Lenovo shares some tips on how to take the perfect mirror selfie.
The phenomenon known as the “selfie” refers to self-portraits taken with a hand-held digital camera or smartphone. The resulting photograph is usually edited, and subsequently uploaded to social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.
Selfies are this generation’s way of self-expression. It can make or break your popularity in social media circles. Bad selfies, more often than not, can turn off people which may result in unfollows. But interesting ones can increase your followers.
One of things people usually like to share on social media is the “Outfit of the day,” or more popularly known as #OOTD, a hashtag made famous by fashion bloggers.
The trend is a hit as fans and followers of fashion bloggers want to know and often times take inspiration from what their idols wear on a daily basis. There are two ways to achieve an OOTD shot – have someone take your photo or take a perfect mirror selfie.
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Mirror selfies are relatively easier because it requires very minimal effort when you know how to take a good one. Plus, it’s always less stressful to pose alone. If you have a ton of bad photos, you can easily to delete them before anyone else can see it.
So without further adieu, here are some useful tips you can follow for that perfect mirror selfie.
Tip 1: Pick a good side of the room and tidy it up.
Remember to remove all clutter from your background. This could distract your viewers from the subject (which is you) and the details you want to emphasize on your outfit. Having a cluttered background will ruin your perfect mirror selfie.
How your room looks like adds to the overall quality of your mirror selfie. You don’t necessarily have to spend to revamp your room. Just keep it neat and tidy.
If it’s possible, choose a room that is painted with a plain color — white, light blue, yellow, green or pink is always safe. Pick one side and make sure it’s clean.
If you have a mirror mounted on a wall or cabinet, you’re stuck with the opposite side of the mirror as your background. In this case, just make sure that anything the mirror can reflect looks nice.
Tip 2: Secure a full-length mirror.
You need a full length mirror to capture your whole outfit from head to toe. Full-length mirrors are typically about 160-175 cm tall and about 60-70 cm wide.
They can be mounted on walls or cabinets. Make sure they have a neutral angle, meaning it is flat on the wall to avoid distorting your image.
One problem with wall-mounted mirrors is that it can’t be easily moved, unlike free standing mirrors. Ideally, it should not face direct light if you intend to use it for your mirror selfie.
Like your room, make sure that the mirror is clean. Stubborn mirror stains can, in fact, ruin your photo. Moisture may cause spots that are hard to come off. If you don’t have a glass cleaner, you can use a lint-free rag dipped in white vinegar and lemon juice. Clean mirrors result in better selfies
Tip 3: Use a high quality camera.
This isn’t as important as the other tips, but it does help to have a device that can take high quality photos. A perfect outfit on a perfect background wouldn’t be as perfect if the final output would be bad.
Nowadays, there are a lot of smartphones that can take good quality photos, such as the Lenovo S850. This model is specifically designed for the fashion-conscious crowd as it features a classy all-glass exterior to compliment your #OOTDs. It has a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP wide-angle front camera that can capture sharp photos effortlessly.
It also helps to have a smartphone that is easy to grip; something you can use single-handedly. The Lenovo S850 is thin and light weighing only 140 grams so it won’t really get in your way of striking a pose in front of the mirror.
Remember never to use the flash. A lot of people forget to turn off the flash when taking a mirror selfie. The flash of your camera will reflect in the mirror and give a bright “hot spot” or glare in the photo that can ruin a good selfie.
Tip 4. Pay attention to good lighting.
In photography, lighting is everything. It gives your photo drama and life. Professional photographers manipulate light in different ways but you don’t need to be a pro to achieve your desired mirror shot.
The best light you can use is natural light, so take advantage of it during the day. Open your windows and allow the sun to come into the room. Make sure not to stand against the light, though, when taking your mirror selfie.
If you’re taking a mirror selfie at night, make sure that the room is well-lit. Ideally, a good mix of white and yellow light can enhance your skin tone.
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Plain white (fluorescent) lamps tend to make your skin look dull and sometimes darker than your actual color. Yellow (incandescent) lamps may be too low and soft to light up room as desired.
You can also play around with your phone camera’s white balance setting if its possible. This will help you control the colors and hue of your selfies.
Tip 5. Practice your pose.
Be comfortable with yourself in front of the mirror. Practice some poses and make sure your posture is right. If you’re not comfortable with your pose, people will see the awkwardness in your photo.
On the other hand, if you are confident with yourself, there’s no way you can’t get noticed. Angle your body to make it more flattering versus shooting straight on.
Most mirror selfies are done with the smartphone positioned in line with your shoulders or just beside your jaw line so as to not cover your face. Try taking as much photos as you can and then choose the best copy afterwards.
You can even edit it on phone to enhance colors, brightness, and sharpness. Also, don’t forget to look into the camera lens in the mirror before you take a shot.
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That’s about it for our tips. Remember, do not be afraid to experiment! Try a new pose each day and play around with your look. You can make silly faces but don’t overdo it. You can mess up you hair a little bit too if you like. Make-up is not required but if it makes you feel more confident about the way you look, then go for it. Lastly and the most important of all, don’t forget to smile!
These tips should help you achieve that perfect mirror selfie. Now that you’re ready to share your OOTDs with your friends in social media, might as well take advantage of on-going Facebook contest by Lenovo and get a chance to win P5,000 worth of gift certificates from Forever21. More details on the contest can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/lenovomobileph/app_941568679193922.
