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. 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

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!