The way we capture the moments of our lives has changed so much during my life.  I just had to laugh, I probably have 16 pictures of when I was 12, and I probably have 2,997 of me at 55.  We are living in a time when almost everyone keeps a camera in their pocket or purse and that means a lot more pictures of ourselves.  We’ve all been sitting with our smartphones and in a moment of boredom we open the camera app, point at ourselves and start snapping away.  Everybody loves a selfie!

Your Facebook profile is a great place for that selfie to land, but many of us shy away from posting them.  We can come up with all kinds of reasons to not post our pictures, but if you’re not posting because you just can’t find a picture of yourself that you really like, I have a message for you. Your friends love your cats and dogs, but they really want to see you. It’s okay to put a real picture of you, as you really are. So don’t post your high school graduation picture. It’s not necessary. People know you’ve changed. You are beautiful. You are worthy of being seen.

Create a great selfie and put it out there, and you will be shocked at all the Facebook love that you’ll receive. Really, people will be excited because they do want to see you. They want to see your face.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look your best and put your “best face” forward.  Let me give you a few tips and tricks to help you take your best selfie.

First off, pick your moment!  Did you get dressed up today? Do you already have your makeup done?  Having a great hair day? Or maybe, you’re just feeling fabulous and full of joy.  Well, now’s the perfect moment to capture yourself all shined and ready to go!

Next, make sure your camera lens is clean.  Don’t let some dust or grease on your camera distort your beautiful self!  Use a soft tissue that doesn’t contain lotion and gently wipe your lens. Now you’re ready to find the perfect lighting.  Good lighting can make or break your selfie. Natural light is best, so take a quick walk outside or stand near the window.  The direction the light is coming from is also key. Light shining on you from overhead or behind can create shadows on your face and make your hair look thin.  Bad lighting can even make you look older!

Here’s another tip that I learned in my days of modeling and acting: Know your angles!  Taking a selfie straight on can sometimes make your face look a little wider or unflattering.  Experiment with turning your head slightly and finding the angle that highlights your features best.  Whatever you do, don’t aim your camera from below your chin! Hold your phone up in such a way so you’re aiming down toward your face.  If you’re having trouble, try a ‘selfie stick.’ They can be a lot of fun and help you hold your phone further from your face.

Remember, there’s no charge for developing these pictures, so snap away! Take a bunch of shots in a row and give yourself options.  Once you find one that you like you can even use an app on your phone to lighten or darken the picture or do a few tweaks to enhance it even more.  I like the app YouCam Makeup App. It lets you digitally alter, add, or enhance your makeup. Apps and filters can be fun but remember to use them sparingly.  Don’t do it in such a way that you look like a totally different person. You are beautiful the way you are!

Once you’re ready, post that beautiful selfie! I want to see you!  I would love for you to post them on my page as well so I can give you some Facebook love.

Thanks for watching and reading and check back often at Jamigossett.com for my newsletters and updates, and you can hear the latest about what’s going on with Years by Jami Gossett.

Now go let your selfie shine!