I never thought I’d be writing a post on how to take selfies, and a “bomb” one at that, but its 2019 and selfie is officially in the English dictionary. I’m going to break down the tools, the poses and the editing apps… everything that helps me get a decent selfie for the gram.
Let’s start!
I think I have a certain style when it comes to taking selfies, or how I like to call them “self-portraits.” You can stalk my instagram to see what I mean but I think what it comes down to achieving this certain style is the camera settings that I use and my beloved flash. So let’s talk about those two areas first.
THE EQUIPMENT
I like to use my Canon Rebel T6i for higher res photos especially when shooting for brands. I also just like the overall look of flash photography which is something my iPhone can’t do well. I do like selfies on the iPhone with beautiful natural light and I typically take them on Snapchat. I think the quality is better and by better I mean a lil worse so it doesn’t HD my whole life like the actual camera on the Iphone XS. It also doesn’t flip you so what you see/take is exactly what you get.
When shooting on my Canon I have it propped on a tripod and I use the self-timer/remote mode w/ my remote.
Shop the tools:
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Shop more of my fave Amazon gadgets here: amazon.com/shop/amyserrano
THE SETTINGS
I put my Canon Rebel T6i on “P” which stands for Program Mode and I always enable the flash. Here is a photo of my settings. I’m not the most tech savvy when it comes to setting up my camera but I just played around with the brightness. So if you notice the numbers in this photo, you will see the mark is above the center line, closer to the 1. This adjusts how bright it takes the photos. Thats literally the only thing I changed. Lighting is also a key factor when it comes to these specific settings. I typically shoot in a corner of my room with lots of natural light. Typically the best light shines through my room around 10:30am-2 pm.
THE PLAYLIST
I feel like its always a good idea to put music on while you shoot. It helps you feel more relaxed and you channel the energy of the song you’re listening to.
My playlist Not Bland always puts me in a sassy and confident mood, but find what works for you.
THE EDIT
When it comes to editing the picture I don’t like to go overboard so thats why I like to get my camera settings right and lighting right from the jump. I use the app Facetune to fine tune any unwanted hair (unibrow/mustache) and I love to add a little touches of detail to my eyes so that the focus is there. I also always use the Filter>Lighten tool and brighten it up to about 11.
Here are the results:
For some fun edits I love the apps
–Unfold (as used above)
–HujiCam (Film vibes. Not really for selfies but everything else. )
–Analog Seoul ( for distortion/scratches/hair vintage vibes)
– VSCO (more so everything but selfies. I like the filters A6 and E2)
– Snapchat ( if i’m using my iphone to take a selfie I prefer to use the Snapchat camera)
Happy self-portrait taking! If you use my tips I’d love to see!! Use the hashtag #NotBlandSelfies
and be sure to watch the video for more details on posing.
