In a world that is absolutely saturated with carefully curated feeds and perfected poses, the “selfie” has, for better or worse, become a cornerstone of our digital identity. But what if your selfie could be more than just a fleeting image? What if it could truly capture the unique, messy and beautiful essence of you? It can!
Forget about the pressure to look perfect, because this isn’t about chasing likes or the latest fleeting trends. This is about self-discovery, self-expression and creating an image that genuinely reflects the incredible individual that you are and what makes you feel the most authentically beautiful version of yourself. So if you’re ready to ditch the generic and embrace the authentic, then let’s dive into how to take the ultimate selfie that truly captures your essence…
The Setting: Your Personal Canvas
Your environment speaks volumes. Instead of a bland wall, why not think about the places that genuinely resonate with you…
- Your happy place: Is it curled up with a book, surrounded by plants, or in your workshop? Show it!
- A reflection of your passions: Are you a musician? The why not feature your instrument. An artist? Your easel. A nature lover? Step outside!
- Meaningful clutter: You don’t have to perfectly stage everything. Sometimes the most authentic shots are in your everyday space, complete with your quirks and treasures.
Pro-Tip: Natural light is your best friend, so try to face a window or step outside during the “golden hour” shortly after sunrise or before sunset for soft, flattering illumination without the need for expensive lighting or technical equipment.
The Expression: Let Your Soul Shine Through
This is where the magic happens as we move beyond the standard pout or forced smile.
- Authentic Emotion: Ask yourself what are you feeling right now? Happy, contemplative, mischievous, determined? Then let it show. Don’t be afraid of a thoughtful gaze, a genuine laugh, or even a hint of a smirk that speaks volumes about your personality.
- Tell a Story with Your Eyes: Your eyes are windows to your soul. Make direct eye contact with the camera, or let your gaze drift slightly to create a more pensive or artistic feel.
- Embrace Imperfection: A stray hair, a genuine crinkle around your eyes when you smile – these are the most wonderful things which make you you. Please don’t over-edit or try to erase your unique features.
Why not experiment by taking a series of photos, consciously shifting your emotions with each click. You’ll be surprised at what emerges!
The Details: Subtle Nods To Your Identity
Little things can make a big impact in conveying your essence as an individual:
- Your Signature Style: Are you known for your quirky glasses, a particular piece of jewellery, or a specific way that you wear your hair? Highlight it!
- A Personal Prop: This could be anything from your favourite coffee cup to a well-loved sketchbook, a paintbrush, or even a pet peeking into the frame. These all add such vibrant layers of personality.
- The Angle that Flatters YOU: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different angles. Sometimes a slightly higher angle can be flattering, but don’t be afraid to try eye-level or even lower down shots to capture a different perspective that feels more you.
The Feeling: What Do You Want To Convey In An Image?
Before you even pick up your phone, take a moment to consider, as knowing your intention will guide your choices in setting, expression and even post-processing. So ask yourself…
- What is the core message that you want to communicate about yourself in this image? Is it creativity, joy, calm, strength, curiosity?
- How do you want people to feel when they see this selfie? Inspired? Amused? Connected?
The Edit: Enhance, Don’t Distort
A little post-processing can enhance your image, but the goal is to refine it, not reinvent completely.
- Adjust Brightness and Contrast: Make sure that you’re well-lit and the details will pop.
- Tweak Colours: Play with saturation or warmth to reflect your mood or the atmosphere.
- Consider Filters (Wisely!): If you want to use a filter, choose one that enhances the mood or tone that you’re going for, rather than dramatically altering your appearance. Less is always more.
- Crop for Impact: You may want to eliminate distracting elements from the frame and focus on what matters.
The Golden Rule: If the edit makes you look like a different person then dial it back. The goal is to be recognisable as the beautiful individual that you already are.
Taking the ultimate selfie isn’t about creating perfection; it’s about capturing authenticity. When you look at an image and say “Yes, that’s me. That’s truly my essence.” So next time you reach for your phone to take a selfie, remember to let your unique, incredible self shine through. That’s the most beautiful filter of all.
Feel The Frame Self-Portrait Studio
I find that taking my own photos on my phone, as opposed to somebody taking a photo of me, comes out so much more natural and at ease as I can instantly correct my facial expressions and posture to find an angle that makes me feel the most comfortable. I have such horrible memories of sitting stiffly on school benches for the annual school photos, with a stressed and abrupt photographer demanding that I sit upright and look straight down the lens at them. The sense of panic and discomfort in my eyes made my school photos look more like a prison mug-shot or rabbit caught in headlights rather than a mantle piece worthy portrait to cherish forever.
And with the progression of front cameras on our phones, it’s easier than ever to snap meaningful, informal and beautiful self-taken pictures, far removed from the daunting school photographers of yesteryear. But for moments when you’d like to capture a more polished or special image, to celebrate a special occasion like an engagement, pregnancy, anniversary, family portrait, birthday or graduation to name but a few, then a photography studio is an ideal way to immortalise the moment with professional flare.
Being neurodivergent, I still struggle with eye contact as an adult, and much prefer to take selfies than visit a photographer, which is what drew me to Feel The Free, and their self-portrait studio in London. Loved by influencers, brands looking to shoot their range, models updating their portfolio and friends, couples and corporates alike, the studio is the answer to my prayers for feeling both at ease and in control.
The unique concept features a camera imbedded into a huge mirror, for which you press a clicker in your hand whenever you wish to capture a shot. A small screen besides it allows you to view each image captured in real time so that you can make necessary adjustments to your position, posture or facial expressions in order to capture the perfect magazine-quality high-resolution portraits.
With the private space entirely your own, it put me in mind of a clothing store changing room, only a million times bigger and way cooler, with professional lighting, sound system and tech to make your front-cover debut in fashion, or celebrate Gran’s 90th in style with all of her grandchildren present, with the simple press of a clicker in your hand to capture the magic.
Goodbye awkwardness, goodbye photographer eyes burning into your soul or bystanders staring. It’s just you and the mirror, listening to your favourite music, being yourself. With a selection of backdrops available, as well as bold coloured seating in various styles, you simply book a time slot and duration for your shoot, step behind the studio curtain and snap as many shots are you wish.
The beauty of the shoot is that all images are entirely private, with no staff previewing or looking through what you’ve captured. It’s entirely private, secure and professional – a whole production suite at your fingertips minus the media staff! Once you finish, the images are automatically colour graded and uploaded to a private online gallery for you to download, meaning you can literally take hundreds of shots if you like, with no need to pick your favourites there and then or pay for additional images.
You’re then free to do whatever you wish with the images, whether that’s sharing them to your social media, printing them to canvas, uploading them to an online merchandise store or keeping them as a funky wallpaper on your phone. The possibilities are endless! I had the most fantastic time taking shots for social media, purposefully bare foot with finger combed hair, comfortable and entirely at ease; just as if I were getting ready in my bedroom mirror. So grab your friends, partner, parents and work colleagues and have some fun at the worlds biggest photobooth; hoorah for self-taken self-portrait studios!
What a great idea! And pictures look really good
I should try this self-portrait studio with my husband