10 Best Apps for Selfies 2021

A Brief History of Selfies 

While we may think of selfies as a phenomenon of the 21st century, they have existed since the beginning of photography. In 1893, Robert Cornelius, a photography pioneer, snapped the very first self-portrait. In 1913, Russian Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna took the original mirror selfie.

The popularity of selfies has skyrocketed in recent years. Cameras are no longer a bulky item; they’re right here in our phones, ready to capture any moment. Selfies are a way to broadcast ourselves, to show what we’re up to on a large scale.

Selfies became even more popular during the COVID lockdown. Confined into their houses, people felt alone...together. As a result, selfie use on social media has soared. The need to share and connect via online platforms is stronger than ever before. Want to get the most out of your selfie? This guide will show you the 10 best apps for your selfies in 2021.

How To Shoot Great Selfies 

Feeling yourself? Before you take that selfie, here are a few tips and tricks to get the most Instagram-worthy post.

Angles and lighting

Angles play a vital role in portraits; some are more flattering than others. Play with angles to find your perfect combo of tilting your head and/or phone. Usually, putting your phone a little higher than your head helps. 

Lighting is everything! Soft natural light looks much better than a bright blue-ish neon light, for instance. Try taking a few selfies in front of a window during the sunset to get all the glow from the famous golden hour. 

Emotion - As Tyra Banks would say, you have to smize - smile with your eyes. Stare straight at your phone’s lens and let your eyes speak. Put some emotion in your selfie; fake smiles are obvious and don’t look half as good as genuine ones.

How to hold a phone safely for a selfie

You might master all the elements mentioned above, but don’t forget this last vital element. You can’t get a good self-portrait without having a solid grip on your phone! What’s the point of taking a picture if your phone slips out of your hand? Take, for example this woman who dropped her brand new iPhone while attempting to film her paragliding experience. Not fun!

To avoid such a frustrating moment, you need to have a good grip on your phone. Handy accessories like Phone Loops help you save your phone from falling even during the most extreme selfie shoots.  This Canadian company specializes in phone straps and bands of all kinds. Phone grips allow you to take the most epic selfies anywhere, anytime. 

They offer many designs and colors so you can find something that fits your style. Their sleekness won’t bother you, unlike other phone grips, which make awkward shapes in your pockets. Not only are they elegant, but they’re also incredibly functional. With a Loop on your phone, unfortunate drops and shattered screens are worries from the past. You can now record all your memorable experiences, even in extreme situations. 

Top 10 Best Apps for Selfies 2021

Now that you know the basics for a killer selfie, here are some digital tools to help you get the most out of your photos.

10 - BestMe Selfie Camera

If you are of the impatient kind, look no further. This app lets you share your pictures in an instant. Whatever your preferred social media platform is, they have it: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WeChat... Try their special effects, such as mirroring and collage options. Did we mention they also have over 125 real-time filters? Take your selfies to the next level with their broad range of features. 

9 - Fabby

Even if you look your best, a dull environment is not suitable for your selfie game. Fabby lets you upgrade your portraits with fabulous backgrounds. Travel from the corner of your living room to the jungle or outer space with this fun app. It also has many other features, such as background blur.

8 - A Color Story

We have all seen selfies edited beyond reason (and it doesn’t look good). This application makes colors pop naturally. With over 300 filters, you can enhance your selfie without overdoing it. Plus, who doesn’t want their Instagram feed to be coherent? It might be hard to predict if your next post is going to fit with your previous pictures. Worry no more with the Feed Preview feature on A Color Story. It lets you plan and design your profile, so it’s pleasing to the eye.

7 - Picr

You have probably already seen a time-lapse video of someone taking a daily selfie for an extended period. While the result is remarkable, it takes quite a lot of dedication to put together. Picr reminds you to snap a shot every day with a notification. Then, the app creates a time-lapse of your photos. Watch yourself change over time or see your children grow. It sure is an original and simple way to create memories. 

6 - Mematic

Steal the show in a group conversation by turning yourself into a meme! Mematic is the perfect app to make your friends laugh. Not only do you have access to thousands of stock photos, but you can also let your creativity flow with their variety of fonts, colors, stickers, frames, and more. 

5 - Prisma

No need to stand still for hours: Prisma instantly turns your pictures into works of art! With over 300 art styles, you can give your selfie the appearance of a painting. Anything but boring, this app even offers a new filter daily. Invite Picasso or Salvador Dali in your social media feed for a creative post. 

4 - VSCO

We all have our personal favorite set of editing features: a little contrast, some sharpness, and so on. One prominent feature of VSCO is that it lets you save your custom preferences. You can then apply them to all your pictures; what a time-saver! No need to select these options every single time you upload a selfie.  This popular app is famous for its several editing effects and community. Share your photographs with other editing enthusiasts on VSCO.

3 - Lightleap

This easy-to-use app proves that advanced photo editing can be user-friendly. It includes all basic editing features such as exposure, depth, and grain. It also offers incredible filters like sky color modification or retouch tools to erase elements. Lightleap is quite the package deal; explore it, and see why!

2 - Retrica

Have you ever heard of social media made for selfies? Retrica is not only a photo editing app, it’s also a picture-sharing community. They often update their collection of almost two hundred filters; you won’t get bored. They even have a built-in photo timer. Finally, it is notorious for its retro effects. Want to give your selfies an authentic 70s vibe? Look no further!

1 - Snapchat

Snapchat is popular for a good reason: it is an everything-in-one: a selfie tool and a chatting app. It lets you…

• Take selfies or videos with multiple real-time filters at the same time and send them to friends; 

• See where they are on the Snap Map; 

• Show people what you’re doing on your stories; 

• Create your personalized character with Bitmoji;

• Videochat with up to sixteen people;

• Discover content from various major platforms such as Buzzfeed or Vice;

• Save your Snaps in the private “Memories” section;

• And more!

2021 selfie trends

The mirror selfie

In these times of uncertainty, we can’t know for sure when life will return to normal. While we are still at home, it’s harder to shoot elaborate pictures by ourselves. Mirror selfies are making a massive comeback on social media, and that trend is not about to die soon. 

Augmented reality effects

There is a wide variety of cute real-time lenses out there. They add a touch of fun to anyone’s face right away.  A few examples of popular ones include fake freckles, butterflies around the head, dog on the shoulder, or peaches on cheeks. What new filters are we going to see in 2021?

Takeaway

Selfies are way more than just photographs of ourselves. They allow us to capture a moment, conquer our digital identity, and share what’s important to us. Our social media profiles reflect who we are; no wonder we put so much thought into them. 

There are some basic rules for good selfies. First, finding flattering angles and lighting is vital. One essential aspect to keep in mind is to have a good grip on your phone to ensure you hold it safely in your hand—no need to risk breaking your expensive device every time you want to snap a memory. A simple Phone Loop is all you need to take pictures without worry.

To make your self-portraits Instagram-worthy, several tools can assist you in your editing process. Let your inner artist show through your Instagram feed with these best apps for selfies. From sleek, simple editing to crazy backgrounds, filters, and memes, the possibilities are endless!