Five steps to taking good family selfies

I love a good family selfie.  My kids hate them.  Therein lies the problem (well the first major problem anyway).  I have been 100% guilty of bribery and negotiating a number of selfies to be taken at my whim throughout any given day–especially on our exploring holidays together.

I’m also a bit bummed that selfies were invented a little bit later in my life because I’d love to have built up a collection of them throughout our whole familyhood.

Nonetheless I embraced them, I’ve fuelled a trend and I’m here to help you create the best selfie.  Family selfie.

I’m getting quite expert at them but my kids dispute that.  Here are my tips to consider when taking family selfies if you want to take family selfies that rock.

STEP ONE: How to hold the phone (or not as the case may be)

Look natural, stretch your arm out in front of the group and ensure you’re all in the shot.   Some people like to do this by the person in the middle holding the phone and all of you standing around it.  I like to try to get a background in so don’t mind taking it from one side, then all the others are in a line and you can still see where you are.

 

There’s no need to stretch your neck out and stretch your arm; it’s not going to help.  Look natural and convincing.  Don’t look like a dork. Apparently I look like a dork (as evidenced by the pic below).  Don’t do as I do, do as I say–learn from my shortcomings.

 

STEP TWO:  Look natural, it’s just a photo

Find the best angle for you–don’t worry too much about the others.  Know your best side so you avoid double-chin syndrome.  Look your best, this pic will be on Instagram for a while yet (even worse if you’re sharing it with Facebook which in turn tweets it).  Apparently I look stupid when I try to avoid the double chin.  It ends up a little like this.

 

Double trouble: sticking the chin out to match your arm plus trying to avoid the double-chin syndrome.  Avoid this (both) at all costs.

To avoid all of the above look down at the phone and you’ll get a much better result!

 

STEP THREE: Don’t mess about trying to line up the shot, take it quickly and nail it the first time

It’s a selfie, not an artistic shot.  Your kids are pretty self-conscious because mum’s cashing in one of her selfies.  So nail it the first time.  Avoid situations where you have to re-take the shot. I don’t nail it and it gets a bit embarrassing having to re-take the shot.  Especially when the count goes to more than two or three (not to mention the rest of the family loses interest).

STEP FOUR: Let the younger people take the shots if they offer

If the younger person in your family offers to take it for you, let them.  Let’s face it we’ve got a long way to go before we can nail it like they can–they can line the shot, smile and get everyone looking in the time it took you to hold the phone the right way.  (The trick here is never to ask them to take it rather frustrate them so they want to take it.)

 

STEP FIVE: Avoid photo bombers

Avoid the photo bomber wherever possible–especially if you have no idea who he or she is.  You’ve gone to all the trouble to get you all in the pic–with a reasonable background–and you’ve got some stranger lurking in your shot.  Immediate fail.

 

You’ll notice in this shot all the elements are nailed–everyone in the shot, background included, no double-chins, not looking awkward or silly.  So why spoil the shot with a photo bomber?

So there you have it!  Practice at home so when you’re out on your next family outing you can nail the family selfie.  First time every time.

You’re welcome.

xx It Started in LA xx