You think you’ve got your selfie game nailed down to an art form, but surprisingly, there are a number of things to think about when taking a selfie.
How should you pose? Should you smile or pout? What's your best angle? Is the lighting good? How about your hair?
Yeah, yeah, you know all of this already, but what’s the one thing that most people forget to consider when snapping their selfie?
Where to look.
I know it seems kind of obvious, but trust me, so many people out there smile and hope for the best without considering their gaze.
No more!
Here are some options and tips to help direct your attention to get an A+ selfie.
Straight At The Camera
Perhaps the most obvious and comfortable place to look is straight down the camera.
Notice I said, "down the camera," not "at yourself on the screen." It's a subtle change, but one that will make a big difference.
When you look at yourself in your selfie, you likely consider what you can change, which ends up showing on your face, even if you're smiling.
No bueno.
Instead, try looking at the actual camera. Not only will this force you to stop concentrating on your own face, but you'll also have a more natural look.
Think of it this way: you know when you're talking to someone, and you can tell they’re looking over your shoulder? Well, this is the selfie equivalent. Looking at the lens is like making actual eye contact with who looks at the photo. Much better.
To The Side
Sometimes, if you don't want to look directly into the lens, you can try looking to the side.
Highly recommend implementing this little hack when taking a selfie with a mate.
Why?
Well, primarily because it tends to give off a more candid feel than if you both look at the camera. Just don't glance too far away, or you might end up looking a tad bit creepy with all the whites of your eyes visible. No thanks.
If you don't know how far to look, think of your phone camera as the midday position on a clock. Try keeping your focus between right next to your phone and where the one o'clock position would be. If you start focussing any further round, you risk the disturbing white-eye look.
The Eye-Roll
Let’s be real—sometimes we want a selfie that steps outside the box of your typical Plain Jane smile.
Say hello to the eye roll selfie. Or, what can perhaps be more accurately described as the “looking up selfie.”
The key to nailing this selfie is to make sure the rest of your face matches your eyes. No smiling allowed. Instead, it’s all about that sass. Try pouting, biting your lip, and frowning to help pull the focus with something else.
Alsooooooo, keep in mind that not everyone can pull the eye-roll selfie off, so defs give it a go in private to make sure you can nail it.
Closed Eyes
Anyone down to eliminate the problem of not knowing where to look altogether?
If your hand is in the air, you’re going to love the idea of closing your eyes in a selfie.
That's right, there are some instances where closed eyes can make the photo look better because it helps avoid the awkwardness of not knowing where to look.
Closing your eyes also gives off the vibe that you're super happy or really in the moment, which wins you some serious selfie points.
For instance, you know when you laugh so much your eyes close? Or you're at a music festival and you close your eyes to listen to the music?
Well, taking a selfie with your eyes closed can give your selfie that same feel—like you're having the time of your life.
Just keep in mind that with your eyes closed, the focus of the photo will probably be on your mouth, so let’s be sure that you’re smiling, ‘kay?
The bottom line for where to look when taking a selfie:
There is so much more that goes into nailing a selfie than just looking at your phone.
So next time you're snapping away, consider where you're looking.
And hey, in the meantime, try a few different styles out to see which ones work for you and which ones definitely don’t.
Do this and you're already ahead of the game.
