Inspired by Gala Darling advices:
If in the past you have always been unhappy with pictures of u, take heart, because u don’t always need to undergo complex reconstructive surgery in order to look much, much better. If u would like to look good in a photograph, whether it’s for an online dating site, a new Livejournal icon or to give your parents for Christmas, here are my tips:
Go digital. If u don’t have a digital camera, borrow one from a friend (remember to delete the photos before you give it back, no one really needs to see the rejects from your afternoon of narcissism ;o) one reason for doing it digitally is that u can instantly see how the photos are turning out & work out how to make them look better. Another reason is that u’re probably going to take a LOT of shots… & film is expensive.
Overhead lighting is your enemy. Natural light is your friend. Flash light casts really ugly shadows. The best times to take photos of yourself are at at sunrise & sunset. The reason for this is that during these times, colours are softer & warmer. If u can’t wait until these times, shoot yourself near a window that receives a lot of light.
If you can't get somebody else to take the pictures, there are several ways to approach self-portraits. One way is to frame an interesting composition and then, with your camera mounted on a tripod or another means of support, use the self-timer to trip the shutter after u get into position in front of the lens. Just remember that a self-timer will give you a very limited amount of time to get in position (usually 10 seconds). It helps if u mark your spot with tape or chalk. A mirror or some other reflective surface offers an even easier way to take a self-portrait.
Have as plain a background as u can, unless you want people to pay attention to it. If you want to be the main focus, try for a plain white backdrop.
Emphasise your best features & angle yourself so that your less attractive parts aren’t brought to anyone’s attention. If, for example, u are paranoid that u have a double chin, lying on a bed & taking a photograph from above is a bad idea. Ditto a picture of your side profile if u’re worried about your Roman nose.
Don’t zoom in too much! No one wants an extreeeeme close-up of your pores, stray eyebrow hairs or broken capillaries.
Women: wear make-up. Even a little foundation will help even out your complexion.
Men: shave. Or at least trim your eyebrows & stray nostril hairs.
Look slightly above the camera (apparently Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis did this).
SMILE! (work out whether u should smile with your teeth showing or not).
When u upload your pictures & are playing around with them in your software package of choice, try flicking them to black & white. It makes most people look pretty good.
Learn how to use Photoshop, or an equivalent. Gaining competency in Photoshop is a big job, but if you only learned how to use the healing brush & how to adjust the colour balance & contrast levels, u could do amazing things with your photos. Believe me.
Photoshop: Retouching Skin
Photoshop: Airbrushing
Photoshop: Digital Cosmetic Surgery
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