Whether you’re new to smartphones or simply need to update your Tinder profile, learning how to take a selfie is all but a rite of passage in the 2020’s.
Globally, 83% of the population now owns a smartphone. When you compare that figure to 49% in 2016, it’s safe to say that we’re well and truly living in the digital age. With more than three quarters of the world now having a camera in their pocket at any given moment of the day, it’s amazing to think that the concept of taking a selfie didn’t even exist twenty years ago – or maybe it did, and now we just have a name for it.
Although popular in Japanese culture in the early nineties, selfies – or self portraits – grew in popularity in line with the technology developments of smart phones. Often taken with a camera held at arm’s length, many Millennials either fondly recall or cringe at their Myspace selfies that once dominated social media. These days, reversible smartphone cameras and selfie sticks have fine tuned the process, making the art of capturing photos and videos of yourself significantly easier.
For those who still need to learn how to take a selfie, the good news is that the process is relatively straightforward, with many avenues and even additional forms of apparatus now available to new smartphone users – so what are your options?
You might be on a solo adventure overseas, and wish to capture this moment in time. You might be in dire need of a new Facebook profile picture. You might even just want to send a picture of yourself to your Mum to let her know what you’re up to. Whatever your reasons, learning how to take a selfie that you’re not embarrassed to show someone else is somewhat of a fine art. Thankfully, there are a few cheat codes that can be deployed as a means to boost your selfie game.
Natural Light – Fluorescent lighting does your face no favours, so get outside if you want to take the perfect selfie. Though natural light is important, try to avoid directly facing the sun and casting shadows on your face. Two hours after sunrise or two hours before sunset are usually considered as your best bet, with the latter being known as the revered “golden hour”.
Play With Angles – Unflattering angles are the enemy of any decent selfie. Experiment with positions that highlight your best features, such as pointing your chin slightly down while looking up at the camera, and turning your face slightly to one side. Avoid taking selfies that have the camera looking up at your chin, and try to get the camera at the level that best suits your face.
Experiment With Settings – The smartphone manufacturers know all too well that consumers love the in-built cameras on their devices, so go exploring to see which features you can harness when learning to take a selfie. As an example, iPhones have Portrait Mode, which was purposefully designed to allow users to take better selfies.
Use Self Timers – Selfies are cool and all, but sometimes the view of your arm or selfie stick can really kill the vibe. Instead, try leaning your phone against a surface or invest in a tripod, and use your smart phone’s self timer feature to take selfies. Not only will this give you both of your hands back, but it also allows you to capture photos with a wider viewpoint.
Be Kind To Yourself – The very best selfies are when your face shows that you’re happy, healthy and content. Try to avoid the social media based pressures of over manipulating your face or using too many filters – after all, the idea behind selfies is to capture a photo that is natural and in the moment.
Although we live in an increasingly digital age, technology has also brought with it an extra set of distractions on top of whatever happens to pop up during our day to day lives. If you’re looking to improve your selfie game, want to learn more about your smart phone’s camera, or even other tech features included, it’s always worth speaking to the professionals.
SOS Phone Repairs are specialists in high-quality, cost-effective phone repairs, tablet repairs, and PC repairs, all backed with a six month warranty. Founded in 2015 in Coffs Harbour and now with over sixteen outlets located all over Australia, our primary driving factors remain the same: people and phones.
Whether it’s to get a few more years out of your trusted iPhone, to fix one up to sell, or to repurpose an old one as a gift, repairing a smartphone might just be easier and cheaper than you think. However, if you’re in the market for a new smartphone, SOS Phone Repairs also stocks a wide variety of refurbished handsets at a fraction of the cost of a brand new one. While each has been carefully restored to perform at their best, all refurbished smartphones purchased through SOS also come with a twelve month warranty, and can be purchased at any of our sixteen store locations.
If you are on the hunt for a quote, diagnostic, or even just some good old fashioned, friendly advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call today at SOS Phone Repairs.
