How do you take the best selfies on your phone? In Japan, for girls especially, pulling down your chin, turning up your eyes and giving your best duck lips is said to be the standard technique for photographing the most beautiful you.
BUT! This time we want to overthrow the established theory and introduce the ULTIMATE selfie technique. The person providing these tips today is a Japanese TV and movie star who’s a pro at taking flattering pictures of herself. So, directly from the star herself, the way to take the ultimate selfie is…?!?!?!
Our model today is Mihiro (31), who has starred in the variety show “Kisu Gaman Senshuken”and the movie “SR Saitama no Lover”. Adding to her credentials, Mihiro has taken “thousands of selfies” which she uploads to her blog “Shameraman Mihiro” 「写メラマン・みひろ」.
So here it is, Mihiro’s ultimate selfie technique:
Step 1: Find the best location before taking the picture
“First, while looking through your phone’s camera lens, find a place where your face will be bright in the photo. Photograph yourself from a place where the light is bright and where it will make your skin pretty, whether that is outdoors or indoors.”
As Mihiro was explaining her first step, she was moving her arms around to find the best position. Her phone happens to be an iPhone 5, and she adjusted her picture so she looked her best in the front camera.
Step 2: Shoot from below and leave out part of your head
“I’ve taken a lot of photos from an angle below my face. Instead of photos that are taken directly in front of your face or from above, you can achieve a natural or relaxed position from below. Also, don’t put your whole face in, cut off a part of your head so it looks a bit smaller.”
Step 3: Smile and angle your neck a bit
“The point of your facial expression is to raise the corners of your mouth to make your cheeks cute and round. Keep that face and slightly angle your head forward and then it’s pretty cute, I think” (The photos below are actual selfies from Mihiro)
Step 4: Add your photo to an app
“After you take a photo with the iPhone, add your photo to LINE camera (a photo app from the makers of LINE). Originally I used just LINE, but then I saw this LINE camera app and had a chance to try it. In this camera app you can do things like zoom in on the picture or change the colors, etc.”
Step 5: The app will make the selfie exciting and fun!
“Instead of abrupt and direct photos, I like ones that have a kind and soft atmosphere. I want people who look at my photos to have an impression of fun. That’s the kind of photos I want to take.
▼Before changes
▼After changes
It’s not something that needs to be said, but you can see Mihiro was able to take a beautiful shot in only one take. That’s the professionalism of an actress!
Lastly Mihiro would like to remind everyone of these few points: “If there is too much light, the picture will look washed out,” also “don’t clutter your photo,” and “make natural poses and expressions, balance is very important.”
What do you think? For the ladies that have the chance to take a selfie, please take the “Mihiro style selfie technique” challenge. You will likely take the cutest and most beautiful selfie yet!
Images: RocketNews24