Taking selfies has become a part of our everyday culture. Whether you’d like to send someone a smile or save an outfit idea for later, selfies are piling up in our digital storage day after day. 

One popular way to do it is to take a mirror selfie. 

You might think there’s nothing to it – simply stand in front of a mirror and take a photo of your reflection. That’s it, right?

Some mirror pics are better than others though. 

Taking a mirror selfie requires skill of operating your phone or camera, holding it at a flattering angle that looks good in the photo, having a perfectly placed mirror and yourself spotless and ready to pose. 

Any extra effects like good lighting and a fitting background add another layer to the quality of your mirror selfie.

If you’d like to up your mirror selfie game and make your pics look more presentable, stick with this article. We’ve got you covered.

How to Prepare Your Camera or Phone

In order to take a perfect mirror selfie, you first need to make sure your camera or phone is charged and ready for use. 

The next thing you should do is clean the lens, ensuring that it is clear of dust or any kind of smudges. 

Then you are ready to turn it on and start selecting options such as your preferred aspect ratio and levels of exposure. 

You can also set your device on a stand where you can choose a different angle than you would while holding in your hand. 

Don’t forget to set a timer! Our recommendation is to not set the timer for too long – if you hold the pose too much, you might seem too stiff in the picture.

How to Hold Your Phone or Camera

One way to hold your phone or camera is right in front of your face for a more mysterious look. Such a selfie that hides your face also accentuates your outfit. 

Another popular way is to hold your phone or camera in your hand to the side next to your head or shoulders. 

To look leaner, you should place your phone the lowest you can, and tilt it upwards. 

Or you can set up your scene by first finding the perfect angle of the mirror and the lighting, and then adapting your body in the most flattering way you can. 

For a nice photo of the back of your body, hold your phone in front of you while facing away from the mirror and use its front camera. That way, you will have more control of the frame for your perfect mirror insta pic.

How to Use Your Phone or Camera’s Flash

Some tips on how to use your phone’s flash include orienting your flash towards the opposite side of the photo in relation to your pose, or near your face to create interesting light effects. 

You can also just hold the photo away from your face, making it fully visible and light in your mirror pic.

In general, it is always better to make good use of as much natural lighting as you can in your selfies.

Where to Place Your Mirror

The right placement of your mirror is one of the best ways to be creative while taking your mirror pics! 

If it’s a small mirror, you can place it on a fun shelf or even on the window ledge. In this case, most of the photo background will actually come from behind your mirror and not behind you. So a window with a nice view could really make your photo unique. 

For medium-sized mirrors, it could be interesting to place them on a wall or on the floor, where you can come to a sitting position while posing. 

A full-length or larger mirror would look best opposite a good background, which we will delve into in the next section. 

Make sure that you are always paying attention to the light facing you in a flattering way in the shot. 

For a slimming effect, tilt your mirror slightly upwards, it will elongate your silhouette. 

And don’t forget to clean your mirror beforehand – it needs to be spotless!

How to Arrange a Good Background

The background is the most important element when dealing with full-length or larger mirrors because that’s where they take up most space in your selfie. 

It’s best to have the mirror face a bare wall, a bookshelf, or even a long corridor, adding more dimension to your mirror selfie. 

It is also crucially important that you keep your space decluttered and neatly arrange all the items that will fit into the frame. 

You can also play with tactful placement of furniture such as chairs and armchairs, as well as wall art, shelves and/or plants. Or play with natural light as it enters your room and makes shades from the trees and leaves on your wall.

Pro tip: Place two mirrors opposite each other for a trippy sci-fi mirror selfie that never goes out of fashion.

How to Express Your Unique Style

A good selfie can always include a hip outfit or, if you’re taking a headshot, some striking makeup or messy hair, making you look sexy. 

If you’re going for a natural style, look for earthy pastel colors for your outfit and place your favorite plant next to you, for example.

For artsy photos go wild with autumn colors, red makeup, and some books in the background. Dark academia is all the rage right now.

In addition, you can play with lighting and shadows around the room to create a certain atmosphere or mood for your perfect mirror pics. 

Bring out your individual style in any way you’d like, the more unique the better! And don’t forget the details and accessories, such as jewelry, hats, and headbands. Don’t be afraid to play around and find what works for you.

How to Strike a Pose for Your Mirror Pic

Mirror selfie poses can be a bit of a challenge, but we’ve got you covered. 

Stand sideways with your head bent for a more alternative look, or sit on an armchair or pillow on the floor to make your shot homey and cosy. Always make sure your back is straight and your posture is upright . 

Slightly twist your shoulder or hip to one side to look more sensual. 

You can also go for a more enticing look by not looking straight at the camera and looking at the mirror instead.

Pro tip: Find something to do with your hands. That way you look less awkward and more stylish. For example, hold a scarf, a book, or place your hands on a wall or furniture piece. Cuddling your pet is good, too!

What to Do with Your Legs

When deciding how to pose your legs in a mirror selfie, you should first think of what kind of body silhouette you’d like to achieve. 

If you’re aiming to look slimmer, you can place one leg in front of the other. Pointing the toe on your front foot will make you look even taller. 

If you’re more focused on showing off your trendy outfit, it is recommended that you pose with one leg to the side or both of your legs slightly apart. 

In any case, don’t forget to keep your posture straight and relax your arms.

Pro tip: If you’d like your legs to appear longer and your bum rounder while taking a side mirror selfie, make sure the leg facing the mirror is straight and holds your body, while the other leg is bent.

Practice Makes Perfect

As a general rule, the more mirror selfies you take while looking fabulous, the more you have to choose from later when you want to post them on social media. 

By taking tons of mirror pics, you ensure that you get more angles of your face and body and can play with your outfit and background a bit to add some more variations. 

That way, you can find out which angles and mirror selfie poses flatter you best.

Don’t Go Overboard with Editing and Filters

Finally, when you’re confident with your mirror selfie, it’s tempting to take it to the next level and edit it on your phone or computer. 

However, it might be best to just leave your mirror selfies looking natural. That is why HDR effects are not recommended for mirror selfies, as they can make your photo look artificial. 

You can always go for a slight darkening or lighting of the pic (playing around with the brightness settings), depending on the effect you are aiming for. 

For more advanced users, using a professional photo editing software will provide plenty of more subtle options. 

Lastly, don’t forget to crop your mirror selfie so that it has balanced composition and that you are properly visible in the ratio you’d like. 

Every social media platform has its own preferred ratio, so make sure to check those before you post your selfies.