15 Fun Selfie Poses for Girls & Boys + How to take a Selfie that looks great!

If you’re wondering what are the best selfie poses to make you look amazing, you’re in the right place!

In this guide, you’ll find all the selfie tips, ideas and poses to pump up your social media account and bring in all those lovely Likes.

If you’re a beginner, you’ll also learn how to take a selfie with our step by step guide, as well as what’s the most flattering way to pose for pictures.

Also, if you’re already a self-confessed selfie junkie, but you’re running low on selfie ideas or want to improve your game, you’ll find plenty of tips that will fit your needs.

So, point your smartphone at your face, and let’s dive right into the selfie poses and tips!

15 Fun Selfie Poses

Whether you want to find some creative ideas for your Instagram or you want to practice a more natural facial expression for self-portrait ideas, this collection of selfie tips will make you look your best.

So, what are some cute poses for selfies? Let’s see the top 15 portrait poses.

1.The ‘classic’ selfie pose

There’s a reason why things become classic; that’s because they work!

Holding the phone up and to the side with you looking straight at it is the traditional selfie pose.

This angle is flattering for most people because looking up prevents you from creating a double-chin. Also, by looking at the camera, you’re making a connection with the viewer, making it more powerful.

This is also a good one when you need to get a cool profile pic for social media.

2.Cover a part of your face

This might sound strange, but it can be flirty and intriguing. You can hold a flower in front of you or stand behind some leaves.

Of course, you need to do this in a way where you can highlight the part’s that showing – for example, your eyes.

If you’re using a mirrorless camera for selfies, you might be lucky enough to have an ‘eye autofocus’ feature, which will lock right on to your eye, keeping it in sharp focus – see our guide to which selfie camera is best.

Another tip is to use your camera’s burst mode so you can choose the best shot from multiple images.

Finally, if you don’t own an iPhone and can’t take advantage of Portrait Mode, there are several good iPhone camera apps that allow you to defocus the background after you’ve taken the photo – check out FabFocus or Portrait Cam.

• Read also: How to take pictures of yourself at home

3. Stand in front of a neutral background

A distracting background can ruin a photo. To make yourself the focal point, you can stand in front of a neutral background.

If you can’t find any, you can always blur the background by turning on your smartphone’s Portrait mode, or by adding the blur later using Lightroom or any other popular editing apps.

For iPhone users, keep in mind that this feature is only available for selfies on the iPhone X and later.

• Read also: Selfie quotes to use for pictures of yourself

4. Peek at the camera

Hold the camera down or even place it on the floor, then, stand on top and peek at the camera. This is a good selfie pose for single portraits or groups.

Remember to use your smartphone or camera’s self-timer feature for better Instagram pictures.

5. Spread out the group

When you’re taking a selfie with your family or a group of friends, try to spread everyone out.

You can either set the camera up on a tripod or stay at the front holding the camera, then let the others populate the scene.

This way, you’ll have a fun and dynamic photo, such as in the impromptu swimsuit photoshoot pose above!

Another option is to lay down on the ground and take an aerial photo using a drone for selfies.

6. Hold your furry loved ones

Who is as popular in social media as cats and dogs? Let’s face it, a furry friend is not only adorable, but it also shows a part of your personal life – this always makes a photo more honest and engaging.

There are many ways to successfully pose with your pet: you can crouch and hold it, carry it in your arms, or sit together on the couch. It all depends on the size of your pet!

7. Stand where you find good light

Not even the best selfie pose will make you look good when the light is creating unflattering shadows. The best way to avoid this is to find a soft and even source of light.

If you’re taking a selfie outdoors, try to avoid the middle of the day. It’s better if you do it in the morning or afternoon when the sun is still low. Otherwise, you can find a spot under a tree or stand on a shade.

If you like to take selfies indoors, normally you’ll have softer light. A good way to find the perfect lighting is to get ready for the selfie and then slowly turn a little bit to the right or left to see which way the light is better.

• See also: How to take full body pictures of yourself with a phone

8. Lay down

One of the most popular selfie poses for girls is to take a photo from the top down when they are lying down. This is a great way to show yourself fun and relaxed.  If you’re into cute selfie poses for girls, this one is for you.

Make sure you fix your hair to make it look natural but cared for.

To enhance the laying down selfie, you can even include some objects around you, just like in flat-lay photography, which is always popular on Instagram.

9. Give your hands something to do

Sometimes we’re so concentrated on trying to capture the right expression that we forget about the rest.

The hands play an important part in our body language espcially when ‘frozen’ in a static selfie photo, so they need to be posed carefully too.

If you’re having a hard time finding a way to place your hands, grab something or give them something to do. This way, you’ll avoid any awkward selfie poses which look unnatural or forced.

10. Look away from the camera

Looking at the camera is a fantastic way to engage with the viewer on social media, makes them feel as if you’re addressing them directly.

However, if you look away from the camera, you’re inviting them to see the story you’re telling. It also makes a more natural photo that looks like you forgot you had the camera capturing the moment.

11. Don’t take yourself too seriously

Selfies don’t have to show a perfect model every time; they are a way to express yourself and show people who you are – girls just wanna have fun, right?!

It’s OK to have different moods, and sometimes just be silly and make funny faces. Take off the pressure to be perfect and just have some fun with your selfie poses.

You’ll be surprised at how well your social media followers will react because we’ve all done it – but not everybody is brave enough to share it. So be brave and put yourself out there, people will relate and engage.

• 23 sexy poses to try at home

12. Find the best pose for you

The beauty of the world is that we are all different. What looks good on you might not look good on me. That’s why there isn’t one perfect pose that fits everyone, and why posing other people is so challenging.

To find the best pose for you, you need to know your body. Use mirrors and take selfies to try out different things – have fun. You can also make a video to see how your body moves.

Analyse which are your best angles and learn some poses that highlight your best features. You’ll see that after some practice, it will come naturally.

Here are some posing ideas for women, men and couples for you to try out.

12. Hold the camera with both hands

We’re used to seeing a lot of selfies where you use one arm to hold your smartphone since you can get it further away and include more background.

However, when you want to take a photo where your face is the main subject, holding the camera with two hands is the way to go.

By holding the camera with both arms, your arms will form imaginary lines that guide the eye towards your face, making it the focal point.

Also, you’ll have a perfectly centred, very pleasing triangle composition. To make this angle more flattering, push your head towards the front to elongate the neck.

If you want to get further away from the camera but don’t want to use a selfie-stick, you’ll need to use a wide-angle lens and a dedicated camera – here’s a guide to the best cameras for Instagram to choose from.

13. Lean against a wall

Here’s one of the easy-to-pull-off selfie poses for girls at home.

Leaning against a wall is one of the classic portrait poses that also works for selfies. It gives a casual and approachable look.

Also, having physical support will make you more comfortable, and it will be easier to relax the muscles of your neck and shoulders. Try tilting your head a little to look more natural.

To top up the photo and make it a perfect selfie, use the rule of thirds to compose your image. To do this, activate the grid overlay on your smartphone.

You’ll see four lines that divide the frame into 9 equal segments, that’s the rule of thirds. Put yourself in one of the lines instead of the centre. This will make a more pleasing image.

This is one of the selfie poses for girls that also work well for guys, so give it a try.

8. Be yourself

The most important part of a selfie is that you can be yourself. No matter how cool your selfie pose for girls might be, it’ll still look bad if you look uncomfortable. You’re not being captured through the eyes of a photographer or any other person; it’s you being you.

This opens all the possibilities to get creative and be original.

Don’t try and mimic what others are posting on social media – just ignore the popular photos and do something that reflects who you are as a person, warts and all.

You’ll be surprised how people will resonate with showing your true self, and admire your honesty and transparency – qualities that are rare these days on Instagram!

13. Smile naturally

A fake smile can be very off-putting. If you want people to relate and engage with your social media, a natural smile is a way to go. A must for every girls and boys selfie poses.

Of course, if you’re not a professional model, this can be difficult to do on cue. So, take your time, relax and think of things that make you happy. When it comes from within, it will look honest and natural.

• How to Smile Naturally for Pictures: 8 Tips & Tricks

14. Turn to a 3/4 position

Full frontals or full profiles are not the most flattering angles in most people. If you feel that you’re not looking your best this way, try the 3/4 portrait body shot position.

You can hold your smartphone in front of you and turn your head a little bit to the side. Otherwise, you can look to the front but hold your phone to the side. It depends on the angle where the light is coming from and the best background.

Check out this review for an online course that teaches more great techniques to improve your iPhone photography.

15. Step as far as you can

Even the best selfie poses for girls would look bad when you are too close to the camera!

When you’re too close to the camera, you may look a bit distorted. Unless you’re going for a specific fish-eye effect, you’ll look better if you stand further away.

This is one of the reasons why those infamous selfie-sticks are so popular!

If you’re shooting a selfie with a DSLR or ‘proper’ camera, you can create a makeshift selfie-stick by putting it on a tripod, then closing the legs and extending them as far as your strength can handle the weight!

How to Take a Selfie (and Look Good on Camera)

Taking a selfie is an easy task, but making it a good one is much harder! You don’t need to be a model or visit exotic locations to take the perfect selfie.

So, how do you take cute selfies at home? Here’s a step by step guide to making selfies that your Instagram followers will love – and you won’t even need to leave the house.

1. Find a good location. No selfie ideas for girls are complete without a good background to match. Walk around the house to find the perfect background for your photo.
2. Open the camera app of your choice. If you have a smartphone with a good camera app, like the iPhone, you can use that one. If not, download an app that gives you more control.
3. Turn your camera phone to portrait mode. A great way to stand out in your selfie and make it look like a professional portrait is blurring the background. In a smartphone, you can do this by using Portrait mode. If you have an iPhone, you’ll even be able to choose the type of lighting when you’re in Portrait mode. Level up your simple selfie poses for girls with this nifty feature.
4. Find the right angle and pose. Try posing ideas from this article and choose the best one. Remember: work your best angles into your selfie photo pose.
5. Turn until you find the right lighting. Once you’ve decided how you’re going to pose, start turning to find the best lighting.
6. Use artificial light if necessary (avoid the flash). If there isn’t enough natural or environmental light, don’t use the flash. Get selfie lighting accessories for your phone. You can find cases with LEDs, torches or light rings at very affordable prices. Even the best photo poses for girls would fall flat because of bad lighting.
7. Check the background. Always double-check your background. Make sure you’re not accidentally showing something that shouldn’t be there.
8. Don’t settle for the first one. You want to take a lot of selfies to give yourself plenty of choices.
9. Use a filter app to personalize your selfie. There are tons of options to personalize your selfies, some are free, and some are paid, but editing your photo is worth it. Also, using specific filters will keep your Instagram feed consistent.

How to Light a Selfie like a Pro

Have you ever taken a selfie in front of something interesting, then checked the photo and found your face to be dark, while the background is still light? It happens a lot…

Thankfully, there’s a great photo editing app called LightApp that uses powerful AI to improve photos.

The app can locally light up your face in a selfie taken under harsh lighting (in front of a window or in a shadow with a bright background, for example) without external lighting or any other fancy equipment.

To avoid “white holes” in the background of a picture, the selfie is taken at low exposure, then AI provides artificial lighting based on adjustment maps to locally light up specific elements for a balanced photo.

Taking a Selfie FAQs

How can I smile better in Photos?

The best smile is a natural smile, so the best thing you can do is take the selfie when you’re in the right mood. If you’re still having trouble achieving a good smile because you’re shy or nervous, here are some tips to help you out:

-Relax your face muscles. To do this, you can tense your mouth by opening it as wide as you can, making an exaggerated duck face or making a smirk; then let go.

-Breathe. Another known technique to relax is by taking deep breaths. This will calm you down and help you to get rid of any tension.

-Think happy thoughts. It may sound silly, but it really works. Remember a trip or a party where you had fun, imagine your crush smiling back at you, whatever works for you. You’ll see that those memories will put a smile in your face before you even realize it.

-Take multiple shots. Getting the best smile at the first try is quite difficult, so why put that added stress into it. Just take as many pictures as you want. Then chose the one with the best smile.

How do you make a selfie not look like a selfie?

The best way to avoid your photo looking like a selfie is to position yourself and frame the picture in a way where your extended arm isn’t showing. If this isn’t possible, crop the photo afterwards.

Another way to make a less obvious selfie is to use a selfie stick to get the camera further away from you. This way it doesn’t look like you’re holding the phone yourself – make sure the stick is not showing in the photo though.

You can also buy a wide-angle lens for your phone. This will make you look like you’re more distant than you actually are. Don’t make it to wide though; otherwise, the distortion will give you away.

If these tricks aren’t giving you the result you want, you can always take a self-portrait. Mount your phone on a tripod and use the timer, or use a remote trigger.

How do you pose for a full-body selfie?

The best way to pose is to avoid posing straight at the camera. Turn your shoulders slightly to the left (or right, everyone has a better side); the point is that your head is at a 45-degree angle from the camera. Keep an eye on your legs, try different poses. Extend one of the legs out or bend the knee a little.

Of course, these are general guidelines that can be different for each person. Try looking at yourself in a full-length mirror and practice until you find the best selfie poses for you.

How can I get a photogenic face?

Two things will make you look your best: be confident and be natural. Not everything is about looking perfect; it’s an attitude. If you feel comfortable in your own skin, you’ll communicate that with your selfies.

Nobody was born a model; it takes practice. Take a lot of pictures, try different angles, review all your selfies, and choose the ones you like most.

Analyze why you like them and learn which are your best poses, what is your best side, etc. One of the selfie poses that work for most people is to take the photo at 3/4. Also, push your neck forward to avoid creating a double chin.

Keep in mind that looking good in a photo is not all about you as a subject; it’s also about the lighting. Try to avoid harsh light directly; this will create dark shadows under your eyes and nose.

What is the most attractive smile?

The most attractive smile is the one that looks natural and honest. Keep you face relaxed and open your lips a little, without exaggerating – just enough to soften your expression. Try to imagine that the person you like – or love – is the one taking the photo.

Most importantly, confidence is the most attractive quality – so trust and love yourself, be sure of how great you look.

Final Words

With these tips for creative selfie poses, you’re ready to turn a good selfie into a great one. Let us know what’s your favourite selfie tip in the comments section.