Selfies - how to take a good one!!

It’s all about lighting and angles (and not over-pouting!!!)

1) Lighting – you need as much light directly onto your face as you can; don’t stand side onto the light or worse, underneath down lights (this will instantly make you look 10 years older as it emphasises under eye bags and God knows what else! – just take a look at the photo of me at one of my art exhibitions – it’s given me a big nose and sun glasses amongst other things – paintings look great – me, not so much!). Always face into the light (or face up into the light), preferably daylight if you can, or use a ’selfie light’ as Kim Kardashian does – LuMee is a phone cover that lights up your face when taking photos (brilliant!)

2) Angles – the best angle is generally having the camera above you, angled down (see photo of Kim demonstrating this for the millionth time!), with your face looking up into it. This gets as much light onto your face as you can, and gives the overall effect of a slimmer body too (a by-product I love!)

3) Pouting – you must understand that when you over-pout (i.e: tightly purse your lips as though you were going to peck someone on the cheek) you can quickly fall into a good impression of ‘cat’s bottom’ – if you don’t know what I mean, have a look at a cat’s rear the next time you see one! When I work with photographer Peter Coulson (Fashion Photographer of the Year 4 times) – he always instructs his models to relax their lips so they are parted and gently breath out between them – Marilyn Monroe perfected this – I recommend taking a leaf out of her book! Or failing that – just simply smiling is always good!