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" The &amp;quot;selfie&amp;quot; (a.k.a. a photo you take of yourself) is definitely having its moment. Oxford Dictionaries just declared it the word of the year for 2013. Sites like Facebook and Instagram are flooded with them daily, from people of all ages, and celebrities are getting in the action too, using them as a self-promotional tool. Twitter mirrors have been showing up at VIP events and in green rooms, so red carpet walkers and talk show guests can check themselves out before they snap and post. And, of course, there has been a lot buzz about President Obama taking a selfie with other world leaders at Nelson Mandela&amp;#039;s funeral. But whether you&amp;#039;re a big-name celeb, a selfie-obsessed social media junkie or completely new to the self-snapping game, we all have one common goal: looking good. Here are tips to make your next selfie the best yet: 1. Pay attention to lighting. Take your selfie in a well-lit area and make sure the light source is in front of you, not behind you. If possible use natural light, as artificial lighting can be very harsh. 2. Have an inviting backdrop. You want the background to be warm and engaging, so landscapes or city skylines are great picks. If you&amp;#039;re shooting indoors, make sure the area around you is tidy \u2014 an open bag of chips, a twisted electrical cord, or balled-up socks socks won&amp;#039;t enhance your image and can be distracting! In general, avoid mirrors in the shots.  3. Fudge it with filters. Most phones on cameras, photo apps and social media sites have filters that are natural complexion-complements, so why not take advantage of them? After all, who among us can&amp;#039;t benefit from a little touching up. 4. Strike a flattering pose. No one knows your most attractive features and angles better than you, so play them up! If you don&amp;#039;t love your nose, don&amp;#039;t take a profile. Tip: Shooting from above helps hide flaws. 5. Set the right tone. You don&amp;#039;t want to seem like you&amp;#039;re a vain and self-obsessed person. Keep it fun and upbeat, and don&amp;#039;t take yourself too seriously. 6. Go snap happy! Give yourself plenty of options to choose from. You can delete the rejects, after all -- that&amp;#039;s one of the beauties of digital photography.  Wondering who&amp;#039;s in those great shots above? We asked our staff to share some of their latest selfies, at work, in transit and (for a lucky few) on vacation. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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