Congratulations he’s popped the question and you said YES! No doubt you will be bursting with pride and want to shout your good news all over social media, and of course show off that gorgeous engagement ring that your wonderful fiancé has placed lovingly onto your ring finger. Back in the day newly engaged couples announced their happy news with an engagement announcement in their local paper.

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Nowadays, love them or hate them selfies are THE way to share great news as it's all about shouting it from the rooftops on social media. Engagement ring selfies can be regularly seen plastered all over Instagram and Facebook. For an engagement ring selfie, it is all about making your ring look its very best and showing off that beautiful diamond. Taking a great engagement ring selfie is a bit of an art and if you have ever tried to take a picture of your left hand you will totally understand that it’s not exactly easy. Taken from the wrong angle and you can make your fingers look like stumpy carrots and your beautiful engagement ring look very dull.  So if you are a newly engaged couple here are our five top tips for nailing an awesome engagement ring selfie that will be the envy of all your social media friends: The ring is the thing It is vital to remember that in the perfect engagement ring selfie the ring is THE thing. It needs to be treated like a rock-star and allowed to shine and sparkle in all its brilliant glory. To do this you need to take a very close look at the design of your engagement ring. Decide what is special about it and what feature/s you want to emphasise to showcase this jewel in the crown.

Is it a solitaire diamond that is perfectly set? Are there unique and romantic details in the profile view? Is there an engraving somewhere? Is your engagement ring custom made and you have not yet seen another quite like it?  You need to define what makes your engagement ring super special and ensure that the selfie that is taken really highlights this special quality. Experiment with the angle of your shot so that you capture the most amazing qualities of your ring. But remember, there can be only two best angles to show off the ring - top down and direct from the top. These two angles will give the most real impression of your engagement ring, giving it best coverage in the shot. So for example if you love the ring setting then take a photo on an angle to highlight it.  To show off the shape of the diamond try an overhead shot without the flash. Treat yourself to a manicure  The ring has to be king in a good engagement ring selfie so do not detract from its beauty by having less than perfect nails that will attract more attention than the beauty of the diamond on your ring finger.  So treat yourself to a really good manicure and get those weather beaten hands looking silky soft and those overgrown cuticles cut short. Have your nails painted in a colour that suits your skin tone but preferably choose a neutral colour that is mild and gentle on the eye as this will make your engagement ring look even more stunning.

If your hands are rather veiny, you can resort to the age old trick that many well know models use to make skin look fuller and plumper. Hold your hand up, above your head for at least 30 seconds which will have the effect of draining the blood from your hand and thus making those protruding veins vanish. If your fiancé caught you by surprise when he proposed and you are overdue for a manicure but he is desperate to make that shout out on social media, then as quick measure put plenty of hand lotion on to soften your skin and get creative with your pose. For example, hold hands with your fiancé and keep your nails just out of the shot or even a fist pump with your nails firmly tucked into the palm of your hand! Lighting is everything. If it’s a diamond engagement ring then you will naturally want it to shine like no other diamond has shone before, to do this use light to your advantage.  The best time of day is the short period after sunrise or before sunset as many professional photographers know that lighting during this time makes everything look better. It is very flattering, not only for your ring, but also for your skin and your surroundings. Another reason why natural light is the best for an engagement ring selfie shot is that it will not take over the beauty of your ring.  Nor will it overemphasise the ring or add unnatural gleam to it. It will simply make the beauty of the ring shine out for all to see.

If you do not wish to take your engagement ring selfie outside then set up your shot near a window to maximise natural light. If you take a photo with your mobile phone in a dimly lit room, you are pretty much guaranteed to get a blurry photo. Fluorescents and yellow bulb lights aren't much better, you want natural sunlight. Whether you take your engagement ring selfie inside or out, watch out for tricky shadows.  Also remember to take away all the accessories that are not related to the engagement ring. Get the right background  It is essential that you make sure that your chosen background emphasizes your engagement ring. Using the right prop or appropriate background is a much better idea than going for the sole ring shot. Stay away from cluttered backgrounds and use solid colours keeping a good distance between your hand and the background. Many girls like to use feminine details, like flowers or maybe try to use his hand as a background which is a very romantic gesture. Above all DO NOT use your bathroom or bedroom mirror as mirror selfies are anything but great. Do not use a flash or try to pull in the focus on the ring by zooming in on it as it will only serve to blur the image. Camera and Filters Photographs taken by mobile phones will never be as good as those taken professionally by a photographer who knows his art.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t take your time to get the perfect one. Firstly do not use the zoom function. If you want to take a close-up picture, with more details, bring your phone closer. Then, tap the screen so that the focus will be on your stunning diamond engagement ring. It is better to avoid filters, but if the no-filter quality doesn’t give you the look that you require then use one. The most commonly used filter is Valencia. It is crucial to try different poses and angles to get that winning image of your engagement ring. Change the angles and try to see which highlights the centrepiece – the engagement ring. Keep trying until you find the picture that has the perfect shot, expressing your heart and mind. Keep it perfect, soft and romantic.