93 million selfies are taken every day. That includes holiday pictures, profile pictures, selfies to use for online dating, and everything in between. But some of us don’t always get the perfect photo the first time. Some of us need to read a few tips for taking selfies.

I’ll level with you: Gen Zers were born knowing how to take the perfect selfie, and anyone older than them… was not. It’s astonishing to me how wielding an iPhone is so innate to my middle- and high school-aged daughters, yet it took me what feels like weeks to even find the camera option in my app menu. But I have good news for you! Even if you didn’t know how to use an iPhone before you could walk, you can still learn to take the perfect selfie. It takes us a bit more trial and error and a bit more practice (okay…. a lot more practice), but if you follow these 5 tips for taking selfies then you’ll be ready to add your expert selfie to your dating profile in no time.

5 Tips For Taking Selfies 

1. Smile

This is the #1 most important thing! Loosen yourself up with some jumping jacks or a big laugh to get a big, beautiful, natural smile.

2. Lighting

Opt for bright, warm, indirect light. Make sure there aren’t harsh shadows. Cloudy days are actually great for outdoor photos!

3. Angle

Ladies, hold your phone slightly above eye level and tilt down at your face to create the most flattering angle; men, straight on tends to be best.

4. Background

Try arranging plants or art behind you, or take a selfie outside in nature or against a cool mural. No blank white backgrounds, no messy bedrooms, and NO bathroom mirrors!

5. Method

Try both using your front facing phone camera and holding the phone yourself, as well as setting your phone up across the room and using the self-timer.

6. Mood

Take a selfie when you’re feeling great! Just went to a party and you’re a little giddy from socializing? Heading out to brunch in a new top you love? I’d just gotten my makeup done for an event and was feeling glowy and excited, so I snapped the selfie at the top of this blog.

Using Selfies For Online Dating

Why are selfies so important, anyway? After my divorce, I realized I had basically no photos of just myself. It’s okay to include one photo with a group of friends on your dating profile, but people want to see who YOU are, so most of your photos should be solo shots. Asking your friends to snap a photo of you when you’re out together is a great way to build up a library of possible dating app shots, but we all know how it goes: too often you’re not 100% thrilled with the quick photo your friend snapped. With selfies, you don’t have to worry about your friend’s unsteady hand or lack of artistic eye—you can control exactly how you look, how you’re framed, and how many photos you want to take until you get that perfect one. Selfies are an excellent way to quickly fill out a dating profile with great solo shots of yourself. Don’t go overboard (no more than 2 selfies where you’re obviously the person holding the camera), but don’t shy away from the selfie, either!

Just remember: practice, practice, ask your friends for feedback, and then practice some more. It’s worth it for those shots that make you say “Damn—I look GOOD.”