Couple taking a self portraitNow more than ever people are sharing digital pictures of themselves online. Smartphones give people the power to easily shoot their selfies with the press of a button.

The word ‘Selfie’ was even named word of the year in 2013 by Oxford Dictionaries as usage of the word grew 17000% from the previous year.

Snapping a savvy selfie sounds relatively simple, right? Wrong!

People are making simple selfie mistakes with their eyes, mouth and jaw that can really make the difference between a flattering shot and one destined for the trash bin.

Portrait photographer Peter Hurley recently shared tips for better selfies and head shots in the Fast Company article “Always Be Squinching and Other Tricks from a Portrait Photographer for Taking Flattering Pictures.”

Among the tips, focusing on your eyes and jawline are at the top of his list. The top trick when looking directly at the camera? Bringing your forehead slightly towards the camera and tilt your face down a little bit. Another tip is always adding a slight smile.

For a wealth of great photography tips, check out this video and the article.

Image courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net