Unless you’ve been living under a rock or stranded on a desert island somewhere, you have probably heard of and even taken your own selfie before – don’t lie we’ve all done it at least once! Everyone is taking selfies these days, not just us young folk, mums, dads, and even grandparents are jumping on the band wagon with an estimated 1.2 billion selfies taken in the UK in 2014 alone, with that number increasing year on year.

To be honest you’ve probably seen more bad selfies than good. Yes, I’m talking the ever awkward mum-and-dad-on-holiday selfie, trying so hard to get both of their faces in the shot as well as the beautiful view. And don’t forget the friends who selfie so much, for what seems to be the most pointless reasons, that you just end up wanting to block them.

Now, it’s no secret that good selfies can be a great tool for promoting an Instagram page. Lets take a look at Instagram’s selfie queen, Kylie Jenner, who has basically made her career off the platform. Promoting her own app, makeup line and clothing line to her huuge following of 82.7 million, she really has earned her title as the queen of selfies.

Kylie Jenner Instagram Profile 2017

Kylie Jenner Instagram Profile 2017

last bathroom selfie of the year ?

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on

happy thanksgiving ??

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on

 

No matter what type of Instagram profile you have, be that Gym, Foodie, Fashion, etc. (See my previous blog post: What Type of Instagrammer Are You?) a good selfie can never hurt! So if you’re after some tips and tricks to help improve your selfie game, look no further.

Know your good side and your bad angles

With selfies you have the advantage of being your own photographer, and can de-accentuate the parts of your face that aren’t your favourite.

If like me you still haven’t grown out of your chubby baby cheeks, to make your face look slimmer raise your phone slightly above eye level when taking your selfies. Or if you’re including your torso in the picture turning so your body is about 45 degrees to the  camera will also make you look slimmer. Alternatively sticking your neck out slightly helps eliminate the little bulge under your chin.

 

Use good lighting (pleeease!)

There is nothing worse than a selfie – in fact, make that any picture – with crap lighting! Standing by a window in natural lighting will give your selfie a soft look, eliminating those unforgiving dark shadows.

If you’re stuck in the sunshine, please for the love of God, don’t stand with the sun directly in front of you or directly behind you! A good recommendation is placing the sun at either 2 or 10 o’clock behind your shoulder, avoiding the blinding light squint and the shadow of your arm and your phone across your face.

 

Filters are your friend

Filters are available on Instagram itself, and on a multitude of free photo editing apps, and are a great way to help brighten and soften your skin tone, give you a healthy glow and make each pic different in its own way.

Experiment with them, as each adds different looks and moods to your photos. Once you’ve found your favourite, you’ll never look back!

 

Have fun!

Last but not least, enjoy yourself! No one likes it when someone takes themselves too seriously. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing bad about a serious selfie, those pouts and sexy scowls wont like themselves! But a cheeky smile, silly pose, or just throwing up the classic white girl peace gesture is bound to brighten up your profile!