Post Production and Management
Have fun with filters. Most people who take selfies also happen to have an app on their phones that can add interesting dimension through the use of colour and light filters. Not every filter is right for every selfie, so play around with different options before settling on the best one. The simplest filters are “black and white” and “sepia,” but as long as the app you use has more options, feel free to test them all out. After all, those filters are there to be used. Instagram for example has twenty filters just now allowing its user to go from monochromatic to retro at the touch of a button. Outwith this, if you have photo editing software (such as industry leader Adobe Photoshop), you can also touch up any blemishes or flaws on the selfie before uploading it to a social media account. Use photo editing sparingly, though. If you cannot make your edits look completely natural, err on the side of caution and delete the changes rather than posting an obvious fake.
Be honest when you upload. You just uploaded a selfie. Everyone knows that it’s a selfie, and everyone knows you took it so that you can show off your face. When you try fishing for compliments, or try pretending that you were taking a picture of something else and your face just happened to be there, you will not fool anyone. Instead, you only open yourself up to criticism. Avoid saying things like “OMG I’m just so ugly” or “just came back from the gym.” When you write a caption like one of these, you are practically begging your followers and friends to compliment your appearance while pretending to be humble or clueless about it. Most people can see through this, and eventually, someone might call you out on it.
Similarly, own up to the fact that you just took a selfie. No, you are not trying to draw attention to how dirty the mirror is. You are trying to draw attention to yourself. In itself, taking a selfie is not a bad thing, but trying to play clueless about it makes it seem as though you have reason to hide your actual motives.
Limit yourself! Humans are narcissistic creatures, so most people can relate to the desire to show off and be seen. As such, the occasional selfie is not likely to aggravate anyone. If your online albums are flooded with selfies and nothing else, though, you might be overdoing it.
As a general rule, you should have no more than one selfie for every eight to ten pictures you take. If over half the photos in your online album are of you, you should really consider diversifying, unless that is, you’re having really good fun.
