Mirror Photos: Tips and Tricks for a Spectacular Result

pose in the mirror It’s something we all do at some point. We may seek to photograph our clothes, our face or see ourselves together. The photos in the mirror are an easy way to self-portrait and that we must take advantage of to achieve the best result.

In this article I will give you tricks to make better photos in the mirroras well as photo posing tips, ideas and inspiration for both men and women.

Are you dying to start? Let’s start at the beginning 🙂 .

How to take photos in the mirror

Let’s start with some tricks to take photos in the mirror and get good results:

  1. Find adequate lighting.
    • The ideal is a soft and homogeneous light.
    • Notice the shadows on your face, the lights coming from the ceiling are unflattering.
    • The best thing, if you can, is to get closer to a window or look for natural light.
  2. Take care of the background, you don’t want your socks to be seen lying in a corner ;).
  3. Use a tripod and a remote shutter release.
  4. Set a medium aperture (f/8 for example) to ensure good focus.
  5. Use a lens that generates few distortions (50mm for example).
  6. Take care of the styling and the details, whatever they may be, that you have chosen them consciously.
  7. Turn off the flash.
  8. Choose a good composition.
  9. If you are going to take pictures with your mobile, follow these tips:
    • focus your reflection
    • Focus on the frame (it is where the mobile cameras generate the least distortions)
    • Hold the phone as parallel to your reflection as possible to avoid distortion
    • Try not to cover your face
    • Don’t shadow yourself with your mobile
    • turn off the flash
  10. Try different planes.

Poses for photos in the mirror

Taking selfies in the mirror has the absolute advantage that you can see yourself in the moment, try out postures and check if you like the result or not, before taking the photo.

poses for photos

To pose in the mirror, the first thing you should think about is what part of you you want to photograph. That will determine the frame, the type of plane or the perspective that you are going to use. For example, if what you want is to show off your shoes, you will have to look for an interesting frame where they appear.

If, on the other hand, you want to focus on your face, it is not necessary to go full-length, you can focus on the close-ups for a better final result.

It is also important to choose the type of camera. It is not the same to be photographed with the mobile in hand than to have a tripod and a camera with interchangeable lenses.

If you use a camera with interchangeable lenses, the ideal is to look for a medium focal length, type 50mm, since it is the one that most resembles the human eye and generates less distortion.

Once you have your clothes and equipment chosen, make sure you have good lighting and a photogenic environment, focus on your reflection and get ready to pose.

Am I what I look like in the photos?

It is the big question that we often ask ourselves and that does not have an easy answer because it depends a lot on the equipment you are using, the point of view from which you are taking the photograph, and your pose.

Different focal lengths distort the image in different ways. For example, an angular focal length distorts by magnifying the image that is closest to the margins of the objective and is also characterized by a great depth of field.

In contrast, a telephoto lens flattens the different planes and has a shallow depth of field. The ideal for this type of photography is to use a medium focal length, around 50mm.

It is also important to control the point of view from which you take the picture. Keep in mind that the part of your body that is closest to the target will always appear larger. Ideally, keep the camera as parallel to your reflection as possible, or slightly angled (top to bottom).

Focal length and angle of view

Ideas for photos in the mirror

You already have everything prepared and thought. Now what? Well, it’s time to try different ideas for photos in the mirror. Here are some ideas:

  • Take the mirror to nature: give it context, don’t just photograph yourself in the reflection of your room.
  • Take it down and put it on the floor, so you can try sitting or squatting poses.
  • If you have space, try full body poses. For a slimmer look, try half-profile shots and slightly move one leg forward to add pizzazz.
  • If you don’t know what to do with your hands, you can try putting them lightly in your pocket.
  • Also use small mirrors to take portraits of your face.
  • Pursue naturalness, do not look for very complicated poses or it will be difficult for your face to remain serene.
  • Give interest to your photography with an attractive environment.
  • Ideally, you should have a trigger so you can press the shutter at the best time.
  • If you use your mobile, remember to keep it parallel and disable the flash.
    • Keep it parallel to the face without covering yourself
    • Or at your waist

I recommend that you get inspired by our complete article on photo poses, with tips, tricks, poses for women and men, etc.

Photos of women in the mirror

Although men and women can share a pose, the truth is that bodies are different and we find certain poses more natural in each other.

Photos of women in the mirror

Poses for women’s photos

In this article you can get inspiration for your photos in the woman’s mirror. You will find photos standing, sitting, leaning, lying down or squatting.

Practically all of them can be rehearsed in front of the mirror. More than 65 inspirational photographs like these that you can see inside the article:

Practice the poses in the mirror and stick with the ones that favor you the most or with the ones that show what you want to convey.

mirror men images

If you want to photograph men in the mirror or self-portrait, beyond the advice that I have been giving you throughout this article, you will need inspiration 🙂 .

Mirror poses aren’t too different from the poses you can do without it, so I recommend you take a look at our article with 60 man poses, where you’ll find plenty of inspiration.

Remember, however, that the mirror can be a very interesting creative element to frame your protagonist (or yourself if you are practicing the self-portrait), so try to play with the narrative to add more interest.

Men poses in the mirror

Photos of couples and boyfriends in the mirror

Mirrors can give a lot of themselves in couples photography. By having two people, you can be even more creative than with just one. If you are interested in some tips on photos of couples and boyfriends in the mirror, keep reading 😉

  • Play with the symmetries.
  • Make sure they are both in focus (extend depth of field if necessary).
  • Play around with how close or far away the mirror is to make them fit completely if you’re interested.
  • Try more angular lenses if you practice in a small space (beware of distortions).
  • Experiment with the different planes.
  • Tell a story, go beyond “mere” reflection.
  • Take the mirror off the wall, give it life, take it to the field or leave it on the floor.
  • Take care of the wardrobe: try to dress similarly or at least that the tones look good together.
  • Take care of the background.
  • Add an attractive context.
  • Use original points of view.

Photos of couples and boyfriends in the mirror

Selfies in the mirror

We have already been unraveling, throughout this article, some good ideas to achieve mirror selfie that you can apply to your self-portraits. I summarize the most important:

  • Be patient, it is difficult for the result you are looking for to come out the first time.
  • Turn off the flash.
  • If you are using a camera mounted on a tripod, focus manually so that the focus will not be lost at the moment of shooting. You can use an object to focus the reflection more easily and then remove it.
  • Take care of the background and the environment. Analyze well what surrounds you in the frame and if it doesn’t convince you, take it out of it.
  • Take care of the lighting, especially the one that comes from above (from above), which is very unflattering.
  • Try different poses: give them some dynamism by advancing one leg, crossing one arm, turning slightly…
  • To avoid distortion, try to focus slightly on the frame.
  • If the mirror is beautiful, better, all help is little.
  • Pick it up and take it for a walk (if you can).

Mirrors are a very creative element, especially if you dare with a medium or small size, since you can maneuver it more easily and be more creative.

Mirror photos can be an awesome creative resource for your portraits and self-portraits, so keep exploring, trying out poses, framing, etc. Because you already know that practicing is when we really learn and, taking photos, when creativity and inspiration flourish.

I hope this article has been useful to you, if so, you already know, help us spread it by sharing it on your favorite social networks. Thanks, we’ll see you in the next article 🙂 .