Who doesn’t love taking photos? I sure do, especially if I’m looking particularly snazzy on a certain day. That’s why, along with probably the whole social media population, I’ve been obsessed with taking OOTDs. I don’t get the chance to take an OOTD (Outfit of the Day) photo every day, but when I do I make sure to follow these 5 easy steps for taking the #PerfectOOTD.
#1. Strike your best OOTD pose.
Know your angles. And I’m not just talking about doing like Ariana Grande and only taking photos of the right side of your face. It might be enough to think of your facial angles for a regular selfie. Taking an OOTD though is a whole other art. You have to remember that the first O in OOTD stands for “Outfit.” It’s important to move your body in a way that best showcases what you’re wearing.
This photo was taken in Myanmar. I wore a traditional Burmese skirt called the longyi. I wanted to show how the skirt draped and I wanted my pose to reflect that as I am also literally casually hanging on that brick wall. It was a bit of a challenge to hold that pose but it was all worth it. Para sa OOTD!
#2. Choose a background that complements your style.
It’s important to remember how your clothes match up to your background. Looking for the perfect backdrop to complement my outfit is probably what takes up most of my time. One time I even had to walk on scorching hot concrete on a humid summer day to capture an OOTD.
I almost always look for unique and interesting backdrops whenever I travel. I love taking OOTD photos on the street. There’s always something interesting to look at. The varying textures also look great on the photo.
Seoul is abound with exquisite architecture. I immediately gravitated toward this wall in one of the neighborhoods that still had old world charm. I wore a relatively simple outfit: no patterns, just solid colors. The paint on the wall is pretty muted, so the bright purple on my shirt and bright yellow on my shoes pop out.
Another thing to keep in mind, which is also a fundamental photography tip, is composition, or how you frame the subject of your photo. Check out these two photos, Exhibits A and B, from my trip in Taiwan to show my travel OOTD. Which one do you think I finally posted on my social media?
Both photos were taken in the same location and, more or less, were captured against the same background. However, Exhibit B is framed better. The symmetry and the vanishing point makes for a much more interesting photo and gives more focus to the outfit.
#3. Wear clothes that you love and feel good in.
I am the first to confess that I love buying new clothes (among a lot of other things). There’s a sense of fulfillment in having new items in my wardrobe to make me look and feel good as much as possible. But, as you may have noticed in these OOTDs, I have a few staple items that I almost always wear. I’m not really one to be loyal to a certain brand, but if I do love something, I use it pretty much always. (I just noticed that I do seem to love that purple top from Topman too much :-P.)
Aside from items that are merely fashionable, I also look for practicality and most especially comfort. That is especially helpful if you’re like me who just doesn’t know when to stop at the perfect shot. Just look at how many shots it took to come up with that final photo above. Imagine if I had to wear several layers of clothes on that day.
#4. Stand out. Be unique.
OOTDs are rampant on social media. A quick search on the hashtag #OOTD on Instagram and you’ll be greeted by millions showing off their personal styles. With millions of other people taking their OOTD photos, it’s hard to stand out. That’s where your creativity comes to play.
Or you could look for your signature OOTD photo. I usually go for the OOTD jump shot photo. It’s not the usual OOTD photo, but it’s a lot of fun and makes the photo more dynamic. Go for variety! It’s not bad to be a little silly and/or quirky sometimes! 🙂
And if all else fails, just remember to show off your most confident self. It’s your OOTD, after all. Do whatever makes you happy! 🙂
#5. Shoot the perfect OOTD with the perfect camera.
I’ve been taking OOTDs with my smartphone’s camera for the longest time. It’s more convenient than lugging a huge DSLR every time. It’s especially helpful because if I see a beautiful backdrop to take an OOTD with I can immediately shoot one using my phone. I am pretty okay with the camera I use right now, but finding out about the OPPO F1S gave me phone envy. I could just imagine the beautiful OOTDs I can take with that phone!
The OPPO F1S calls itself the “Selfie Expert,” and I can see why. It has an unbelievably clear 16MP front camera. Yup, you read that right! That many pixels for a front-facing camera. You can even take clear selfies even in low light. It also has Beautify 4.0, which makes you look your best in your selfie, without the unwanted blemishes. It also has filters built in so you can always choose the best look and feel for your photos. A wide-angle selfie panorama enables you to take groupfies with your whole squad. Selfies galore!
The rear camera is also a beast at 13MP with amazing color depth and details even at low light conditions. And it has a huge screen to match, so that you can view your beautiful photos in all its glory. It’s available in three stylish colors—grey, gold and rose gold—so your phone becomes the perfect accessory to complete your stylish OOTD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ3x1tMre50
Before I end this post, I can’t help but be inspired by OPPO’s latest ad. So… I did what any self-confessed selfie-obsessed person does and I took my own selfies a la Sarah G:
And the winner for Best Actor in a Selfie is…
Are you as obsessed with OOTDs as I am? What other tips could you share to take the perfect OOTD? Sound off in the comments below.
