Thursday, August 3, 2017

Love Your Selfies! The Easiest Top Tips from Models and Photographers


Who doesn’t feel a sense of excitement when you nail a selfie that you actually love?  Ever look in the mirror someplace and think “wow – I actually look like the vision I had in my mind – I need to capture this now”?  This is followed by at least fifteen snaps on your phone from various angles and the expressions, usually followed by despair, and “arghhhh I don’t look as good as I thought I did”.  Stop! It’s not you but how you are taking the picture, and believe me when I say models take tons of selfies in every sort of situation, trying to find the right angles, the best light, and the hottest/freshest/cutest expressions  - and so should you.

1)  Start with a flattering light without shadows or bright spots.  Try facing a window when indoors as that is probably going to be the brightest and most natural light in the room.  Face the window directly for some shots and at an angle for others and see what works for you. 

2)  Watch out for distortion:  Tweety Bird foreheads and Jay Leno chins don’t make for great selfies.  Extend your arm and see what distance keeps the right proportions of your face. 

3)  Expressions – pro tips from top beauty photographers: 

Sticking your chin out and then down when facing the camera directly diminishes the prominence of your nose and makes you open your eyes in a way that plays up a bright-eyed innocent look with big lashes.  This is a great way to capture a fresh-faced, innocent look.

                                                                                    (click pic to enlarge)
Tilting your chin a bit upwards gives the face allure as the eyes become “bedroom eyes” that are dreamy and half open, the cheekbones and jawline become more refined, and the mouth will be slightly open giving the lips a sexy look. This position works well with a glam look with makeup.

                                                               (click pic to enlarge)
4)  Don’t be afraid to smile or be natural and “real”.  These are the selfies you will love later as they will evoke happy memories or fun moments.  Just make sure your smile has a laugh behind it or it will look fake and both you and those who look at the pic will know it. Always tell a story with your eyes no matter what the emotion is behind the pic.  You aren’t a paper cutout and neither should your selfies be, so practice and try these tips and you will have more pics to love and much less to delete.    



                                                            XOXO Shelley 
                                                                                                                         


#selfies #models' tips for selfies #how to take a great selfie #photographer tips of selfies #easy selfie tips #love your selfies #facethis.blogspot.com #Shelley Goodstein


Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Golden Ratio: George Clooney rated the Most Beautiful Man in the World

We’ve known it for decades but science has confirmed it: George Clooney is the most beautiful man in the world, at least the world of celebrity.  London plastic surgeon Dr. Julian De Silva used the Golden Ratio to measure the faces of male celebrities rating them on a scale of ten by their score out of one hundred, with George Clooney at the top of the list with a score of 91.86. (But seriously, did we need science to tell us that? Just saying.


So how do you measure beauty using math? The golden ratio, or divine proportion is an ancient Greek mathematical equation based on “phi” or 1.618, where the sum of two qualities is equal to the ratio of the quantity as a whole.  Sounds greek to me, but generally it was used by the ancient greeks as a way to measure symmetry which they found to be the most perfect representation of beauty in relation to art, sculpture and architecture.  Ever noticed how ancient sculptures of greek gods are representations of perfect male specimens?  Divine proportions indeed.

So does this theory hold true to modern day beauty standards?  Consider the top ten list compiled by Dr. De Silva: no one would argue with the results, although maybe personal preferences might rearrange the ranking order. 



The Golden Ratio measures “beauty” based on symmetry which leaves out sexiness, personality, humor, or expression, all of which add to a man’s appeal, so while a symmetrical face might make a man beautiful it doesn’t replace a twinkle in the eye or an off-kilter smile.  Having such symmetry may have a great effect on achieving success in the world of celebrity, as even though most people are completely unaware of why they are attracted to a celebrity’s facial beauty.  It makes leading men more telegenic and photogenic, which means more screen time.  Of course a beautiful face won’t go far without being backed up with serious acting or music skills. George Clooney and the others in the top ten list have depth, charm, and talent, that combined with their symmetrical good looks is a winning combination. But being handsome, certainly doesn't hurt career prospects.

The Golden Ratio is ageless meaning the most beautiful male celebrity is 56 year old George Clooney, and we agree. Can’t argue with science. 

To learn more about the Golden Ratio and how to find out where you fit on the scale, see my post:  The Perfect Face - Golden Ratio Beauty Calculator


                                                               XOXO Shelley


#golden ratio #George Clooney #most beautiful man in the world #most handsome male celebrities #divine proportion #golden ratio ratings for men #facethis.blogspot.com #Shelley Goodstein

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Power Pout: The Dramatic Berry Lip

For some of us a natural lip, even in the summer, is just not an option.  I love the eye-catching drama of a deep berry lip that, depending on my outfit, can be the height of workplace pull-together sophistication, or night out drama.  There is a cinematic quality to a strong lip color that is striking and powerful while at the same time extremely feminine.  A dark burgundy lip emits strength and is a no-holds-barred expression of feminine power. 


This year’s take on this beauty classic means a matte complexion highlighted along the brow bones, temples, down the nose and on the chin, along with full eyebrows, brushed and filled in.  Skip the eyeliner and have a light touch on the mascara so your eyes don’t even try to compete with your lips.  Let your eyebrows be the counterpoint to balance the look. 


Find these products at Sephora.com

Shrinking violets take note: a power pout like this can give a woman a jolt of moxie so don’t be afraid to go bold. You might just find your alter ego. 


                                                                  XOXO  Shelley



#berry lips #dark red lips #beauty trends #makeup #dark lip trend #dramatic makeup #power makeup looks #facethis.blogspot.com #Shelley Goodstein