18 amazing tips on How to Take a Good Selfie for Instagram

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Selfies are a wonderful way to showcase your unique beauty and personality. The art of the selfie is ever-evolving. What makes a good selfie for Instagram? There are some things you can do to improve the quality of your selfie. Keep reading to learn how to take a good selfie for Instagram.

Tips on How to Take a Good Selfie for Instagram

1.) Find great lighting for your selfie

Lighting is one of the most influential factors on the quality of your Instagram selfie. Face your light source for the best results.

2.) Natural lighting

Natural lighting is usually better than any artificial lighting. Morning lighting is often beautiful for a selfie. Avoid harsh lighting from direct sunlight.

3.) Ring lighting

If you can’t find good natural lighting, a ring light is your second best option. A ring light like Auxiwa can dramatically enhance your selfie photo quality. 

4.) Choose a good background

The background of your photo can be just as important as you in your selfie photo. Paying attention to your background can majorly improve your Instagram selfie

5.) Natural backgrounds

Just like lighting, go natural when you can. Something natural can make for a great selfie background. Think flowers, trees, and bodies of water when looking for a natural background.

6.) Avoid distractions

Make sure the background is not too busy. A chaotic and distracting background will make your selfie pop less. On the other hand, a background with minimal distractions can take your selfie to the next level.

7.) Finding your best selfie angles

There are tons of options for selfie angles. It all depends on you and what angle makes you feel most confident. Here are some selfie angle tips to start with.

8.) Find your good side

Your best angle is all about you. Take some test selfie shots and find the side that you like the best. Then, plan to take selfies angled towards that good side.

9.) Low angle vs. high angle

There is controversy over whether the low selfie angle or high selfie angle is more flattering. Each has different effects. Try both and see which one you like best for your selfie! Either one may be better than a selfie at eye level. For a low angle, hold your camera about 45 degrees below your eye line. For a high angle hold your camera about 45 degrees above your eye line. As always, play around with what works best for you!

10.) Express yourself

A selfie is a photo of yourself after all. Your face and facial expression are the main subjects of the photo. To take a good selfie for Instagram, try out these tips for a lovely expression.

11.) Show your smile

Everyone loves to see a genuine smile in a selfie. Adding a spark of joy to your Instagram selfie is a sure-fire way to make it a good one.

12.) Confidence is key

Confidence shows through the camera. Do whatever you need to do to boost your confidence. Give yourself a pep talk, put on some makeup, do your hair, or do a dance. Then take your selfie. The confidence you feel will shine through and make your Instagram selfie amazing!

13.) Have fun!

Taking selfies isn’t serious business. Whatever you do, have fun with it. Just like confidence, a fun-spirited selfie is usually better than a super serious one. Remind yourself and your followers to let loose and enjoy life.

14.) Take a lot of selfies

Take a ton of photos. You are more likely to capture that perfect selfie if you take more. Then you will have a good amount to choose from. Your best Instagram selfie will be in there somewhere.

15.) Use the ⅔ rule

This is a common photography rule of thumb. ⅔ of the selfie should be your face. ⅓ of the selfie should be the background. This will provide an elevating balance in your selfie.

16.) Editing your selfie for Instagram

There are a few great ways to edit your selfies. If you have followed the tips above, less is more with editing. Use moderation when you edit your selfie for Instagram.

17.) Instagram filters

Instagram has filters within the app that can enhance your Instagram selfie. There are a couple of different types of filters you can choose from. You can use a filter that changes the coloring and lighting of your selfie. There are also filters that will change the way your face physically looks. Some of these filters can change your facial features and add elements to make them look better or to make your face look funny. Which filter you choose depends on what effect you are aiming for in your Instagram selfie.

18.) Editing apps

Cell phones offer editing tools within your photos app. These tools include the basics like clarity, exposure, contrast, saturation, and more. Sometimes these will be enough to bring your Instagram selfie to the next level.

Try the below professional and trusted third party apps if you are looking for more features, tools and filters.

Remember that less is more with editing. Take a look at some influencers’ selfies that you like. Try to match their editing styles to start!

Bottom line

A selfie is a glimpse into who you are. At the end of the day, it is also just a photo. Find some great lighting and your confidence. Follow some of the above tips and your selfie will be a great addition to the Instagram feed.