1.     Dress to Impress!

One of the best parts of advanced selfies is getting all dolled up for a photoshoot. Making yourself feel at your best really reflects in the photos you take! So put on your favourite outfit, your favourite makeup, your favourite shoes, and make yourself feel beautiful! Even if these photos don’t go on social media and are just for yourself, it is so much fun and all a part of the creative process to wear something that makes you feel and radiate confidence! (White pants makes me feel like a baddie).

2.     Use a Tripod

Using a tripod will not only help keep your camera stable while getting that beautiful advanced selfie! Adjusting the height and angle is key to finding what works best for your environment. Without one you won’t be able to get the best angles - a tripod will help you gain more control on the outcome of your photos and in turn will create sharper pictures. I highly recommend this Manfrotto Carbon Fiber one I have used in all my advanced selfie photos, and is perfect if you are looking for something reliable, compact and light to carry with you.

3.     Bring Something to Focus On

This one really helps since you will be away from the camera, it helps to have something to focus on. I usually place my object where I will be sitting or standing, and use that as my focus point. When I go to take my photos I remove the object and sit or stand in the same spot, so the camera is focused. It can also help having a place holder subject there for composition references if you are far away from the camera. I recommend only using Manual focus for advanced selfies shoots if your camera isn’t the best at auto focus like mine.

4. Choose Your Location

Are you more into indoor studio-like shoots? Or outdoors amongst nature shoots? Whatever it may be, choosing a location is important to get the best advanced selfie for you! Choosing your location can help an idea come to life. Are you looking for an airy, dreamy feel – why not shoot in an open field – perhaps with flowers?

If this feels too public for you; I personally have used my backyard as a nature shoot which is easier to do if you’re only comfortable with a private environment (and it can still be just as magical ✨)

If you’re looking for magazine style cover photos – what about an indoor shoot with a cool backdrop and funky props? Peep my cheap black sheet background setup on my deck. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Work with what you’ve got! You would of already seen how this locations pics turned out in the above advanced selfies!

5.     Choose Your Settings

Then like any other scenario using a camera, you have to choose what aperture you’ll shoot in, high or low? And will you use a wide angle lens, or close up? This can change the whole mood/or style you are trying to create, so having a plan is essential! I often use Pinterest as a source of inspiration and create my own personal mood boards for my advanced selfies. You don’t have to do this, but I would recommend it if you want nicer photos of yourself.

With the first photo I used my favourite lens - the Nikon 85mm 1.8 lens.

This lens gives you more of a close up and its sharpness is superb (as well as creamy bokeh which I am a massive fan of). This lens is great for capturing detail - which is why it’s one of my favourite lenses.

The second photo uses the Nikon Kit Lens 18-55mm Lens. This is great for the full-fit photos!

The two styles are quite different which is why you need to pin down some ideas before the photoshoot (Maybe with a Pinterest board) to come up with some inspiration of what style you want to do when it comes to taking the pics!

6.     Use Self-Timer and Burst Mode to take Multiple Pictures

Option A) Self-timer mode/burst mode. This is how you’ll be able to get all these amazing Advanced selfies of yours. Putting the camera into burst mode will take many pictures in one go, so you can change up your poses and angles – then after can have a look at them in camera, and repeat the process until you get some bangers out of it!

Option B) ***insert camera brand here*** Photo app!

I discovered this while getting content for this blog and I had to share!

While self-timer mode is good for some things, it does have its downfalls (after burst mode is done you have to get up to check the photos and reset it - which isn’t always ideal). I found using the photo app way easier! Whichever camera brand you’re with will depend on the app you will need to download, so make sure you find out what your brand offers. I personally shoot with a Nikon and the app I used to take the above advanced selfies was the Nikon Snap Bridge app (see image below for a look into the interface). The way it works is it connects your camera to your mobile device using bluetooth/wifi - then your camera acts as your remote shutter! You can change all your camera setting’s through your phone like Shutter, Aperture and ISO, and even use a self-timer mode (so you can quickly hide your phone out of the shot).

This technology I found to be incredibly useful and made the advanced selfie game so much easier. It helped me to be able to adjust my poses and see them close up on my phone instead of checking my camera after the fact. I would highly recommend looking into what your camera brand offers to utilise this amazing source!

7.     Bring some Props!

One thing I love using with my advanced selfies is props. It always looks good having some extra layers to your scene.

I love using props because it can give your photo some extra life with multiple focal points, and it also helps you to get comfortable being in front of the camera (when you’re a bit more nervous like me) and it helps you use your hands when you don’t know what to do with them.

With this photo of me, I glued some daisy petals to my face, and used the flower over my eye for some creative expression for the ultimate advanced selfie! The prop added some extra fun and cool dynamics to the photo! (plus it showed my absolute adoration and love for nature, which I love 😊)

It doesn’t have to be fancy! a simple coffee cup would do!

8.     Try Lots of Poses

Your first 10 advanced selfies might not be your best 10. And usually at the start of photoshoots, even when shooting yourself can sometimes still feel uncomfortable. I have usually taken between 50-100 photos before I find a few poses and styles that I really like.

As you go along, its important to view the photos, to see what is working and what isn’t. If I find a pose I like, and think I could slightly alter it for it to be ‘the one’ I will work on that one pose for a while until it feels right.

Here is all the photos below where I felt they weren’t the one.

VS the photos that I felt like they were the one.

Whether they are or aren’t the one is completely up to you. Some might say the first images are fine, but I noticed as I went along with that photoshoot I felt more comfortable in the later stages of the photos and I feel you can see that in the second lot of advanced selfies where I am more comfortable in front of the camera. Trial and error will ultimately give you the best results.

9.     Get Creative and Have Fun!

It’s a photoshoot! Get dressed up, and have some fun with it. The more you do them, the more you’ll realise your own angles, style, and how much fun it is to feel so empowered in your own skin, taking your own amazing photos!

Advanced selfies really made my own self confidence go up, not to mention how much fun it is to just have another creative outlet!

Please go check out Sorelle Amore who was the inspiration for this blog. She is an amazing You-tuber. Let me know, did these tips help you? Tag me on Instagram @jazzie.gee.photography with your own amazing advanced selfies! I would love to see them!