Sexting is a thing. Whether or not you’re into indulging in amorous exchanges over Whatsapp I’m sure you’ve probably at some point been asked to send nudes in one way or another. (I can’t believe I’m the only one!)  Taking hot pictures of yourself and sharing them with a lover can be a highly erotic experience that can both boost your confidence and create a deeper level of trust in your relationship. We all know how intoxicating compliments can be, and sharing your nude or nearly nude snaps can boost your confidence.

However, I think that taking sensual snaps just for yourself can be one of the most confidence boosting and fun activities you can do, a beautiful act of self love. If you’re feeling in a bit of a rut, what better way to get some self love into your life than to spend some time pampering yourself, finding something to wear that makes you feel like a goddess (or god), setting your scene and snapping away! Afterwards, spend time choosing your favourites and keep them somewhere for your eyes only, or perhaps treat a friend or lover to a sexy surprise in their inbox. But this really isn’t about validation from others, it’s about giving yourself the gift of time and effort spent appreciating your beautiful form and expressing your creativity.

Feeling unsure? Thinking that you won’t look good? You may hate pictures of yourself, or feel unattractive, but I promise you that with these tips you can find your angles and get yourself a sensual selfie that you’ll love.

Set the scene…

Before you start you need to have a think about where you will have your sensual shoot and have a tidy up. Get rid of clutter from surfaces, make your bed, arrange some soft blankets or a throw and make it look inviting. You want your background to look soft and inviting. If you have some scarves or blankets these can be great props to drape or partially cover yourself with. If you have a mirror that can be moved that can be a great prop and also a help with your poses. Besides which watching yourself looking so good can be just as intoxicating as taking the pictures!

Next get some tunes on. Music will help relax you and can make you feel extra sensual and delicious! Find yourself a smooth playlist to put on and continue getting ready…

Prep your hot self!

You want to feel relaxed and sensual so do what it is that makes you feel that way. A hot bath, some pampering followed by your favourite make up look, or perhaps no make up at all. Whatever makes you feel yourself. I like to give myself a slow and soft massage, it gets me in the zone and makes me feel connected to my body.

To dress or not to dress?

Up to you! Maybe get some inspiration from erotic pictures online. Perhaps you feel great in a bralette and loose pants, or you want to go with a full set of hot lingerie. Naked with a silky scarf to experiment with like Nat Portnoy in these shots? Baggy t shirt with a thong? Get in front of your mirror and find the thing that makes you feel sensual and like YOU. 

Time to shoot…

I like to shoot with my phone, it’s easy, I have great apps for editing and I like the simple timer function. Be mindful of the cloud if you have multiple devices on your account! Equipment is of course up to you but I’m going to share some of my phone tips here.

Firstly some mirror practice will go a long way. Pose up a storm and check yourself out. Remember that you can be standing, kneeling, lying down on your front, back or side. Perhaps you want to focus on a certain part of the body in particular. One thing to remember is that smartphone cameras can be quite distorting so if you get some strange looking pictures don’t be disheartened! I promise that with a bit of exploration you will find your best poses and angles. In general I have found that shooting too close makes for distorted images so I prefer to have my phone a bit further away. You can always crop the image afterwards.

Using the timer function works really well. I put it on 10 seconds and either hold the phone in my hand and check out how I am looking, or rest the phone somewhere and do the same. A small tripod can help here but you don’t need one. You can use books or whatever you have to rest your phone on to get the angle that you want, then you have the full 10 seconds to get your pose right. Remember to breathe and relax. One tip I like is to make sure you are breathing out as the picture is taken, which stops you looking too stiff in the pictures. 

Remember that your face doesn’t have to be in the frame - I love to make new shapes with my body, to make it into a true piece of art. Remember you can experiment with pictures taken from behind with you facing away. Shoulders and backs have the most beautiful curves and shapes to reveal, and this is typically a part of your body that you haven’t seen very much.

Lighting wise, daylight through a thin curtain or soft lighting from a lamp are going to be your friends. Experiment with your light source hitting your body from different angles. Twist your waist, arch your back, stretch and bend and see which poses are best for you. Explore your body and all of its curves and angles. Backlighting can be extremely flattering – try standing or posing with your light source behind you. Soft silhouettes are also some of my favourites.

Once your shoot is over it’s time to choose your favourites. Delete anything that doesn’t make you feel amazing. Experiment with cropping. Have fun with filters, especially black and white – I love playing with shadow and light to make some really striking images. 

I hope that this has inspired you to explore your sensuality through photographing yourself, or even just to have a posing session in front of your mirror. Watching some erotica can also get you in the mood, you can see beautiful performers like Nat Portnoy on set here for Pleasure Fix. JoyBear has plenty of beautiful films which I have no doubt will get you feeling your hot self in one way or another…

Stay safe. Have fun. Issy x