Keith W Springer – The Art of the Selfie

There is little question that if we have the choice, most of us would be very happy to have a professional like Keith W Springer behind the camera to document the important moments in our lives.  Sadly, that is not generally option – hence the rise of the selfie!  Some folks, like Kim Kardashian and the “Instagram models” have made a career out of taking the perfect selfie, and have definitely mastered their selfie game.  But most of us have a sad collection of selfies taking up space on our smart phones…bad lighting, bad angles…just bad!  Thankfully, there are some easy ways that you can up your selfie game, so read on.

Timing is everything!

There is a reason that most smart phone camera apps have a timer, and that is because is almost impossible (unless you have really long fingers) to touch the button on today’s larger smart phones while keeping a good grip on the phone.  This is surely the cause of many badly posed or out of focus selfies.  Make things easier by using the timer – this will give you a few seconds to strike a perfect pose before the snap is taken.

Look at the lens, not the screen

Another advantage of using the timer is that you have a moment to remind yourself to direct your gaze towards the lens, not towards the screen.  This is a classic amateur error – take a look at group selfies and you will notice that in many of them everyone seems to be looking at something else.  Not only is sort of strange to see peoples’ eye differently focused, but even in photos where are going solo, looking at the screen rather than the lens can make you make you look a bit cross-eyed as well. Never a good look!

Find the right angle

The most flattering selfies are taken from an angle that is slightly above your head from the distance of your fully extended arm.  From that angle, as long as you remember to dip your chin down ever so slightly, you will avoid the dreaded double chin effect that other angles can create.  Don’t forget to turn your body slightly into the shot.  This will help to create a bit of depth in the field that can be lost when you are taking a selfie – as evidenced by the fact that many of us look like football players with massive flat arms.

Make sure your besties get their due

It is natural when are taking a selfie that there is a bit of the “look at me!” in the framing.  Sometimes that is totally appropriate, as in when you are the bride, the birthday girl or the new mom.  But despite the name, some of the best selfies are not about the person taking the picture but are rather about the group of people or the incredible background.  Consider whether you should really be the focus of the picture, and adjust the framing appropriately. Be aware that there is an upper limit to how many people can squish into a selfie before everyone is forced into potentially unflattering poses.

As you can see, with just a bit of attention and a moment’s pause before taking the picture, you can go a long way to making sure that your selfies are worth holding onto!