There are more and more ways to make your social media profile photo stand out. Of course, the new AI-powered techniques like Lensa AI or MyHeritage’s Deep Nostalgia have been getting a lot of press lately, but more old-school smartphone editing techniques work just as well to freshen up the old profile pic.
The great news is that you don’t need to be a technical expert to take advantage of these new developments. Unlike in the olden Adobe Photoshop days, almost all editing apps are super user-friendly, offering one-tap or super simple edits that anyone can do, even with little experience editing pictures.
In this article, I’ll share five easy and low-tech ways to enhance your profile picture. So, whether you’re looking to update your social media profile or just want to freshen up your brand, these tips will help you take your profile photo to the next level.
Add natural light
The best and easiest way to enhance your profile picture has nothing to do with technology at all. Just make sure you have good lighting. The sun is the simplest way to make your photo stand out and look great.
Now, some of us live in rainy places like London or Seattle and don’t have reliable access to that golden glow. Not to worry – if that’s the case, then there are plenty of apps that offer a “golden hour” or “natural lighting” effect.
One example is the Retrica app. As you can see, the filter adds a subtle effect to make colors richer, make your skin brighter, and add some depth to the composition.
Make yourself the focus
Another simple tip is to make sure that you’re the focus of your profile picture.
This is where AI can come in handy sometimes. There are apps where you can manually select yourself and blur out the background, but that can be tough to do with precision. AI is good at detecting and changing the background for you with no clumsy fingerwork required.
You can change the background to something soft or muted, or pick a different scene altogether. There are lots of ways to do this – some AI one-tap tools like Removal.AI automatically detect the subject (you) and remove the background, which you can replace with anything you like.
Add digital makeup
One great “hack” to look better in your profile picture is to wear makeup. But if you’re anything like me, the winged eyeliner look is too tricky to master, and spending $70 on foundation seems expensive. Learning how to apply makeup can take years of practice, not to mention lots of money.
Thanks to the advancement of technology, there are apps today that do it for you. Most offer the option to do a simple one-tap enhancement, as well as more specific tools like lipstick, eyeshadow, and contour. You can use these apps to try out various makeup looks – lipstick, contour, even freckles – and see what you like. If a look is a favorite, add it to your profile pic.
This kind of modification doesn’t have to be hard. Apps like Facetune by Lightricks have made this a one-tap feature, so it’s super simple to do for beginners. Above, you’ll see a subtle example of adding glammy eyeshadow, which is very popular right now.
Remove unwanted blemishes
It’s a fact of life that blemishes make us more unattractive. It’s frustrating because most of us don’t have any control over these kinds of visual flaws. Whether it’s dark circles, a pesky pimple, or even a stain you didn’t notice until it was too late, blemishes can ruin an otherwise perfect profile pic.
Luckily, technology can help here. This is one of the easiest and most effective fixes. Almost every editing app has a one-tap blemish heal option now.
A great app to use for this is Snapseed, which is intuitive and simple.
Play with different filters and presets
The last tip is to experiment with new filters and presets. Let yourself have fun! There are so many options to explore as you investigate how to enhance your profile picture. Start with Instagram’s native filters, then check out Snapchat’s sillier ones, and then move on to more dedicated apps like A Color Story.
Filters are a simple one-tap option to spice up your otherwise perfect selfie. Plus, certain apps like VSCO let you scroll through community filters. If you see one you like, copy it for yourself!
The most important thing is to enjoy yourself
All these tips are not aimed at improving you. You are already wonderful the way you are. These tips to enhance your profile picture are just a way to have fun and try new looks. Let yourself shuck off all the pressure of looking perfect and just try to enjoy expressing yourself with all the technology at your fingertips.
Remember, your profile photo is an opportunity to show off your flair for creativity. Try out styles, colors, and filters to see what best fits your personality.
