What's the Deal with Car Selfies?
What is a Car Selfie?
A car selfie is when people take selfies while sitting in their car. The rise of smartphones with front-facing cameras and visual focused social networks like Instagram or Facebook made taking self photos and videos easier than ever, and the car has become a popular place for people to snap self-portraits.
How to Take Great Car Selfies
Here are some tips for taking great car selfies:
- Use the natural lighting. One reason car selfies often look so good is because your car acts like a natural photo booth, with light streaming in from all sides. Position yourself facing towards sunlight for a flattering look.
- Get the right angle. Hold your phone up high for a more flattering angle. Shoot slightly from above pointing down rather than straight on.
- Consider your background. Be aware of what's behind you - a cluttered backseat or view of your garage may not make the best backdrop. Unless you want to share your look-how-my-car-is-messed-up fun image.
- Use Portrait mode. This phone camera mode will artistically blur backgrounds for better focus on you.
- Be mindful of shadows. Overhead lighting can cast unflattering shadows on your face. Adjust your sun visors as needed. Or process this stuff with filters after.
- Check your expression. Have a genuine smile or whatever look conveys your personality best.
- Fix your hair. Use your visor mirror to check your hair and touch up your look before taking car selfies. Wear a hat, if your hair is messed up.
Use Portrait mode. This phone camera mode will artistically blur backgrounds for better focus on you
Why People Take Car Selfies
Car selfies have become a popular social media phenomenon, with people eagerly sharing their latest in-car pics. Here are some top reasons people snap car selfies:
- Convenience - Your car is a personal space you spend time in, so it's an easy place to snap a quick pic when the mood strikes.
- Flattering lighting - As mentioned above, a car's abundant natural light from all angles makes anyone look their best.
- Looking cute en route - People often take car selfies when they're en route to events and dressed up, capturing their looks before arriving.
- Boredom - Driving time is idle time, leading many to take selfies to fill time stopped at lights or in traffic.
- Privacy - It's a private enclosed space to take selfies without strangers around watching you pose.
- Capturing good hair days - The car is a great place to take advantage of fresh post-salon hairstyles that won't look as perfect after leaving.
- Dating app pics - Singles snap car selfies to quickly get pics to use for their dating profiles. Natural lighting shows them at their best.
Why Car Selfies Look So Great
The enclosed space of a car creates flattering portrait lighting. Angled side and rear windows create a diffused lighting effect that illuminates your features in a natural, glowing way. Windshields and sunroofs also allow overhead lighting to bounce attractive highlights onto your face. The neutral colored interior and abundant light sources reduce shadows that can hide your best features.
Compared to selfies in unflattering indoor lighting or over-bright sunlight outdoors, a car strikes that perfect balance for bringing out your photogenic side. The privacy of your vehicle also lets you refine your selfie skills getting your pose, expression, and angles just right before sharing your content on social media or dating sites.
The enclosed space of a car creates flattering portrait lighting
Is Taking Car Selfies Safe? How to Do It Safety
While cars make an ideal selfie studio, snapping pics behind the wheel raises safety concerns. According to reports, over 50 people died in car accidents in the U.S. in recent years due to taking selfies while driving. Please, be safe!
To safely capture your best car selfies:
- Pull over - Only take selfies when safely parked with your vehicle in park.
- Use a mount - Invest in a dashboard or windshield mount to stabilize your phone while parked.
- Enlist a friend - Have a friend in the passenger seat help with your photo shoot.
- Add text later - If you get the urge to take a driving selfie, snap the pic then add your caption afterward when parked.
- Know the law - Many states have laws prohibiting drivers from using handheld phones. Selfies behind the wheel could lead to legal penalties.
The safest car selfies keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Wait until parked in a safe location before snapping your latest social media-worthy shot.
In-Car Selfies: A Popular Social Media Trend
Car selfies remain a ubiquitous social media phenomenon. They offer a convenient way to capture your latest share-worthy looks. But resist the temptation to snap driving selfies, which present a major traffic hazard. For best results, leverage the ideal lighting conditions cars provide only when safely parked. With some creativity and practice, you can master the art of taking engaging car self-portraits to share across your social platforms.
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For best results, leverage the ideal lighting conditions cars provide only when safely parked
Why People Continue Taking Car Selfies
Car selfies have become a wildly popular trend that doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon. Here are some reasons this photo phenomenon remains so prevalent today:
- Convenience - A car selfie is often the quickest, easiest way to get a shareable pic. You likely carry your smartphone everywhere, and your car is the most accessible private space with ideal lighting.
- Immediacy - When you're feeling cute and ready to post, taking a fast car selfie lets you instantly share the moment. Waiting until later means losing perfect hair and makeup.
- Privacy - You avoid looking silly taking selfies in public. A car offers a comfortable private photo booth.
- Dating profiles - Car selfies are ubiquitous on dating apps and sites since they're an easy way to quickly get pics.
- Habit - Once you get accustomed to snapping a car selfie, it becomes second nature when you're dressed up or bored in traffic.
- Positive feedback - Validation and likes on your car selfies reinforce the sharing habit.
- Fun - Simply put, taking creative stylized self-portraits, checking the results, and posting your best shots is enjoyable for many people.
So long as smartphones and social media sites populate our lives, the convenient car selfie isn't going extinct anytime soon. Just keep road safety in mind above all when aiming for the perfect driving pic.
