Flattering Photographs
[ 4 January 2007 ]
This is a subject which has been on my mind recently. On New Year’s Eve, I had two conversations on the topic. The first one consisted of my friend saying, “Seriously, it’s impossible to take a good photograph of me! I don’t know which angle to put my head at! I mean, good luck to you, but it’s not going to work!” (I took several good pictures of her that night, ha!). The second occurred after taking a picture of another friend of mine. I turned the camera around afterwards so she could see the results (gee, I sure do 
digital cameras!) & she said, “Oh, thank god you know how to take a good photo! I hate it when you’re relying on other people to take a decent picture & they just can’t!”
Yesterday afternoon I saw this article which details Jay Manuel’s tips on taking a good photograph. What I read was essentially a pitch for Match.com, but this bit intrigued me:
Celebrity stylist Jay Manuel, known for appearances on America’s Next Top Model, gives a crash course on Match’s website to help amateurs find their best camera angle and most flattering expression.His tips for bringing out one’s inner super-model: Take your photo using a camera flash and a naturally lit room; black clothing is often best for a head shot; and try using an indoor fan to capture a tousled, dynamic image.
Okay. I’ll bite. Here is a photo of me wearing black, in front of a fan (see also: hairdryer), using the flash.
You will notice I’m squinting like a bastard. That’s what happens when there is wind in your eyes & a flash going off. Pretty hot, right? I’d be the most popular girl on Match.com, for sure! The most disturbing thing is that I took about 5 photos like this, & that was the best one. Most of them looked like this:
If we remove all Jay Manuel’s hideous suggestions — fan, black, flash — & I tilt my head to a more flattering angle, the photo looks like this:
Are you kidding me?! Is this all a cruel joke?! Unless you’re a pro & you know how to use your camera really well, most photographs taken with flash are exceedingly unflattering — not to mention that if you’re wearing glasses, instead of eyes you’ll see a flare. I don’t have any photos of me that I like that were taken with a flash. Wearing black is neither here nor there — in my opinion, wearing a colour that complements your features & skin-tone is going to make you look far better. & an indoor fan? Um, well, golly. Consider me gob-smacked.
Maybe they shouldn’t have asked the opinion of someone with frosted-looking hair & a shiny suit jacket. I guess if you want a hideous 80s-style “glamour shot”, you should take his advice. Go! Flee! Don pale pink lipstick, hairspray those bangs & make as intense an expression as one possibly can when they are emerging from a chiffon nest.
Above, you can see the small, subtle changes needed to completely transform how a photograph looks. If in the past you have always been unhappy with pictures of you, take heart, because you don’t always need to undergo complex reconstructive surgery in order to look much, much better. Wink wink. If you 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 you 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!) One reason for doing it digitally is that you can instantly see how the photos are turning out & work out how to make them look better. Another reason is that you’re probably going to take a LOT of shots… & film is expensive.
If you can, get somebody else to take the pictures. This lessens the chances of your photograph looking like a Myspace mugshot (you know, all black-outlined eyes & forehead, taken from above). When I take daily outfit photographs, I sometimes enlist the help of my boyfriend. He sits there & snaps away while I dance or jump on the trampoline or whatever else strikes my fancy. It makes for far more dynamic photographs.
Overhead lighting is your enemy. Natural light is your friend. Overhead 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 you can’t wait until these times, shoot yourself near a window that receives a lot of light.
Have as plain a background as you can, unless you want people to pay attention to it. If you want to be the main focus, try for a plain white backdrop. I like taking photos in bed because all my bedding is white & very light pink, but the duvet & pillows provide a bit of texture, making it more interesting.
Emphasise your best features & angle yourself so that your less attractive parts aren’t brought to anyone’s attention. If, for example, you are paranoid that you 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 you’re worried about your Roman nose.
Most people look better shot from slightly above, or straight-on. Looking up at somebody, especially if their head is tilted down towards the camera, isn’t usually terribly pretty.
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! (Make sure it’s reflected in your eyes or you’ll look like a Stepford wife.) Further to this: work out whether you should smile with your teeth showing or not. I saw a girl asking for opinions on her photographs once — there were about 10 of them, all with her teeth showing, & she would have looked much better if they weren’t. I am definitely a closed-mouth smiler. Maybe if I get new gnashers I’ll change my mind.
Do something interesting in your photo. Even if you’re pulling a stupid face, it will at least make your picture interesting.
Elongate your neck. It’s very flattering.
Accept that how you used to pose for pictures ten years ago might not work anymore. In the same way that fashions change, photographic styles do too. Try & be flexible about it, & experiment. Try taking your glasses off, wearing a hat, impersonating Marilyn Monroe… whatever. If you hate the result, you can just delete it — it’s no big deal. Until last year I don’t think I had ever put a photo of myself smiling online. I’m glad I got over it.
When you 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, you could do amazing things with your photos. Believe me. (See links below.)
Extra for Experts:
How to Shoot Self Portraits
Tips for Handheld Self Portraits
Photoshop: Airbrushing Tutorial
Photoshop: Retouching Skin
Photoshop: Digital Cosmetic Surgery (this is pretty weird & excessive but worth a look, if only for humour value)
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala
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Excellent reading, even for oldies
I’m one of those people who takes a donzen shots of herself before choosing just one winner. I’m always making ridiculous faces and am caught in horrible lighting.
Your tips were remarkably helpful.
mmm…he didn’t say that you had to put the fan right in front of you. I think if you are a bit creative and experiment with his advice, you can have a nice portrait (like putting the fan on one side and not so close to you, of course). You could also put the cam on a chair or some kind of furniture ( if you don’t have a tripod)so that you don’t have it right in front of your face.
I mean, you don’t have to be that basic.
My top tip for taking a good picture: take a video!
I use my digital camera to video myself in different poses, experssions and from various angles. I upload it to the computer, then go through it, clicking play/pause/play/pause/play/pause very quickly. When it pauses on a frame I like, I take a screencap and save it. After a couple of goes through the video, I get a choice of pictures which are much better than any still photo I could have taken!
It’s great for action shots too, this summer I even managed to get a lovely picture of me on a swing from video a friend took on her mobile!
Marina’s right about resting the camera on some furniture. Photos usually look better when taken from slightly above (as your pics show Gala). I rest the camera on a shelf in my kitchen cupboard!
xxxx
ha ha ha !! the photoshop digital plastic surgery is hilarious! fabulas stuff
i love your third picture, you look absolutely amazing stunning gorgeous!
pink hair, blue eyes… the white shirt definately emphasises the beauty of these colours.
good tips in here :)