In a world where we capture every aspect of our daily lives with camera phones, each one of us feels the pressure to be photo ready at any time. Sure, those pictures are only going on your friend’s Instagram, but people are still going to see them. You don’t want your undone face and greasy hair splattered all over the internet. But, it’s somewhat of a faux pas to refuse a snap these days. If you never appear in pictures, you may just disappear!

It’s true; being photo ready at any moment is an exhausting business. At least, it will be to start. But, the more you do it, the more natural it will feel. We all want to look our best, anyway. The risk of pictures just gives you a reason to tackle your appearance once and for all.

To help you get on top of the matter, we’ve put together a list of photo preparation must-dos. Follow these, and you’ll be photo fabulous in no time.

Get used to being in front of the camera

Nothing’s worse than the half-blinking, Bambi fear of somebody who isn’t used to appearing in photos. It’s embarrassing for everyone, not least the person in question. Does this sound familiar to you? If yes, it’s past time you set about getting used to the camera. Start this process by spending some time online. Instagram gives you an ideal opportunity to get some pointers. Facebook can be useful here, too. Do a little stalking, and see what kinds of poses your friends are rocking. With an outside perspective, you’ll be able to spot which poses work, and which ones aren’t at all effective.

Once you have some ideas, get your camera out. This may seem strange to start with, but it’s well worth doing. Taking selfies isn’t even considered as strange anymore, so don’t be afraid to get snapping. Try out different pouts, different angles, and different body poses. Knowing that no one will see this pictures grants you the freedom to mess around. Then, upload them and look at them side by side. Delete all the pictures which don’t work, and keep the ones which do. By the end, you should have a fair idea of your best pouts and angles. Take them with you into the world of social photo preparation.

Give us a smile

Smiling is an endearing quality in anybody. It’s a warm trait and shows people that you’re friendly and approachable. Now, don’t get us wrong; the moody pose has its place in the photography hall of fame. But, it may not work in the types of photos you’re posing for. These are Instagram snaps, remember. Social media memories. As such, a moody ‘come to bed’ gaze won’t cut it. Nope. You need to stick on a smile that says you’re having the best time of your life.

So, it’s time to turn your attention to your teeth. Smiling with stained or unappealing teeth is never the best option. Instead, it’s worth getting some professional help somewhere like Mona Vale Dental. There’s no problem that orthodontics, teeth whitening, and straightening can’t fix. Well, there might be, but we haven’t heard of it. That professional finish will ensure your teeth are the main event of any snap. And, to make sure the hard work isn’t wasted, get on top of your dental routine. Flossing is essential, and whitening toothpaste should help to keep stains at bay.

Of course, you’ll need to be careful when showing off those new teeth. You’re aiming for good time girl, not desperate wannabe. Try to look natural. Too many teeth is just as much a turn off as no teeth at all.

Dress to impress every day

Now we’re onto the real essentials. What you wear should always be a priority. But, even more so when you consider that you could be photographed at every time. Now you know how the celebs feel! Instead of just shoving on any old thing, use this excuse to tackle your fashions once and for all. Instead of focusing only on the parts of your outfit you can see, you need to consider it as a whole. Make sure all your colors work together. And, spend some extra time considering whether those shoes work.

Capsule wardrobes are fantastic here, as they ensure all your clothes work together. So, you won’t have to spend hours trying to find the right color scheme. It’ll be right there waiting. Alternatively, a splash of color looks amazing on camera. Bear in mind, though, that too much could come across as garish. A pink scarf or blue cardi is all it takes. Avoid prints, and try to marry these pieces with otherwise simplistic outfits. Remember, too, that some colors could create an unpleasant reflection. Pink skin from that red jumper anyone?

Fast makeup which works wonders

Last, but by no means least, you need to perfect your makeup. The chances are that you’ve already got a makeup routine that works. Us women were perfecting our appearance well before the invention of camera phones. But, it’s still worth considering how your current style translates on screen. We’ve all seen a clownish photo of ourselves go up online. It’s not a pleasant experience! If that’s the case, it’s time to return to the dreaded photo. Consider what creates that ‘clowinsh’ appearance, and set to work rectifying it. It may be that you’ve just got too much on. If that’s the case, cut things down a little. Scrape off that top layer of foundation, and tone down the lipstick when you have heavy eyes. Small steps like this will make a huge difference.

It’s also worth taking some beauty essentials out and about with you. Your friend isn’t going to mind if you quickly reapply your lippy before she gets the camera out. In fact, she’ll probably do the same herself. Small touch-ups like this throughout the day will ensure you’re never caught looking worse for wear.