10 steps to super selfies

Want to supercharge your selfie game? Here's our best advice for capturing self-portraits with ease…

Get in the picture

Firstly, make sure you're properly lined up in your shot. A camera with a front-facing flip-out screen is useful here, so you can frame your photo before you press the shutter button. Try to use the rule of thirds to line up your main area of focus (we're guessing this'll be your face) and leave enough space to see what's going on in the background - especially if you're shooting a selfie in a special location.

Carry the right camera

Your first step needs to be using a proper camera, with the right lens: mobile phones just won't cut it if you want your selfies to stand out from the crowd. The Fujifilm X-A3 has a screen that can tilt up through a full 180 degrees until the entire screen is visible from the front of the camera - plus automatic Eye Detection AF is enabled when the screen's in this mode, so you can be sure your eyes will be pin-sharp. And all you need to do is press the Command Dial on the back of the camera to take your shot - no fumbling to find the right button.

Smouldering shoulders

This is an odd little tip, but it can really make the difference. If your shoulders are parallel to the camera, try shimmying a little so you become angled, and your left or right shoulder is slightly behind while the other is slightly toward the camera. This is a quick way to add interest and angles to your shot.

It’s behind you

Your selfie's background can make the difference between a double tap and a swipe past. Don't take a shot in front of a messy background - spend a little time thinking about your location. Once you've positioned yourself correctly, be sure you fill the rest of your frame with vibrant colour or the iconic location you're visiting - don't crop out the essentials. If you're at home, seek out a nearby plain wall or garage door to use as your everyday selfie background - you'll come to rely on this spot for regular shots like outfit of the day photos.

Lights, camera...

A good selfie is all about the lighting. If you're taking a daytime shot, direct, harsh sunlight will make you screw up your face or cast shadows - you want to be in the shade or under cover to use the daylight to best effect. A north-facing window can provide clear white sideways light for truly natural-looking tones and colours. If you're selfie-ing after dark, try to use a red-eye flash or a secondary light source off to the side (a phone's torch is a classic) to provide more true-to-life lighting.

Turn your back on the sun

If you do find yourself outside on a sunny day without any cover nearby, try turning your back to the sun and exposing your photo so your face is perfectly lit and the back of your head is lit up with a glowing halo effect: this avoids any scrunched faces and gives you that beautifully even light you're looking for.

Blur out the background

Using a camera with the ability to adjust the aperture will let you take pro-looking shots with blurred background and pin-sharp features - exactly what you're looking for! Make sure you focus on your face and switch the aperture to as wide as you can get it (swap to a prime lens with an aperture like f/2.8 or wider for the best possible blur), then step away from the background a little to ensure you can blur it sufficiently for your picture-perfect selfie.

Strike a pose

Many people swear by holding their camera slightly above their eye height for a top-down perspective: we think you should experiment with all angles, but keeping your chin down does seem to be the key to a flattering shot. And if you can't bear duckface, you could try whispering the word “prune” for a toned-down take on the Kardashians' signature pout. Try it!

On reflection

If you really get into selfies, you could invest in a small reflector to help bounce light back into your shot - these white or metallic shapes need to be angled just so to catch natural light or artificial illumination and bounce it back into shot. Just remember that a gold reflector = gold highlights!

Share it far and wide

If you want the most people to see your selfie, get it onto Facebook and Instagram pronto: this is when having a WiFi ready camera like the Fujifilm X-A3 and app ready downloaded can really help you out. Your latest creation could be online in seconds - now that's got to be worth a like...