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By Hein Kaiser

Journalist


How to take the perfect sexy selfie

You don't need to be a pro to heat up social media with these easy selfie tips.


Ok, so it is far easier than it looks. Getting the perfect selfie, and for that matter, a sexy selfie, is not easy, it is hard work and sometimes it requires a truckload of gear to get it right.

But none of us permanently carry a selfie stick, a ring light, a tripod or a bagful of gizmos with us to get it right every time.

At the end of the day, what matters is the content, how you frame your picture and the bare necessities to produce a reasonably sexy or sensual selfie.

Remember, whether you send it to your significant other or post it on the Gram, somewhere, somehow, a picture lives forever once it is uploaded.

Here are 10 tips to help you create the perfect, sexy selfie.

Give good face, says New York’s Daily News.

In an article, the news service interviewed an expert from naughty website NSF about some of the most important aspects of the sexy selfie.

It says that you need to get to know your face, well. Practice in front of the mirror, grab some pics and discover your best sides and angles, and happy, sensual and flirty looks.

Here, you can also play around with make-up, lighter and darker exposures and later go through a similar exercise with your body.

Practice posing and facial expressions in front of a mirror. Picture Supplied.

Strike A Pose and make sure that it shows off your best parts.

After all, you have practiced in front of the mirror by now. When you hit the right position, you will feel sexy, and you will project that into your picture.

Dress up or undress. There is nothing more jaw-dropping than a raging hot selfie.

Today, it does not matter if you do one without your face in it, it is the pose, the bits of skin you reveal, the lingerie or swimwear you choose, your clothes, or if you decide to undress completely, and how you share the uniqueness of you. Flaws and all.

Today, nudity is no longer frowned upon but celebrated, and what better instrument than to explore your curves and body scapes.

Use the self-timer. Not every selfie should feature an outstretched arm holding a phone.

Be creative, build your setting. Set up the camera and time it. This requires a bit more planning, but the result will be well worth it.

Writer Lindsay Lanquist takes self-timing for a test drive on Self.com where she provides a step-by-step guide on how to use the self-timer and get the perfect, naughty boudoir pose.

Different angles can change the look of your body. Picture Supplied.

Shoot at an angle. Whether it is a bottom-up picture or getting the angle just right to show off your best bits, that hint of cleavage or getting the ‘I’m just lying-in bed looking casual and sexy look’ down to a tee.

Look at your practice shots, your setting and set it up to get the best of both.

In Cosmopolitan magazine’s guide to sexy selfies, it says that shooting from below creates an illusion of height. Taking an upshot of your face accentuates your jawline.

Legs have more impact than you think. This is not about body perfection but rather the sexiness you can create in a single post.

Your legs make more impact than you might think and allows for differing poses toward the perfect selfie.

Jessica Wu, a US based stylist said to Cosmopolitan “I tend to alternate my leg stances a few different times to get multiple angles—having a wider stance, putting one leg out to the side or in front of the other, and standing with your feet together are usually flattering.”

Again, standing on your tippy toes creates an illusion of height.

Choose the right setting, do not have a vacuum in your background. Picture Supplied.

Your background or setting is extremely important, even if it is just a messy bedroom.

You can have less than great lighting, and even wear rags, but there is nothing that destroys a good selfie quicker than the vacuum of a boring background.

Your post text says it all. Be authentic and do not try and be pretentious.

Your pictures are authentic, and a reflection of you and your sexy selfie. Enhance this with a strong quotable quote, lessons you have learnt in life or give away a little something about yourself to the person appreciating your picture.

“I am not a morning person” or “Coffee, Tea or a….” or even as edgy as “sinfully single” makes for better reading than self-appreciation or wannabe starlet drivel in your post copy.

Even when you bare it all, don’t retouch your pictures. Be authentic, Be you. Picture Supplied.

Be authentic. Avoid retouching your selfies.

Nude or not, share your flaws. After all, this is what makes you sexy and irresistible to others. Nobody wants a faked-up cover model, but everyone wants someone who is in touch with their bodies, can find their own sexy and be confident enough to share it with the world.

Use your environment. Mirrors, frames, interesting wall textures and even a pile of sand can create a fantastic setting for a creative and sexy selfie.

Choose your time of day carefully, as natural lighting is best, and softest during the golden hours after sunrise and late afternoon.

This is when the sun is not as harsh on your look and your pictures emerge as radiant, beautifully lit selfies.

Happy snapping!

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