How to Look Good in Flash Photos (Parties, Concerts)

7 min read · Glowmaxx

To look good in flash photos, blot any shine first, turn your face slightly away from the flash instead of facing it square on, and step away from walls so there's no hard shadow behind you. To stop blinking, look just away from the camera and glance back right as the photo is taken. Flash flattens and brightens everything it hits, so small fixes to shine, angle and distance make a big difference.

Flash isn't the enemy. Used right, it's the whole party-photo aesthetic.

If your flash photos keep catching you shiny, flat or mid-blink and you want to know which part to fix first, Glowmaxx scores one selfie a day on five levers, including skin and light, and gives you three moves aimed at the weakest one. Start my glow-up

Why flash flattens and shines

A phone or camera flash is a tiny, very bright light that fires from right next to the lens. That causes three things:

1. It flattens your face. Because the light comes from the same direction as the camera, there are almost no shadows on your face. Shadows are what show shape (cheekbones, jawline), so you can look flatter or rounder.
2. It finds every bit of shine. Oily or sweaty skin reflects the flash straight back into the lens as bright white patches, usually on the forehead, nose and chin.
3. It makes the background dark. The flash is strong up close and weak far away, so you're bright and the room behind you goes black.

Why do I look so bad in flash pictures?

Usually it's the shine plus the flatness plus a blink. Sometimes it's also a hard shadow on the wall right behind you. Fix those four and flash photos look very different.

Does flash make you look better?

Sometimes, yes. People ask "why do I look better in photos with flash?" because flash smooths out soft shadows and can hide under-eye circles and some skin texture. It depends on the person and the setup. There's no rule that flash makes someone look more attractive than they really are; it's just a different kind of light with its own strengths.

Blot shine before the flash

This is the fastest win.

• Blotting papers: press, don't rub, on your forehead, nose and chin.
• A clean tissue or napkin works in a pinch at a party.
• Powder (translucent or tinted) if you wear makeup.
• Wash and pat dry if you're sweaty from dancing and near a bathroom.

Do it right before the group photo. At a concert or party, shine comes back fast.

Guys, this applies to you too

Shine shows up on everyone under flash. A quick blot of your forehead and nose with a napkin before a photo is a small move that changes the whole picture.

Don't blink: the look-away trick

Flash makes people blink because many cameras fire a quick pre-flash first, and your eyes react to it before the real shot. Here's how to not blink in flash photos.

The look-away trick

1. Look slightly down or to the side of the camera.
2. Have the photographer count "one, two, three."
3. On "three," look at the lens. The photo fires right away.

Your eyes don't have time to react to the flash before the picture is taken.

Other ways to beat the blink

• Take a burst or a few shots in a row.
• Turn off red-eye reduction if your camera has it (it's the pre-flash that triggers blinks), and handle red eye another way (below).
• Keep your eyes soft, not wide open. Wide eyes tend to blink more.

Red eye

Red eye happens when the flash bounces off the back of your eyes in a dark room. Turning on more room lights makes pupils smaller and reduces it. Looking slightly off the lens helps too.

Step away from walls

If you stand right against a wall, the flash throws your shadow onto it: a hard dark outline around your head. It looks like a police lineup.

Fixes:

• Step at least a few feet forward from any wall.
• Stand where the background is far away or dark (a dance floor, open room, night sky).
• If you must stand near a wall, ask the photographer to raise the phone a little so the shadow drops down behind you.

Here's where it gets tricky: at a party you're blotting, dodging walls, counting to three, and you still don't know what actually made the good photo good. Glowmaxx scores one selfie a day with a one-line note on each lever, so you can see if your skin, your angle or your light is holding the photo back. Start my glow-up

Angle toward the flash, not square on

Because flash removes shadows, you need to bring some shape back with your angle.

Flash photo poses that work

• Turn your body about 45 degrees from the camera, then turn your face back toward it. This adds depth that flash takes away.
• Push your face slightly forward and down toward the camera to define your jawline.
• Don't tuck your chin into your neck. Flash exaggerates a double chin shadow.
• Weight on your back foot, shoulders relaxed, so you don't look stiff.
• Smile softly or not at all. If you're not sure how to smile without it looking forced, our guide to smiling in pictures without looking awkward walks you through it.

Quick comparison

Getting the flash-photo look on purpose

The "digital camera flash" look is popular: bright subject, dark background, a slightly overexposed, candid vibe. If that's what you want, lean into it.

How to take a good mirror selfie with flash

Mirror selfies with flash usually give you a giant white glare blob. To avoid it:

1. Stand at an angle to the mirror, not straight on.
2. Hold your phone to the side of your body, not in front of your face.
3. Angle the phone slightly so the flash bounces away from the lens.
4. Try a few angles; the blob moves as you tilt.

Or embrace it: some people want the flash flare to cover the phone. Just keep it off your face.

For the candid party look

• Have a friend shoot from slightly above eye level.
• Keep moving: laughing, turning, talking. Flash freezes motion.
• Get close; flash is strongest at short range.
• Accept a little blur in the background. That's the vibe.

Worried the flash makes your skin look orange or pale? Flash is usually cooler and whiter than room lights, so mixing the two can look odd. Our post on why you look orange on camera explains mixed light. If you need softer light for a selfie back home, try our night selfie lighting tips.

Find your weakest flash-photo lever today

Now you know how to look good in flash photos: blot, look away and back, step off the wall, and angle yourself. Take a selfie and let Glowmaxx give you a glow score out of 100, a 1-10 with a one-line note for skin, hair, grooming, posture and angle, and light and fit, plus three moves for today. It never scores bone structure, weight or features.

Start my glow-up

FAQ

How do I make flash photos look better?

Blot shine off your forehead and nose, stand a few feet from walls, and turn your body at an angle to the camera. Turning on some room lights also softens the contrast and reduces red eye.

Why do I look better in photos with flash?

Flash lights your face evenly from the front, which can smooth out small shadows under the eyes and some skin texture. It's just a different light, not a trick, and it suits some faces and moments more than others.

How do I not blink in flash photos?

Look slightly away from the camera, then look back on the count of three right as the photo is taken. Taking a few shots in a row also helps.

How do I take a good mirror selfie with flash?

Stand at an angle to the mirror and hold the phone off to the side so the flash reflection doesn't land on your face. Tilt the phone until the glare moves where you want it.

Why does flash make me look shiny or pale?

Flash reflects straight off any oil or sweat, which shows as white patches. It's also a cool, bright light, so skin can look paler next to warm room lights. Blotting and adding a little room light both help.