Boost your confidence at the gym with these picture-taking techniques.
Selfie: It’s officially a term in the Oxford Dictionary and Merriam Webster—just Google it and you’ll see. With 240,000,000 search results, it’s evident that selfies have weaved their way into our everyday lives. We take selfies at the park on a nice day, when the lighting in our apartment is just right, and the most obvious of them all: at the gym, before or after a long sweat session. To get the best selfie at the gym, check out these helpful tips.
Be Confident and Aware
Do you ever get a bit self-conscious while looking in the mirror as you’re about to snap a selfie of yourself flexing? If you look at other people’s gym selfies, it’s guaranteed that they’re striking the same pose, except they all look confident. Forget about your surroundings and just focus on getting your best picture. However, be aware of the environment. Don’t take a selfie in the locker room—the last thing you want is a man with nothing but a towel on in the background of your selfie. Keep in mind that no one is judging you, and the guy next to you is probably worrying about how big his biceps appear in the pic. A little confidence goes a long way, and will translate in your selfie. With that said, don’t look cocky—there’s a big difference.
Focus on Lighting
Natural lighting may be great when taking headshot selfies. This isn’t the case when taking selfies of your body at the gym. Natural light doesn’t hide anything, that’s why Adam Blanco, personal trainer at Crunch Fitness, recommends looking for artifical light that’s coming from above and in the corners. Artifical light creates angles on your body so that you can show off that hard-earned physique.
Pick The Best Filter
Want to really display the chisel of your six-pack? Well, thank goodness filters exist. They’ll help emphasize the best features of your body. Some gyms have odd color schemes, making them unappealing to snap a selfie. Black and white filters can completely fix that issue, and they’ll add more of a dramatic effect. Try to stay away from the B/W filters on Instagram and use B1 and B5 on VSCO Cam. As for Instagram, the Hudson filter is great if you want to soften anything, and Ludwig gives the illusion that you were out in the sun. Word to the wise: Just don’t go overboard on filters.
Horizontal or Vertical?
If you want to show off your lats and pecs, take the photo horizontally. That way your followers know where to focus—their eyes will immediately go there. If you want to show off your entire body, take the photo vertically—it will immediately elongate your body.
Have Fun and Be Yourself
At the end of the day, no matter how your selfie comes out, have fun with it; there’s no need to take it so seriously. Other lifters can tell when you’re trying too hard to get the perfect angle. The purpose of a gym selfie is to showcase the results that you’ve worked hard for, and perhaps be a positive influence on others.
