SELFE

what is selfi?

A selfie is a self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a digital camera or camera phone held in the hand or supported by a selfie stick. Selfies are often shared on social networking services such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Wikipedia

Take Your Best Professional Selfie

Job search tips invariably emphasize how important presentation is. Treat your selfie with the same respect as you do your résumé and business card. Every aspect of the photograph should correspond with the image you want to project in your work. To ensure this, consider the following six points.
1. Examples. Review some headshots of professionals you admire and look for elements you’d like to use in your selfie. For example, if you like action shots that show professionals at work, then use that theme. Or if you prefer pictures of people sitting at their desks, use a similar style.

2. Setting/background. Brainstorm settings that support your polished and professional profile. For example, if you work in government, use a government building as a backdrop. If you’re a PR specialist, take a photo of yourself at a conference. If you’re a techie, make sure your computer’s in the shot. It’s also advisable to make sure nobody else is in the photo, especially if you intend to use the selfie on your social media accounts. If the image does include others, don’t simply crop them out, since the results could look messy and unprofessional. Instead, invest some more time and re-do your photo shoot in a place where you won’t be disturbed.

3. Color palette. Colors play an important role in the balance of an image. Lots of bright colors can be overwhelming, while predominantly subdued tones can be boring. Make sure to stand out in a good way by choosing contrasting colors. For example, in an urban setting with predominantly gray tints, select bright tones of blue, red or green. In an outdoor setting like a park, avoid greens, browns and blues and instead, choose reds, pinks or yellows.

Tip: Think twice before you wear something with a pattern. Dots, stripes and prints can distract the eye away from the focal point of the image: your face.

4. Attire. With the above tips on colors in mind, select clothes that are appropriate for your professional setting.
5. Lighting. Professional photographer Rodnesha Green advises using natural light, preferably in the morning or evening. You want to avoid hard illumination such as bright sunlight, indoor lighting or built-in flashes. The softer the light, the more flattering it is for your features.

6. Angles. The angle of your head relative to the lens can make or break a selfie. Taking a picture straight on will result in unflattering distortion, while looking down into the lens can give you the appearance of having a double chin. For the best angle, hold your device at arm’s length, then move it up approximately 45 degrees. This aligns your body and reduces distortion.

Unless you’re a seasoned model and photographer, don’t expect to get it right the first time round. But keep practicing and before you know it, you too can rock your selfie and land the job of your dreams!