Prom Selfies: How to get the Perfect Picture

Prom night is one of the most unforgettable nights of your high school career. A night full of laughter, dancing, and lots of pictures will remain in your memory for the rest of your life! Speaking of pictures, you want to have good ones to look back on, post to social media, and share with friends. If you are unsure about what to do in front of the camera, don’t worry! We have you covered. This blog is full of steps to taking the best prom selfies, so you have the most fabulous prom pictures possible!

Step 1: Tilt your Phone

The phone angle is everything when taking a picture. Tilting your camera can give you gorgeous angles that you may not get if you were to take a picture from straight on. If tilting your phone feels uncomfortable or unnatural to you, try tilting your head. You can tilt your head up, to the side, up and to the side, or whatever feels the best to you. It may take some practicing to find the best angle, but regardless, you will look stunning!

A selfie rule of thumb that will almost always produce a good picture is tilting your head up and raising your eyebrows slightly to make your eyes appear bigger. Try practicing before your prom selfies to avoid spending extra time focusing on the angle! There is no shame in coming prepared for the pics.

Step 2: Lighting is Key

Lighting in a photo is one of the most make or break things. The best-case scenario is to find some natural lighting. There is truly nothing better than that natural lighting brightening up a photo, especially during golden hour when the sun is pouring in and radiating off your skin. 

Step 3: Flash or Not?

Of course, natural lighting is the best option when taking a photo, but it’s not the only option. Now that flash has been added to most phones’ front cameras; you have many picture settings options when taking your selfies. You no longer have to worry about not getting that perfect picture if the lighting isn’t right. Before taking a picture, you have to decide if you want to turn the flash on or keep it off. Where there is appropriate lighting, you may want to keep the flash off. Deciding before the picture can save a lot of time and help avoid capturing a bad photo that you will never use.

Step 4: Decide the Look you are going for

There are many different types of selfies: candid look, model pout, kissy face, hair grab, smize, attitude, or the simple smile. The list goes on of looks you could choose for your prom selfies. Try a few out before you actually start snapping those prom pics. Spice up your look with some sass or sweeten it up with a soft smile. A candid look is always a classic; all you have to do is think of something funny and let your fingers do the work. This look is probably more comfortable or ideal to do with a friend because you two really know how to make each other laugh. Another classic is a simple smile. You really can’t go wrong with this look, and what’s not to smile about? A smile is a very fitting expression for the occasion!

Step 5: Make sure the Camera is Focused

When you are going to take a picture, sometimes the lighting looks off. You snap the picture anyway, but not the perfect picture you were going for. Sometimes the lighting is off because your camera pulling from other parts of the photo. Refocus your camera back in by tapping on your face, and the lighting should adjust to make you the main focus point! This is one simple step that can lead you to those perfect prom selfies.

Step 6: Take a Million Selfies (We’re not being Dramatic)

The best way to get a good selfie is to take a million. You are bound to like one of those pictures. Taking a bunch of pictures at once isn’t hard; hold your position and snap a few each time. All it takes is the touch of a screen. You can even turn it into a modeling shoot by striking a different pose each time. Regardless, that camera roll should be filled with pictures if you take your selfies seriously (as long as you have storage)! This gives you so many options to post to social media and look back on after the fact.

Step 7: Consider the Background

The background can be a fun element to a photo, especially prom selfies. A classic is finding a blank wall to stand up against. This ensures that you and whoever else is in the photo are THE focus point of the picture. You could also take the pictures outside up against a brick wall or the flowery bushes in your backyard. Look for any area with texture, and you can create some amazing, memorable photos. Another background you could use is the backdrops that are provided at prom. Many proms will have a place where you can take pictures, and that’s always an option too. 

Step 8: Prepare for Storage

We all know the feeling: you go to take a picture, and the dreaded “cannot take a photo” or “not enough storage” popup appears. How are you going to take all the pictures you want?! This can be easily avoided by doing a quick picture check before the day of prom and deleting any you don’t want/need anymore. It’s never a good feeling when you are in the moment, feeling confident and ready to take a picture, and that happens. You want to have all the room to store your prom selfies so you have all the options to choose from. 

Step 9: Avoid Shadows on your Face

Although a good sunlit selfie is amazing, sometimes the sun can cast shadows on your face depending on the angle. Even a pole or person standing in the way can cast an unflattering shadow that you won’t be able to edit out. Make sure you are paying attention when taking pictures to avoid unnecessary shadows. You want everyone to see your beautiful face fully. Find some shade if direct sunlight isn’t working because this soft, natural light can also be good for pictures. You can go behind a building or underneath a tree to escape shadows. You want to be totally in the shade, though, to avoid uneven lighting.

Step 10: Relax your Face

This has to be one of the most important tips we have. When you take pictures or hold poses for too long, your mouth may start to feel tense, which can affect the quality of pictures. To relax your face, take a deep breath in and blow it out through your mouth. Doing this exercise can help your face relax and reset your look for more pictures. It can also make your lips look extra plump and pouty, which is always a good look for a sassy selfie. 

Prom night is one of the most anticipated nights of high school. You spend your first years of high school thinking about attending it, and the day is finally here! You have the freedom to be with your friends and dance to music all night, while spending it with some of the most cherished people in your life. Be sure to document these moments so you have them forever. Make sure you follow all the tips in this blog to get those perfect prom night pictures. And to all of our XO girls, when you post them be sure to tag us on Instagram @xobysophias and Facebook @xobysophias! We can't wait to see all of your picture perfect prom selfies.