With the digital camera age, a new word has entered the vernacular – the ‘selfie’, or self-portrait. This is the snap you take with your camera or mobile phone, and more often than not, post on social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Unfortunately, as most people know, there is a down side to putting these pics up onlilne, and there are almost daily reminders in the news about famous and not-so-famous people putting up selfies that they later regret. This is usually because the internet is not a safe place to post such pics, especially if they are ones that put you in a compromising position. These types of photographs could have a knock-on effect of costing you your job, or the potential to embarrass you forever.
However, although selfies do generate bad publicity, there are times you will want or need to take one – be it to post on the aforementioned social networking sites, or filling out a profile like you need to on a professional networking site, such as Linkedin. We’re going to concentrate on the ‘professional’ selfie – the one that you will put on a professional website, or even on your own company website. So what are the dos and don’ts? Here’s our tips:
- Make sure you look down the lens of the camera – straight into it. It is not time to start experimenting with different ‘looks’. Nor is it time to make funny faces.
- Get the lighting right and try work with natural light where possible. This shouldn’t be hard to do – take a couple of experimental shots first to make sure you are not over or under exposed. Work with the light, not against it eg stand in front of a window.
- Don’t forget to crop/edit. With some selfie portraits you can see your outstretched arms in the shot as you take the pic. Crop it so it shows you from the shoulders up. This is much more professional.
- Take plenty of shots. There is no reason you shouldn’t have a large range of pics to choose from. Some people can rush to get a pic up. Don’t. Take your time.
- Make sure your backdrop is suitable. Putting up a professional selfie with a footie game in the background, or from a party you stumbled home from at 1am is probably not a good idea. Go for a neutral-coloured background. Stay away from fluorescent or bright colours. Try to avoid any photo bombers!
- Finally, make sure you are dressed appropriately. Sure, it’s only a head and shoulders shot, but make that you look the part and not something that cat has just dragged in.
If it is for a professional website, resume or Linkedin, we are always ready to help take that professional shot of you!
At the end of the day, how you take your selfies and what you do with them is up to you. But just remember, once something appears on the Internet – whether it be Facebook, Instagram or some other form of electronic distribution – it is on there forever.
The JL Team