The SELFIE Phenomenon; Lets get it straight!
3:29 PM
Lets face it (pun intended)! Selfies are here to stay! According to this New York Times article, the word "Selfie" has been added to Oxford Dictionary lexicon. Thus, anointing it as an official staple of modern culture. Sooooo, with that being said, here is my advice before you pout for your next gawgeous mug; ready?!
TAKE A GOOD PIC!!! and then... CHECK IT, TWICE!!
First of all, technology can only do but so much. We have apps that blur our blemishes, shoots in the dark, applys our makeup, gives us reindeer ears and crazy red eyes....but no app can fix that unsightly toilet in the background lol. There are so many things to consider when you pull that trigger, <a-hem> I mean, when you press the shutter lol, and they are just as important to your image as the new shade of lipstick you want to show off. In my book (not for sale tee-hee) the three major things to consider are: (dum dum duuuuuuuuum)
pose
posture
position (did I just make up a new term?!)
Allow me to break it down. Posing is not easy. Its why we have to delete, like 59 images from our phone when we pick the best of the bunch. Usually, if its of your face, know your angles. I am more than positive we all know what that means...if mirrors could speak, they'd have a lot to say. Lol. We should all know our 'good' side, 'bad' side, what we like and don't like. For those of you who don't have a 'bad' side, I bow down to you!!! Some of us (like me) may even pose the same in every pic, because we favor one side over the other. But one key factor to take into account is lighting. We may not be aware of how light affects our appearance but here is a COOL VIDEO experiment I found on FB a while ago that shows exactly that. You can either face the sun, or face the shade, and even if you have to rotate like earth on its axis to find that magical light, just be sure to avoid overhead lights - mine sworn enemy grrrr. They create shadows under your eyelids and can make you look like the walking dead. Same as under lighting. If you're taking a selfie in the dark, none of it matters because it may be grainy anyway without flash. 
Posturing in your selfie is also important, in that, you want to make sure you have solid footing, especially if it's not just your face in the frame. For example, us girls like to show our outfits and in order to do that, we have to tilt the phone at an angle. I have even dared to hold the phone upside down to get an interesting perspective, thanks to my long arms lol. If that is the case, men can get away with posturing with their legs apart but females, to give yourself that hourglass shape, put one foot in front of the other. It slims us down while giving us that feminine silhouette we love to show off (GUILTY). One thing that helps me is wearing heels, which I actually never take off, soooooo, theres that lol!!!
Now, positioning is probably the most important factor of all! Please please please, take a look around you, behind you to the left, to the right...all the way around. A cluttered background does not only give OCD-like people, (me again!) the heeby jeebys, but it also takes away from the main subject-YOU! Pizza boxes on the coffee table, a pile of clothes you just tried on, dirty dishes in the sink and especially toilets are soooo not necessary when you share your pic. A good way to keep things in the right <a-hem> perspective is FILL THE FRAME! From the top to the bottom, make sure you see whats important-your face!! Angle your lens from the the top of your head to your nipple line or even your belly button if you can get there. Unless, of course, you're at a sporting event or concert, amusement park...beach, those places are cool. Positioning the phone is also of utmost importance. The only reason your phone should be low is if you're reading the screen. NO one's chin looks good at that angle lol. And unless you're shooting your whole outfit (guilty) there is no reason to reach to the sky with your phone, especially if you leave a huge space above your head. Always remember that the closest thing to the lens appears biggest. That is why sometimes it looks like you're looking at the back of a spoon. Your phone lens is wide angle therefore widening things that probably shouldn't be widened (wink).
I have to admit it, I have joined the selfie movement! Reluctantly, at first, but now I am a proud owner of folders and folders dedicated to selfies. There is definitely truth to the old adage "practice makes perfect" because I try my best to experiment and get some creative juices flowing when I just want to use my cell phone as opposed to my a77. Most important thing about taking Selfies is that they are FUN!!! Below are some examples of just that. Have fun, take lots of selfies and share share share!!!
I have to admit it, I have joined the selfie movement! Reluctantly, at first, but now I am a proud owner of folders and folders dedicated to selfies. There is definitely truth to the old adage "practice makes perfect" because I try my best to experiment and get some creative juices flowing when I just want to use my cell phone as opposed to my a77. Most important thing about taking Selfies is that they are FUN!!! Below are some examples of just that. Have fun, take lots of selfies and share share share!!!
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