(Photo: Courtesy of Emily Oberg)
Emily Oberg, who works with the L.A.-based creative agency The DFM, is teaching the art of the perfect selfie, and she promises tonight’s free class will be a fun, pressure-free exploration that will take you from Insta-loser to Kardashian-level pro. “We will talk about lighting, locations, when the best time of day is to take a selfie (natural light), and mirror selfies vs. frontal selfies,” Oberg explained in an email. But that’s not all! Did you know you can improve your selfies with accessories? Oberg recommends a light case for your trusted selfie device (Kim Kardashian recommends them too, so you know this is solid).
Oberg said that the class will also work on destigmatizing selfie-taking, because we all know how hard it can be when you’re feeling your look and your eyebrows are on fleek but your downer boss keeps you from living your best life because “this office is not your personal photo studio” or whatever.
“We’ll also focus on the importance of not being ashamed to take selfies. I know a lot of times people make fun of girls or guys who post photos of themselves and it’s essentially selfie-shaming. But I think it’s important to talk to people about being proud of what you look like and how taking a great selfie is just another way to feel good about yourself,” Oberg explained.
So what are some of Oberg’s tips for Instagram gold? You’ll have to attend the workshop to find out more, but she advises newbies to “always take your selfies in natural light near a window” and to “never photoshop your selfies.” Don’t be that person! In fact, that and the use of bad filters (ahem Toaster) are the biggest “selfie fails” you could commit. “Don’t make people think you’re skinnier than you are, don’t blur out your blemishes, be true to who you are. I’ve definitely seen this go wrong when someone looks a certain way on Instagram and then you see them in person and they look nothing like their pictures. That’s a big fail!”
Another piece of advice? “Find your angles! I like the left side of my face better so I’ll always angle my head that way,” she said. We recommend practicing extensively in your office’s bathroom.
Ultimately, selfie-taking is all about self-love for Oberg. “Don’t take your selfies too seriously. They’re silly and they’re meant to be fun. Make a stupid face, don’t be afraid to have fun with it and don’t worry about what others will think of it,” she said. “There’s enough online hate these days so it’s good to be able to get a bunch of people together and just love yourselves!”
If you’re still taking grainy bathroom mirror selfies after this, there’s no hope for you.
American Apparel at 104 N 6th St, Brooklyn. Tonight, 7pm – 9pm.