their part

Each season has its own special charm: winter photos in hats and mittens on the background of the Christmas tree, spring picnics on the green-green grass, selfie on warm summer evenings and of course red-orange autumn gardens. Every time nature is revealed in a new way and gives us beautiful backgrounds for photographs.

29. Keep holiday selfies in fashion

Every holiday is a special magic and mood. Festive photos on the background of the Christmas tree, a selfie with a huge turkey for Thanksgiving and festive confetti for the New Year are asking us to take a picture and capture this beautiful moment.We hope our article was useful for you and will help to create your own galleries and styles.Whatever idea for portrait you will choose, these tips would definitely give you a small understanding of how to organize everything. We wish you pleasant and sincere emotions, and for everything else there are modern applications and editors.