I’m expecting an influx of engagement ring selfies now that Engagement Season has officially kicked off. Here’s how to share the prettiest possible picture:
1) Resist the urge to post 26 shots. YOU can’t stop staring at your new ring, but resist the urge to share multiple shots. One good picture is enough for 99 percent of your Facebook friends and Instagram followers.
2) Get a manicure. Since you’re sharing only one photo (see above), you might as well hold off until your nails looks decent.
3) For the best results, wait for natural light. No filter is going to give your ring the same sparkle as the sun. If it’s not frigid, go outside for your photo shoot. Don’t hold your hand in direct sunlight or you’ll look like a Twilight vampire with glowy, blown-out skin.
4) Look for an interesting backdrop. Don’t ruin the shot with dirty dishes in the background. If you don’t have, say, a tropical beach handy, hold your hand against a cool fabric so your ring pops. Lauren Conrad chose a clean dinner table—with a champagne cork in the background.
5) Find a pose that flatters your hand. If your hand looks weird lying on a flat surface, hold it up (it will look less veiny), hold something (like a wineglass) to smooth your knuckles, or make a fist, like Whitney Port did here.
6) Get your bling in focus. On an iPhone, tap the screen to force the camera to focus where you want it to, otherwise it’s going to focus on a random knuckle.
7) Soften the edges. This is my favorite Instagram feature: Under the Wrench tool, slide all the way to the end and the second-to-last tool is called Tilt Shift. Click Radial for a ring picture, then move the circle so the center stone is in the center, and let go. Your ring is sharp, and everything gently blurs.
8) Share! If you'd like to share a photo of your ring on Save the Date, you can click here to submit it with the contact form. Or you can email a photo to glamour[dot]weddings[dot]girls[at]gmail[dot]com. I try to run reader engagement ring posts often, so take your time and send a biggish, nonblurry photo. (Please DON'T send an Instagram photo or add text or special effects.) And if you've already sent a pic, sit tight—it's coming!
Does anyone have engagement news to share? Has your Facebook feed blown up with ring shots yet?