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15 Creative Selfie Ideas

You know you are doing it already, so why not spice up your selfies with these 15 tips.

Selfie.

This word has become part of our daily vocabulary. It’s even in the dictionary. In 2013, selfie was declared the word of the year by Oxford Dictionary.

What is a selfie, technically? For the purposes of this article, it’s a photo of a person taken by said person with a cell phone. In other words, it’s where the photographer is also the subject.

Chances are, you’ve taken a selfie or two with your cell phone. Most people snap a photo of their face, and then upload it to a social media site – most often Instagram. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with that, if you want to create more interesting selfies — selfies that will really stand out — here are 15 creative ideas.

Before you even start marching down this list, get yourself a quality selfie stick on Amazon and your selfies will look MUCH better without the “I'm sticking out my arms to the camera” look.

Click on the photo to see the Amazon listing for this $10 wireless selfie stick.
Click on the photo to see the Amazon listing for this wireless selfie stick.

First of all, get a GOOD selfie stick!

That “look how long my arms are as they stretch out to the camera” look is soooo outdated!  Selfie sticks make your photos look a lot more natural, and you can encorporate more interesting selfie pose ideas.

This is our favorite selfie stick 🙂  It's on Amazon and it was rated the best overall selfie stick by Business Insider. It is also wireless so you don't have to stick cords in and out of your phone every time you want to take a picture.

#1 YOU + FIDO

Sure, you could snap a photo of yourself holding a small animal, preferably a cute one. But why don’t you take it up a notch? Place your dog or cat in front of you, so that the animal’s face is covering part of yours. Try capturing an image where you look like you are part human and part animal.

Here's an example: In this selfie, captured by @ltlevivi, it literally looks like she is half woman, half dog.

ltlevivi

#2 SELFIES GALORE

Take a selfie while your friends or family members take selfies of themselves simultaneously.

In this photo, the man standing in front (@dayton3000) is taking a selfie, and the three people behind him are also in the midst of snapping selfies. It’s a selfie to the fourth power, I think.

dayton3000Photo Credit: Visual Peace Services

#3 ADD ACCESSORIES

Next time you go to take a selfie, accessorize first. Throw on a cool hat and some aviator sunglasses. You can Throw on a ball cap. Wear a few bracelets or your cool new watch. Tie a scarf around your neck or don a beautiful necklace.

In this shot, @noellebean shows off her Gypsy Warrior shirt and a collection of gold necklaces.

noellebean

#4 COVER UP

Create a sense of mystery by covering up part of your face or one of your eyes.

In this selfie, @pmylrys covered the lower part of her face with a blanket.

pmlrys

#5 TELL MORE OF YOUR STORY

Instead of just snapping a quick face selfie, take a moment to think about what you're passionate about, and how you would be able to convey that in a photo. One way to do this is to include a few items in your selfie shot that shout you! Share a hobby that you love — whether it's basketball, ballet, tae kwon do, or painting.

In this selfie, @pmylrys included a basketball, her basketball shoes, and one of her hands, which made for an interesting composition.

pmlrys2

In this shot, @sucrampler shows off his shoes, socks, shorts, and what he’s currently listening to on his throwback iPod.

sucrampler

#6 SHARE YOUR SHOES

Speaking of shoes, shoe selfies have become quite popular. It's fun to shoot straight down, capturing your shoes. But why not infuse your photo with some creativity by adding a word above your feet?

In this shoe selfie, @dolo_trif took a photo of her shoes along with the word HELLO spelled out on the sidewalk above them.

dolo_trif

You could also write a message with chalk on the sidewalk or write a word in the sand at the beach.

For more ideas, search #shoeselfie, #shoeselfies, #shoefie, or #shoeselfiesunday on Instagram.

#7 FOCUS ON THE FLOORS

In the same vein, if you're going to be taking a shoe shot, first search for a really cool rug or tile floor to serve as the floor drop. Hotels and historical buildings are notorious for having unique floors. Look for a floor that is not too busy so as to draw attention away from your shoes, but one that is interesting enough to capture your viewer’s attention.

Experiment with placing your feet at the bottom of the frame, then on the left side, the right side, and finally at the top. See which one looks best to you. Personally, I prefer shoe selfies where the shoes are placed near the bottom of the frame because it makes me feel like I'm standing where the photographer is standing.

For additional ideas, search Instagram for these hashtags: #ihavethisthingwithfloors, #floorselfie, or #floorselfies.

#8 ACCENTUATE YOUR ASSETS

In this photo, @noellebean took a selfie of just the right side of her face, which incorporates tip #4. But she also brings out her beautiful blue eyes by wearing a blue hat. And the neutral-colored background with its awesome texture really adds to the photo.

noellebean2

#9 INCORPORATE BRIGHT COLORS

Color captures people’s attention, so use bright colors to help your next selfie stand out. When I think of color, balloons, summer clothing, brightly-painted walls, fruit at a farmer’s market, and flowers come to mind.

Here’s a balloon selfie with an explosion of color! I love that @kevonsioco shot from down low, so he could include a chunk of the blue sky in the shot.

kevonsioco

To see more selfies with balloons, check out these hashtags: #balloonselfie and #balloonselfies.

#10 MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL

Take a selfie in a mirror at home or in your car. (But not while you’re driving, please!)

In this photo, @evillatinangel took a selfie in his car’s side mirror. As you can see, his cell phone’s screen was facing the side mirror as he snapped this shot, so you can see him in the phone as well. It’s a double selfie!

evillatinangel

Here’s another example where a selfie was taken using the side mirror of a vehicle. In this photo by @emtabb88, the focus is on the beautiful hat she’s wearing, but you can also see her face in the mirror.

emtabb88

If you’re expecting a child, use a full-length mirror to snap a photo of yourself and your baby bump as you progress through your pregnancy. Before you take the picture, though, check to make sure the mirror is clean and that the background is free of any clutter.

For more ideas, try these hashtags: #mirrorselfie, #mirrorselfies, #mirrorselfiee, #babybumpselfie or #babybumpselfies.

#11 CAPTURE OTHER REFLECTIONS

There are so many surfaces that can provide you with a great reflection selfie.

In this shot, @ohhbetsy took a selfie in a shower head on the deck of a cruise ship.

ohhbetsy

In this photo, @nautynautilus snapped a selfie on the back of his watch.

nautynautilus

In this photo, @lmpicard took a selfie in her cousin's sunglasses.

lmpicard

You could also take a selfie on the back of a silver mylar balloon.

To see more selfie reflections, search for these hashtags: #selfiereflection, #reflectionselfie, #reflections, and #sunglassesselfie.

#12 THE LITTLE DETAILS

Zoom in and capture the little details: your eyelashes, a new tattoo, or your engagement ring. For macro shots, use a Xenvo Pro Macro lense from Amazon.

In this photo, @sachartermoms captured a close-up shot of her eyelashes, drawing attention to their length which was achieved using Arbone mascara.

sachartermoms

Search #easymacro, #squidcam or #squidcammacro for more ideas.

#13 FOCUS ON THE FINGERS

Did you just paint your nails? Or get a manicure? Show off your gorgeous nails in a #nailfie. That's just what @nailsactually80 did in this close-up shot of her newly-painted fingernails.

nailsactually80

Other hashtags to search for include: #nailselfie and #nailselfies.

#14 SHOOT YOUR SHADOW

Shadow shots are best when the sun is directly behind you. Try to find a surface that will distinctly show your shadow. Cement works well, but if you want to get more creative, try a different setting like a lake or a sandy beach.

In this shadow selfie, @rockymtnchick was standing on a dock overlooking a lake and the sun was behind her.

rockymtnchick

Here's another creative shadow selfie by @rockymtnchick.

rockymtnchick2

For more ideas, check out these hashtags: #shadowselfie, #shadowselfies, or #shadowselfiesunday.

#15 ACT SILLY

Wear a disguise, a mask or a wig. Don some funky sunglasses. Stick out your tongue. Make a silly face. If you’re in a photo booth at a wedding or other event, pick a prop or two and strike a pose. Once the professional camera takes your picture, pull out your cell phone and take a selfie.

As you can see below, @lmpicard snapped a selfie while wearing Groucho glasses in the car.

lmpicard2

For more inspiration, search for these hashtags: #sillyselfie, #sillyselfies, or #sillyselfiesunday.

THREE BONUS IDEAS:

#1 USE A SELF-TIMER | Use the self-timer on your phone (or within an app) to take a selfie without holding your phone. Prop your phone up on a table or countertop. Or use a gorilla tripod on Amazon or this selfie stick tripod on Amazon which is a tripod, selfie stick, and wireless remote rolled into one.

To see photos taken with a self timer, try these hashtags: #selftimerselfie and #selftimerselfies.

#2 TRY A SELFIE STICK |Those of us with shorter arms can rejoice! No longer do we have to settle for the distance our arm provides. With a selfie stick from Amazon, you can capture more of YOU and your surroundings in your next selfie.

To see photos taken with a selfie stick, try these hashtags: #selfiestick, #selfiesticks, #selfiestickfun, and #selfiestickselfie.

#3 USE A REMOTE | Did you know that there is a remote that works with your cell phone? Yep, the remote allows you to take selfies without having to hold your phone. You just grasp the small remote in your hand and click the button. This is great for when you want to take a photo of yourself doing a headstand or a difficult yoga pose — or even simply wrapping both of your hands around your favorite coffee mug.

Our recommendation and the best bang for your buck is this tripod, selfie stick, & remote combo on Amazon.

All of the images above were found on Instagram, and the photographers gave me written permission to use their photos in this article.

Have you taken some creative selfies? What suggestions would you add to this list?

Disclaimer: Improve Photography is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

About the Author

Jennie Harless is a hobbyist photographer who loves capturing life through her lens. Her favorite subject is her 3-year-old son whom she and her husband adopted at birth. Jennie and her family make their home in Northern California, but love to travel to places all over the United States. Her photography and writing can be found at The Life and Times of Jennie Rose and Jennie’s Journey.

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