Announcing your engagement to the world shouldn’t be done by halves. Getting engaged is a meaningful moment that should be celebrated, however you wish to spread the word.
Many couples choose to share their engagement news on social media. It is a quick, easy, and personal way to tell your family and friendship group, with everyone you know online able to be reached with a click of a button.
When sharing engagement news on social media snapping and posting an engagement ring selfie is the simplest and most effective way to get the word out and grab people’s attention. However, taking and sharing one awesome photo of your sparkler doesn’t come without its challenges. You’ll want to shoot the perfect engagement-ring selfie and that takes prep to get just right. Here, we offer our guide to prepping for that just engaged ring selfie.
Treat your talons
Make sure there’s no mistaking that that engagement ring is all yours by taking a selfie of your hand with your beautiful ring on. To snap the best pic, make sure your talons are looking just as great as the ring by getting a manicure. Chipped nail varnish and overgrown cuticles are likely to distract from your ring.
When getting a manicure, keep your choice of nail polish neutral. A French manicure or a lick of dusty pink polish will usually do the trick. If you’re known for your vibrant colour choices on the other hand, don’t be afraid to go bold with your polish choice. Moreover, your hands may need a little tender loving care to get them ready for their close-up too. You don’t have to do anything fancy, simply moisturise them with a high-quality hand cream.
Clean your sparkler
To get that engagement ring super sparkly, give it a good clean. Whether it has been gathering dust due to weeks in storage before the proposal or it’s been exposed to the everyday tasks that leave their mark, a quick clean will make a huge difference to the way it looks on camera. Here, Mark Mann, director of Global Jewelry Manufacturing Arts at the GIA, explains how to achieve that professionally clean sheen at home:
“The best way to clean diamond rings is to make a solution with warm water (almost hot) and dishwashing soap. Soak your ring for about 20 to 40 minutes, gently brush the stone with a very soft toothbrush, and then rinse under warm running water. If needed, repeat.”
Remember, all eyes should be on your engagement ring, so be sure to remove all other jewellery for your selfie.
Take hints from hand models
There are a number of tried and tested techniques used by professional hand models that may come in handy when posing for your just engaged ring selfie.
Worried about visible veins and arteries? Get your hand acclimatised to a pose before you snap the picture. Hand models hold their hand up and count to 12 before a shot is taken to make veins and arteries less obvious and ensure the skin doesn’t look strained and red.
Another professional tip is to think about lighting. Natural lighting, preferably not direct sunlight, is best for any selfie, so it may be worth saving your just engaged shoot until the next day if your partner popped the question over a romantic candlelit meal.
Focusing and using the burst camera mode on your smartphone also makes it more likely that you’ll capture the perfect shot. Your background should be carefully considered too, why not have a lovely lake as your backdrop?
