Selfies are the self-portraits of the digital age. Social networks are full of them and it is difficult to find someone who has not at least taken one once. However, not all selfies are the same. Has it happened to you that you take a selfie with a friend’s smartphone and you look better than yours? What is the difference? What peculiarity does this camera have with respect to the others and how has it evolved over time? Learn what features make a front camera improve the quality of your selfies.
Sergio Pacusich, photographer and creator of @Pacushoot, indicates that, although the selfie camera has been the one that has had the shortest reach in smartphones in terms of important features such as the sensor or the number of megapixels, this has changed over time as technology brands have realized the priority and importance of the selfie in people’s lives. Through a Xiaomi press release, Sergio shares 5 tips to differentiate a good selfie camera.
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Check the quality of your camera
There are three aspects that we should pay attention to when it comes to identifying a good selfie camera. The first is the sensor, which defines the quality of the photo, since having a larger sensor gives you more information in each megapixel. The second is the viewing angle which defines how much space the shot covers. There are selfie cameras with closer shots and others with wider ones. This range is defined by degrees. “The selfie is usually a little less than the main camera and ranges from 45 to 55 °,” adds the specialist.
Finally, integration with the mobile ecosystem is a very important factor, because it allows you to use additional functions such as Portrait Mode. Thanks to this mode, the center of attention will be you, coming out very focused and making the background blur much greater, simulating the finish of a professional camera.
Megapixels are not the main thing
The number of megapixels becomes relevant depending on where you are going to post the photo. That is, it matters as long as you are going to print a self-portrait in a large size. For an entrepreneur, it can be a very useful tool since you can capture any photo and take it to print without problems, without the need for a professional camera. “Also, currently, everything we see is in full HD (1920×1080) format. With 10MP to 12MP you can reach that format, which is enough to work content on networks”, specifies the expert.
What is HDR and why is it important that it is present in the front camera? Its acronym stands for High Dynamic Range and it is the automatic combination of three photographs: one very bright, one normal and one dark. “When the user activates this function, he will obtain a balanced image, as the human eye would see it. You can also place it as an automatic option ”, he explains.
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You can also improve your group selfies
The important thing is that all the people come out focused in the photo, something very complicated if you don’t have the right technology. Eyetracking, which is included in some cell phones, achieves this. “Eye tracking or eye and face focus allows you to always have the object in focus, whether in motion or in still scenes. In the group photo, it detects your faces and this is enough to make sure that the models come out in focus in any light scenario: evening, night, indoors or outdoors”, highlights Pacusich.
To improve the result even more, try to take care of the distribution of the photographed and place the person taking the selfie a couple of steps ahead for better composition results.
Watch out for the flash!
When the flash option is activated in the selfie, a mirror-like frame is formed, which causes the screen to light up a lot and shoot. If you are going to use this function, wait a few seconds still for the camera to capture you. The flash will give you a little more light, so you will come out better and with greater definition. You can test this feature inside a movie theater, for example.
Take advantage of the artificial intelligence of the front cameras
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a selfie camera can be used before or after the photo is taken. Before the shot, for example, you can select Beauty Mode, Contour, Makeup, Slender, Big Eyes to outline the face, as well as choose from a wide gallery of filters to obtain a portrait with the desired effects. Meanwhile, in post editing, you can vary the color of the sky from cloudy to sunny. All this work done by the AI of the smartphone translates into savings of time and resources, since the user will not have to spend hours editing a photo with a professional design program that they probably do not have easy access to.