7 Life-Changing Items That Will Make Your Nude Photos Look Professionally Done
I think we can all agree that Kim Kardashian has taught us some very valuable life lessons, like how to how to get out of an unhappy marriage and how take better nude photos. I may not agree with everything that she does — I'll pass on the placenta smoothie, thanks — but I will always admire the confidence and resilience she has in taking and posting nude photos of herself despite all the hate.
If nothing else, she's proved that nude selfie-taking is an art, which is good news for anyone like me who is extra AF. I may or may not have staged a birthday-themed, nude photo sesh as a gift to a former partner once. Do you know how many creative ways you can pose with birthday candles? I do.
At the time, I used a stack of textbooks to hold my camera up and the self-timer function to capture my festive shots. For props, I used the birthday candles (duh), balloons, Mardi Gras beads, and a pair of red, velvet heels. The heels were a reference to a dirty joke about The Wizard of Oz that I actually don't remember the details of anymore but they worked at the time, OK? I had a friend look over my risqué photos (for quality assurance, of course) before hitting send on a birthday surprise I'm positive my partner still remembers.
What? You think these things just happen organically? Ha, no.
It's a process. It requires planning.
A few extra gadgets couldn't hurt either. Here are seven items you should check out if you want to up your game. I sure could have used these.
A Full-Length Standing Mirror
This is a game-changer, especially if you prefer your nudes to be selfies. Of course, even if you aren't taking a classic selfie (maybe you're using a prop and a self-timer), a full-length mirror is helpful to practice poses that show yourself off from head to toe. This champagne-colored one from Amazon looks Kim K.-approved.
A Ring Light
Everyone knows that natural lighting works best for photos, but you're probably not staging a nude photo shoot in the park any time soon. Luckily, there are a couple ~studio~ alternatives you can try at home. A ring light works best for medium shots (not too close up, not too far away) because it places the phone or camera at the center of the light source, eliminating any dark shadows. If you're not taking photos of yourself, a ring light is still a great investment to get your makeup just right. Check out this one that includes a remote and a mount for your phone.
You can also opt for a much cheaper, clip-on version like this one by e.l.f. Cosmetics.
A LuMee Light-Up Case
Hold on. We're not done with lighting yet. This light-up LuMee phone case inspired by Kim K. is perfect for taking selfies with the ever-disappointing, front-facing camera. Plus, it's way more subtle than a ring light if you're into that sort of thing.
A Hand-Held Timer
Nothing is more annoying than having to twist your fingers into the most uncomfortable positions, only to take a blurry photo because you lost your grip. A hand-held Bluetooth timer will allow you to snap photos without having to hold on to your phone, which means your hands are free to do other things.
A Tripod
This is a must-have, whether it's for your phone or your DSLR. Because there are so many options on the market, it's helpful to decide what's important to you before you go tripod shopping. Do you need maximum height so you can get those on-the-bed shots? Something sturdy enough to capture an action shot without tipping over? Or one that's lightweight and versatile so you can experiment with new angles? I've got just the thing to make that last wish come true.
A PopSocket
If a tripod seems like too much work, you can always just stick one of these bad boys to the back of your phone. The expandable prop allows you to stand your phone up on flat surfaces or to get a better grip on when you want to point and shoot.
A Clip-On Fan
Kim K. would (Beyoncé, too, probably). Now you can stage that hair-blowing-in-the-wind moment without even getting out of bed. No one's going to guess you had a little help from a tiny fan plugged into your phone because OMG, that's so extra. But so are you.
Send nudes?
