Tips for taking the perfect selfie

A self-proclaimed “posing expert” has taken to TikTok to share tips for avoiding the dreaded “dated millennial” look while snapping selfies.

Christine Buzan — aka @LookinGoodInPhotos on the streaming platform, where she has nearly 800,000 loyal followers — has revealed just a few of the mistakes she says adults in the 25-to-40 age range make while trying to capture the perfect photo. 

“If you’re a millennial — especially an older millennial like I am — I want you to listen up,” she warns in the now-viral posing PSA, which has racked up 77,000 likes and more than 1 million views. “There are three things you need to quit doing in pictures!”

The first selfie screwup Buzan listed was taking pictures from super high camera angles — which most social media shooters typically use as a go-to cure-all for double chins. 

Not so, said posing guru Buzan: “Not only does it make your body look completely distorted … but it looks dated and incredibly awkward.”

She then provided an example of a photo of her taken from a high angle, pointing out how it makes her shoulders look big and her knees look little.

The second major mistake Buzan — who authored the book “101 Ways to Pose” — warned her adoring public to avoid is resorting the “teapot pose” in every photo.

“I understand you may want to make your arm look smaller, however, there are many different poses you can use to do that which don’t look as fake or as forced,” she advised of the pose no self-respecting influencer would endorse.

The teaching TikToker said to instead opt for a pose that’s more natural rather than “posing like you’re on a red carpet.”

Duck lips in photos is another big, tired mistake people make while posing for photos.

“This just isn’t cute. It’s very forced and very awkward,” she declared.

While this one may seem like an obvious pose to avoid, Buzan said, “You’d be shocked by how many people are still posting selfies like this on their Instagram. Just don’t.”


tiktok posing expert
The second mistake Christine Buzan says to avoid is doing the “teapot pose” in every photo.
TikTok/@lookgoodinphotos

Buzan added that the way people pose for pictures go in and out of style, just like fashion trends.

One of the most important things to be aware of is the position of your body and face. 

The posing expert added an honorable mention to the list of three mistakes: Using filters inappropriately.

While filters are all fun and games for social media, professional-quality pictures are not the place to be using filters or editing apps, according to Buzan.

“Just don’t do it! It looks dated — and you’re great the way you are,” she said.


tiktok posing expert
Christine Buzan added that the way people pose for pictures go in and out of style, just like fashion trends.
TikTok/@lookgoodinphotos

As of Tuesday morning, nearly 700 people have responded to the tips in the comments.

“As an elder millennial my toxic trait is thinking you look good in all these pictures,” one person wrote.

“All these will be back in 10 years so you can repost these pics soon,” another joked.

“Your posing videos have helped me be confident in taking non-selfie pics! I still have COVID weight and shy away from pics,” another admitted.