13 Hacks on How to Take the Best Outdoor Selfie » SVOOD

Everyone can take a selfie, but not everyone can take a good selfie with perfect natural light! That is why we made this article to help you make the best outdoor selfie!

In this article, I will answer these questions: Where to pose for a perfect selfie? Where should you pose to end with a great-looking selfie? What is a good time to take the outdoor selfie? How to spot the best place to take a selfie and the weather conditions? How to read the light? What are the perfect angles? What should you consider before taking your outdoor selfie?

Follow our 13 hacks and with practice, rock your next outdoor shoot—whether you are on the beach, in the park, at a music festival, or high in the mountains! We are here to help you make and take the best outdoor selfies everyone will admire!

1. Read the daylight 

The general rule for taking great-looking selfies, whether outdoors or indoors, is always to have the sunlight behind you! Sun shining directly at your face is not good! It can make your face look different. Plus, it adds many shadows. Besides, your selfie will look washed out, instead of perfect! Light is the key in photography, and it is super important. Choose golden hour – half an hour before the sunset or just after the sunrise, and blue hour – 10 min after the sunset and shortly before the sun rises – to take photos but do not underestimate the clouds – they are your friend too!

2. Capture the background

Indeed, the world is spinning, but not only around you. Of course, you are the star of your selfie, but only you in the photo can be dull. Instead, try to catch scenery in the background or some details. Trust me, most people like to see details. Details are interesting. To have some background in your selfie, use a tripod, a selfie stick or hold your phone in your hands and shoot with a wide-angle option/fisheye.

3. Angles are important

You look better from one angle than from the other. We all do. To have a more flattering outdoor selfie, hold the camera just slightly above your head. This angle can remove your double chin (we all have it), thin your face, or make your eyes look bigger than they are. But also try other angles because we are all different, and our faces are specific. Other angles may work better in your case. Experimenting is the key!

4. Play with shadows

Yes, I said that sunlight should always be behind your back to create a few or no shadows at all, but there are always exceptions! Besides, shades can affect the mood of your selfie – in a good way! Thus, feel free to play with positioning rather than just strictly choosing the sun behind your back. Also, you can leave your face in a medium shade and make light on the landscape behind you. If you do not like it, you can apply some filters later!

5. Edit your outdoor selfie

Your selfie cannot always end up perfectly immediately after shooting. Equally, most photos require some editing afterward. So do not be afraid to fix everything in your outdoor selfie. But make sure to leave your selfie as natural as you can!

6. Choose your makeup wisely

SPF on your face is crucial, but some SPF makeup can cause a flashback. Thus, choose your facial makeup well or cover your face with a giant hat.

7. Make sure to keep it natural!

You can always put on some makeup but never add much of it. We all love a natural look, with just a bit of it. Natural lighting with a natural face makes the best outdoor selfie! Dark and harsh makeup can look scary, and it can cause many shadows – you don’t want that!

8. Highlights are cool

Do a touch of a highlighter over your face, cheekbones, bridge over the nose, and your chin. That will look good, especially when you tilt your head and face the sun. As a result, you will have a romantic-looking photo with soft highlights. Your selfie will be with a perfectly highlighted face.

9. Try something new 

Do not be afraid to experiment! Be creative and show your artistic side. Who knows, maybe it turns out the best! Also, selfies that show some activities are more fun and engaging. Try to take an outdoor selfie while climbing, cycling, hiking, surfing, etc. But, action selfies are trickier, so try many times with one hand, both hands, and preferably, use a tripod or a selfie stick! Shots that include “you” in an unexpected or some body part are a much better idea! Try to shoot your hand in water with the sunset colors in the background. Or, shoot your leg on the surfboard while surfing with the waves in the back. Btw. Many new phones have excellent camera options for outdoor photography such as the burst option to help you make a selfie of moving objects!

10. Don’t fake it

Natural face expressions are the best! Fake smiles are visible, and no one likes them. Be confident but try to be as natural as you can!

11. Turn off your flashlight 

Unless it’s nighttime, there is no need for a flashlight. Flashlights during the day can only make your outdoor selfie look bad. Besides, if it’s nighttime, most phones have a “night photography” mode, so make sure to shoot in that mode if it’s dark

12. Use popular hashtags and follow the trends

Instagram users will understand this the best! Hashtags and trends like #iwokeuplikethis, #nomakeupday, or #nofilter are great ways to inspire which selfie to take. Do not be afraid to show your face without any makeup! Know you are beautiful no matter what. And unique. We all are! Show your true colors because the Instagram family loves all-natural people. Enough with fakeness! People love other people in their natural surroundings, and everyday outfits, not just all dressed up with gazillion filters.

13. Keep on trying

Almost no one makes a perfect outdoor selfie on the first try. No one is photogenic to that extent. Indeed, it takes a lot of practice to see which angle or poses suit you the best. Over time, you will be faster, and you might even make an excellent selfie with just one try. But, I advise you to take multiple ones. The more you take, the more you have to choose from afterward. Later, it will be easier to delete some than to have only one bad-looking selfie. Try until you discover it!