In late November, Oxford University Press chose its annual Word of the Year. This year's selection? "Selfie." That's right: The fine art of taking a photo of yourself has received the seal of approval—or something—from an institution that includes some of the most esteemed scholars of the English language.
Love 'em or hate 'em, selfies aren't going away. But that doesn't mean we have to be stuck with crappy photography. No. Let's dedicate ourselves to elevating the selfie to an art form. Or at least to something that isn't widely mocked. Here are some tips for taking selfies that your friends will actually want to see (maybe).
Don't shoot into a mirror
You've, uh, got a little something on that mirror. And turn off that flash.
Nothing says I-don't-care-how-this-looks like standing in front of a mirror and pointing a camera toward it. Not only is the lighting usually bad, but you'll pick up any streaks, smears, or crud stuck to the glass. Ew. If your smartphone is from the past two or three years, it probably has a front-facing camera. Use it.
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