Want awesome selfies for your blog or Instagram? Have you got a tripod and 3 minutes? Then you’re in the right place!

Today I’m rounding up all of my selfie tips & tricks using a tripod. This might just change your #OOTD game!

I’m going to cover 3 main things in this post: tripod height, focusing, and finding the perfect lighting. Once you get all that down, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an instagram modeling sensation.

Before I go on, I just want to highlight a few products that I use that may be helpful to you:

• Tripod (shop here)
• Camera remote (shop here)
• Big camera: Canon Rebel t3i (shop Canon Rebel T6i here)
• Lil’ camera: Canon PowerShot ELPH 330 HS (shop here)

(disclaimer: no affiliate links here! just unpaid product recommendations because I love you guys.)

Keep scrolling for written instructions or skip to the bottom for the video version!

Height

The ideal height for your tripod is around waist level.  By doing this you will look tall, proportionate, and not at all like some stumpy troll. It’s also important to note that the right height on your tripod can make your photos look really luxe.

You’ll know when you get it right when your foreground matches up with your waist and makes an almost perfect line in the middle of the photo. It might not always be an exact science but you’ll know when you get it.

Focus

If you don’t know how to use your self timer, now is the time to learn. I want you to study this feature and make it your best friend. Got it? Ok, next up: what’s the best method to getting yourself in focus?

My favorite method for shooting with my DSLR is to use a camera remote. I would be lost without one! If you want to take this one step further, and who doesn’t, then after you’ve used your remote to set your focus, put your camera back in manual focus, set the timer, and voila! No remote hiding in your hand and you’re perfectly in focus.

If you don’t have one, no problem. Throw something on the ground (like my neon purse) and set the focus manually, followed by your self timer. 

For point-and-shoot and cell phone cameras, the focus isn’t as precise and you can get away with a less-than-perfect technique. Start by turning on your self-timer, stand behind the camera to focus, and then jump in. Easy, right?

Lighting

I’ve learned from my photographer friends that it’s easier to shoot in the shade and on overcast days.

If you’re a DSLR user (y’know, you carry one of those big fancy cameras around, like me) then lighting your photo will be pretty simple. If you can’t find shade and the sun insists on hanging out with you, have it face slightly behind you. You’ll produce a sunglare if you have the sun directly behind you in the photo, which may or may not be what you’re going for.

Shooting with a point-and-shoot or cell phone camera can be tricky. You’ll have to work a little harder to find the best light but it’s usually a combination of sun and shade. Walk around your location and get lots of shots. Leave no light untouched!

If you try everything and the lighting in your photos still isn’t working, then would I suggest getting acquainted with a really great photo editor. That’s beyond my expertise but I’ve heard good things about Photoshop. 😉

And that’s it! That is the secret to all my selfies. Ultimately it’s more ideal to have another human help you but that’s not always possible. My instructions involve a lot of running back and forth to the camera but I have a lot of fun with it and it pleases me to know I can take my own pictures.

I’ve got one last gift for you: a video! I’m a visual learner so I took everything in this post and made up a 3 minute instructional video. Voila!

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