In the zoom era, its become incredibly important to present well on camera, and maybe this wasn’t something that we were too concerned about in the past limited to text messaging and phone calls, it seems the further apart that we get because of COVID, the closer up we need to be seen on camera, that includes, meetings, webinars, job interviews, dates, and meeting up with friends and family, you can’t be too concerned but at the same time its important to be considerate, know your angles, and do your best! 

Makeup Tips and Suggestions:

Favorite Eyeshadows: Bobbi Brown eyeshadow stick, Nudestix, and Clinique Chubby Stick

Favorite Lip Balm: Buxom Power-Full Plump (Big O), Nars Afterglow Lip Balm, Glow Recipe Lip Pop, Too Faced (Playful Pink), Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint (Bare Melon)

Favorite Eyeliner: Maybelline tattoo studio smokey, Maybelline TattooStudio Liquid Ink Eyeliner.

Favorite Eyebrow: Joah Brown Down to Me (Taupe), Anastasia Brow Definer Triangular, Benefit.

Favorite Blush: Clinique cheek pop/blush pop (pansy pop, pink pop), Too Faced (peach beach).

Favorite Foundation Sticks: Joah Crystal Glow Tinted Luminizer, Milk Makeup, Bobbi Brown.

Favorite Powder: Bare Minerals Bare Pro, Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’R, NYX Mineral Matte Finishing Power. 

Favorite Concealer: Tarte shape tape, stay Naked Correcting Concealer. 

Favorite Makeup Stand: Onyx Cosmetic 3 Drawer Organizer (perfume sticks, eyeshadows and eyeliners, concealers, mascara, powders, eyeshadows), Tartan + Twine Bascis Clear Train Case, Groovi Beauty The Assistant (brushes), Groovi Beauty Center Cosmetic Organizer (lipstick).

Lens Suggestions:

I’ve even considered investing in a camera lens and just bought: ONAIR: HaloLight 8” Portable LED Ring Light w/Desktop Stand & Phone Holder from nordstromrack.com, found a good deal. Another good app that I love for selfies is BeautyPlus which has all the fun things messenger used to have bunny ears and makeup ideas and eyelashes, and also different filters, lighting. Ive noticed on iPhone, its hard to come out clear in pictures not unless you are fully made up and have fixed your posture and profile, which makes working out fun, to get redefined in the face, which is what weightloss is all about anyways, fixing your face and your body, so that you show up overall a positive representation of yourself a complete composition that youre not afraid to look at, that’s what staying healthy is all about, neither you are afraid to look at yourself in the mirror nor ashamed of your size, and similarly you are not uncomfortable around others. Its easy in todays day and age to just stick to selfies, and its not all about your face, your body matters too! So make sure to stay in shape, especially when it comes to dating. I think this you realize the more that they want to see, the more you become concerned with your look overall and how you present on camera, by selfie angles it hard to photo your legs and lower half of your body, it comes out looking bigger than it is, so its important to have a good mirror, I noticed that in my room my mirror I look bigger, but in an abecrombie mirror proportionate. 

How to Know What Types of Photos to Take?:

Taking Selfies and Vlogging:

For me taking photos on the spot is challenging, because Im not always set, meaning Im not relaxed my face isn’t done and Im not in an outfit that I want to photo in, so taking pictures in advance or on a good day taking more than just one outfit is a good idea, so that you have a better representative sample of photos of you on a good day than you would on a bad day, and don’t forget to video on a good day, I used to always forget. 

The tendency on a good day is to just take fewer photos because you are happy with the results, when actually you should be doing the opposite, that’s a good day to work on your vlogging skills, practice talking to a camera and see what you look like, it took me a long time and a lot of experimentation to be comfortable looking at myself and hearing what I sounded like eventually you find the right tone and demeanor that you are happy with, minus the awkwardness of looking in shock or serious, my best suggestion would be to relax, the tendency is to be hyper or loud sounding when you are recording yourself, so find a happy medium, what would someone feel or think watching you, that you have to take into consideration, is it in a tone, that’s easy to listen to, and is the content of what you are saying easy to follow along, and this is why its important to work on your talking skills, not everything can be scripted, none of my videos are scripted, its like writing out loud when I’m making a video, its not even recorded elsewhere in writing, which is why I stopped vlogging my thinking through video, its hard to keep track of and archive, I like that now we can write on the video and put words, so we know what the content of the video is about and it makes for saving and reviewing work easier to have notes on each video. 

Also don’t be discouraged by how you look in the first photo, its common to take time to warm up, and the more comfortable you are the more soft your face becomes, your image will soften when you feel comfortable with what you are doing, and that’s what makes your face look calm, its in the beginning the first few photos that you may feel disheveled or not warmed up, and not comfortable being seen, but as your practice taking selfies, you learn to warm up to the camera and eventually find your glow, that’s when you feel completely at ease, and the light in your eyes begins to show, its easy in your regular life not on camera, to not make faces and to lose animation, whether that’s a mental health issue, or being shy or introverted, selfie has been one way for me to open up again, and to find my animation again, and smile, many of us don’t smile anymore, or when we do smile its over something obnoxious, don’t forget to smile when you are happy for others, or feeling good about a situation, and want someone to like you, its important that people see what you look like when you are happy, vlogging is not always about being serious even though what you have to say may be serious its important to also be approachable so find your happy medium. 

Sexy Photos?

Sexy photos are not for everyone, I know the first batch that I took I looked like a complete train wreck, my face was messy, and my body was out of shape and was obese, and that’s so embarrassing to deal with right now, but its okay, you live and you learn how to behave and how to look when someone wants to see you being sexy, this you don’t think about in intimate relationships, how rare is it for us to perform for our lovers or dress up, not unless its something that you practice everyday looking sultry and edible, we cant all look cartoonish, I think the standards are way high in terms of femininity, I think its still okay to be a little rough around the edges. Im excited for all my improvements over the past two years and love really does make a difference, don’t get caught up on a day (stress over) that you don’t look good when you have to look good, maybe it’s a not a match, and then you mature to realize that its your health that they are looking at so when you feel good they feel good and then they look good, that’s the reassurance that you provide as a model when you stay healthy and put together, its easy to watch and its reassuring to someone else, who is maybe considering improving their image and what they look like and feel like, it’s a two way street.

So its okay to open up but with the right people not someone who is going to revenge porn you, its not a situation that you need to be manipulated into, you will know whether someone is worth sharing a picture with and knowing the person in real life is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED its in these catfish relationships, where you don’t know what they look like that you can get robbed, or get sick, not knowing who or what you are connected to, so make sure you are connecting with someone who has concern for your health and respect for your heath, and isn’t pushing you over any edges in life comfort wise, we all have to go back to being our professional selves anyways, so why let a temporary moment of lust keep you from holding other positions in life helping to take care of others. We as human beings are capable of taking care of people beyond just in a sexual way, so never be too demanding of someone in a sexual way, meaning unless it is asked for or approved, then its okay to explore those feelings with someone, love is not for everyone, so make sure when you are your loving self its with someone who appreciates you and doesnt think you are stupid looking or vulnerable in the sense to make fun of you for opening up or how you open up to others and for what you look like on the inside, thats incredibly demeaning to let someone look inside your eyes and see inside your body taking a photo of yourself, or criticize you for being anything else other than what you are simply because of what your body weight or mind looks like, we cant all be perfect this is why not to engage with anyone who doesnt respect your health, thats #1.

Think is it something that someone has to be in the mood for, this is when considering what to post on Instagram, versus what to share in private, what do you look like how pleasant are your circumstances, what are current stressors, and what would be appropriate to share about your body, should you just show face, or is it okay to show cleavage or your legs or stomach, these are things I think about, not be showy. It takes an audience that is willing to engage in you with, to let you know whats okay and what they are proud of you for, so do well, and look well, with consideration for who is looking at you, to not be triggered or think that you are trying to get at them to like you in a sexual way thats the difference between a clean photo, and a photo that you are taking with the intent for them to feel a sexual feeling for you, which is the difference between private photos and public photos, what you are eliciting from who is looking at you.

Then there is the timing, and appropriateness of the encounter and style of the encounter is important too. I mostly enjoy vlogging and selfie for pen pals and that is what I end up sharing online, but can learn to make content strictly for my blog, and learn how to soften up when talking to a big audience, I think the tendency is to be more masculine or serious sounding, and I guess that makes me seem like a politician, but its important to remember who you are, your deficits, your characteristics, backgrounds and associations, what is it that you represent and speak in a way that all can relate to minus the fighting let alone discomfort that an impromptu encounter with you can cause, if someone is not yet immune to you, or not yet unbothered by you or the content of your discussions, can create discomfort when someone is having fun or looks sexy, when it’s a good time to be serious, or sound smart, there is a time and a place to be silly and sometimes that’s best in the privacy of a relationship. Im learning how to find my happy medium and be myself also in public, it takes time. I think in public I am myself, and in private I try too hard, and in real life Im too insecure shy, takes time.