In this social media day and age, the selfie has become the best friend to millions of people right around the world. Each day millions of selfies are taken with the intention of being shared on MySpace, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or any other social media networking site. While some show the body and others show the head, it is important to know the selfie do’s and don’ts when it comes to creating a good selfie for social media.

SELFIE DO’S

Smile:

• We’ve all been guilty of not smiling at some point when a photo is taken and have probably been guilty of taking a strange face photo before, but this is out and smiles are in. Smiling while taking your selfie shows a classy and fun side to you and actually brings out your better features with more glow. When taking a selfie, have fun but try to smile to show the best side of yourself for others to see.

Angles:

• Choosing your best angle is also a great way to take a great selfie. This can be done by experimenting with your camera and taking multiple photos all from different angles. Once you have found the most flattering angle of yourself, you can then start snapping away.

Look Good:

• When you’re taking a great selfie, it is always best to put a little effort into your appearance beforehand to make yourself more camera ready. You don’t have to go over the top glamorous just aim for nice clothing and makeup to highlight your already fabulous features.

Filters:

• Filters were made for using, so why not use them to your advantage? Filter use doesn’t have to be obvious. Some extreme filtering an cause you to look fake, but by experimenting the right filter it may just enhance your facial features like bringing out your eye color, highlighting cheekbones, or toning the color of your skin slightly.

Lighting:

• Lighting is the next best thing to help your selfie become successful. Overhead lighting tends to create a lot of dark shadowing. Direct sunlight is the best option with the sun behind you so your face is highlighted.

Surroundings:

• One thing that kills a good selfie is the background behind you. An unpleasant background will draw attention away from you and will make your look unappealing. Make sure any room you are in is tidy and clean, and check your background when outdoors.

Toolbox:

• Utilizing your toolbox is a great way of saving a selfie. There are times when the unavoidable photo-bomber appears in your photo where you look stunning. With some simple techniques by use of your editing toolbox, you can save your selfie. So always learn how to properly use your editing toolbox.

SELFIE DON’TS

Sexy Selfie:

• There is plenty of controversy over inappropriate and sexy selfies being distributed across social media networks. In today’s world, you need to be mindful of what you will be putting on these sites for the world to see. Remember whatever you load up on the internet can never be erased permanently, it always holds a hidden residue presence that can be found by the right people. Although it may seem right at the moment, many people have regretted it later in their life. Try to avoid distributing sexy selfies on the internet as this will draw the wrong kind of attention.

Try Too Hard:

• Don’t try too hard to look sexy or cool because you have already failed. Creativity is fine but try to be your natural self. The natural photos shine your better features through than those where you’re trying too hard.

Hashtag Overuse:

• It is also a good idea not to over-use a hashtag when uploading photos. In moderation, hashtags are great and can cause you to have more likes and followers. The rule is more than 5 hashtags is overkill. When it comes to a selfie less is more.