Taking the perfect picture has more to do with you understanding how your own body image is captured by light rather than selecting the perfect photographer. Professional photographers are capable of taking great photos in their area of interest, but this does not mean that their skill set includes every scenario or type of person. How your photograph looks in a picture is not always reflective of your level of attractiveness in person; but has everything to do with your self-knowledge of how to position your body and create the perfect atmosphere to take the best picture possible.

As a very dark complexioned African American woman, I learned early on that most camera automatic settings and traditional photography studios took pictures of me that I thought were very unflattering. In group photos with my friends and family, I was usually embarrassed by my picture even when everyone else looked reasonably attractive in the picture. Overtime, I learned how to sneak out of the room when it was time to take pictures.

After realizing that my picture was missing from so many graduations, family functions, picnics, luncheons, and work events; I decided that it was time for me to figure out how to take a better picture of myself so that others could too.

Go on a self-discovery journey of how to take a great photo of yourself by trying some of the following tips:

Find the perfect lighting that flatters your skin tone. My skin tone looks best to me in yellow-gold light, or natural light. The artificial bright light makes my skin look too dark and dull. Low-light with a flash also flatters my skin tone. Set your camera on the same setting and then take a photo of yourself in different types of light. Don’t try to keep the same pose, so that you will know that it is the lighting and not the pose the changes how you look in the picture.

Find the perfect angle of your face that looks most flattering towards the camera. Try taking a picture of yourself holding your nose in different positions. I discovered that I look best to myself when the camera light shoots down on my nose. When I am in photos, I hold my head down and look up at the camera.

Find the color of clothing that makes you look best in pictures. I discovered that many of my favorite clothes that make me look attractive in person does not have the same affect in pictures. In pictures, I think that I look best in vibrant colors such as shades of red, orange, and pink. However, in person, my complexion glows in shades of teal and baby blue. In pictures, blue colors make my skin look dull. Pay attention to the style of fabric as well. Some fabrics emphasize areas of the body that is not that prominent in real life or it distorts your figure because of the way that it catches light.

Take pictures with different colors and various amounts of make-up. For some reason, I discovered that my pictures look better with less make-up than I wear on a day-to-day basis. In pictures, I don’t like how I look in lipstick. I find that I look best in a matte lip gloss.

Take pictures of yourself smiling in different ways. Try a picture that shows all, none, and very little teeth. Tilt your head in various directions until you find the perfect pose that make you feel good about yourself.

Find the perfect hairstyle and color that emphasize your best facial features in pictures. Again, take notice that what may look attractive in person may not have the same affect in a photograph.

Lastly, depending on your body shape and size pay close attention to your cleavage and wear a bra that truly flatters your figure and the occasion of the picture. Most of us look at ourselves in the mirror while dressing to start our day. We rarely spend time taking pictures of ourselves to compare and contrast various photos to determine how we look best; instead we go to someone we have met for the first time and expect them to know how take the perfect picture of us. Take your body image into your own hands and learn how to project the perfect picture of yourself on camera.