How to take the perfect selfie: 9 tips

An essential guide

From the Dolce&Gabbana runway to the Oxford Dictionary and Instagram, selfies are the decade’s social media phenomenon. Here are 9 tips to up your selfie game.

From the Dolce&Gabbana Summer 2016 Womenswear runway show and the advertising campaign to the Oxford Dictionary, passing by the Instagram feeds of every celebrity, the selfie is this decade’s biggest social media related phenomenon. Are you a novice? Or have you not honed your skills to perfection yet? Here are 9 tips for the perfect selfie.

In 2013 the word of the year elected by the Oxford Dictionary was selfie, and since then the popularity has only but increased. From selfie sticks, to extreme selfies, passing by bathroom or gym selfies, groups selfies and so on our Instagram feeds are full. But how to take the perfect selfie? For those who still haven’t honed their technique, we have some precious tips for taking the prefect selfie.

1. The angle
Always try to take the picture from above. Whether you opt for the handy selfie stick, or for an impromptu snap, the angle is everything. Don’t ever take one from below, your proportions will seem distorted and without fail you will seem to have a rather unattractive double chin. Another solution for the chin issue? Camera up, chin down.

2. To squint or not to squint?
We’ve read recently that a secret to appear better in pictures seems to be squinting. Plenty of research has been done on the matter, and it really does seem to make a difference. The doe-eyed look will never be passé, but next time you go for the snap try to squint (not too much as those crow’s feet are just waiting to be immortalized).

3. The composition
Some have died in the search for the perfect selfie in the perfect location. We would never advise anyone to climb atop a tower to snap, or balance on the edge of a cliff, yet composition is important, so you need to find your fail-safe spot (with fail-safe lighting). If all else fails, there’s always a retouch app just one click away.

4. The selfie face
A tried and tested selfie expression is the secret weapon of many proficient selfie takers. Practice in the mirror, take lots of pictures, and once you find the angle, the expression and the right balance between a smirk and the duck face, commit it to memory, so you’ll always be ready for that impromptu selfie moment.

5. The smile
Sometimes the rehearsed selfie face with the perfect pout, squint and angle aren’t right for the occasion. What to do? Smile, nothing is more beautiful than happy.

6. Props
As the Dolce&Gabbana advertising campaign teaches us, props can be as important as a perfect setting, so don’t be afraid to accessorize. Handbags, princess headphones, sunglasses, and of course food.

7. Its not a job
Sometimes, not taking yourself too seriously can result in the perfect selfie. Smile, goof around, laugh, make funny faces. Just be your self and you’re sure to snap the perfect pic.

8. Don’t solo selfie
Sometimes the solo selfie can seem flat and contrived. We’ve seen it at the Oscars in 2014, we’ve seen it in the Dolce&Gabbana advertising campaign, group selfies are the new selfie.

9. You’re never too old to selfie
There is no age limit on fun, so why should there be on selfies?