By Daria M, Contributing Writer

Tips for Optimizing Your MyStyleDiary.net Photographs.

So, you've got a passion for outfit creation and you'd like to share it, but if your pictures aren't as clear as they could be, the world will miss out on your style. Here are a few tips to ensure your pictures are representing your wardrobe to its best advantage.

1. Consider Your Background.

Mountains of discarded clothing, bulky furniture or bold wall decorations cluttering up your background will distract from the main attraction: your outfit. Whenever possible, choose a neutral wall or a simple outdoor setting as your backdrop.

2. Lighting.

You might not be a professional, but basic lighting knowledge can really enhance your outfit pics. If the weather outside is fabulous and you have the opportunity, try taking some pictures outside. There's something about natural sunlight that really makes for excellent photos.

In most instances however, indoor photos are more convenient. If the room you are using has very little natural daylight, use the flash on your camera to get pictures that accurately portray your outfit's details and to eliminate dark shadows.     

You may also want to add additional lighting to your room. Try positioning a lamp off to the side, between you and the camera. If you put the lamp directly behind you, you may "blind" the camera, which can wash out the colors of your outfit.

Remember to take advantage of the natural lighting you may have in your room. Stand next to a window or sliding glass door. Depending on the configuration of your room, you may receive the same lighting benefits as if you were standing outdoors!

Despite your best efforts, you may find that some outfits just refuse to come out clear and sharp. Billowy skirts and pants, or items with a busy pattern might come out blurry while the rest of your outfits photograph perfectly. To counter this, play with the different flash settings on your camera, including turning it off. It can really make a difference!

3. Using Mirrors.

While it may initially seem to be the simplest method, using a mirror to take a picture of your reflection is often more complicated than you'd think. Here are some inside tricks to avoiding the dreaded "huge flash sunspot" and other such effects.

First, start with an extra clean mirror because spots and streaks that seem minor to the naked eye can become more obvious once photographed.

Next, as stressed earlier, you'll really want to make sure you have as much light as possible in the room. Natural daylight is best, but artificial light will work as well if you have enough of it. This tip is especially important since you should really avoid using the flash on your camera. Using the flash in conjunction with a mirror may result in the aforementioned sunspot and cause the colors of your outfit to be inaccurate.

4. Camera Angle and Positioning.

It’s all about perspective. If you're using a timer and setting your camera on a solid object in order to shoot your outfit, play around with the vertical positioning and camera angles flatter your figure the most.

In general very few of us look great if the camera is positioned below waist level (with the lens is pointing up at us). This angle can result in your hips and lower body looking disproportionately larger than your upper half; which in turn gives the world a misleading view of the proportions of your outfit. In the same way, having the camera positioned too high will also distort your pics. 

When setting up your outfit "photo shoot", expect to experiment with both the positioning of the camera and the distance you stand from the camera. The best results are achieved by placing the camera between waist and shoulder level and then standing back about 15 feet.

5. Posture.

You don't have to be a model or have a model's body in order to show off your outfit to its best advantage. Its all about posture!

Listen to your mom and remember to stop slouching and pull your shoulders back. It’s the easiest trick in the book and really makes a big difference. Experiment with changing your positioning just slightly in order to elongate your body. Some MyStyleDiary.net members cock their hip just slightly, put one foot slightly forward or stand at an angle.

If your outfit has billowy sleeves, try putting one hand on your hip in order to show off the detail. If the back of your outfit is particularly interesting, snap a picture of it!

6. Post Production.

The last step to great outfit pics is post production. A basic photo editor will allow you to brighten dark photos and crop the image to the dimensions you desire. In any photo editor,  you'll find options for both of these functions under one of the menus at the top of your screen. Once you get the hang of it, this step will only take a few seconds for each photo.

There are many free and almost free applications available for image manipulation. PC users should check out a great free program called Irfanview.

For Mac users, iPhoto and Graphic Converter  are incredibly useful tools to have on your hard drive.

As I said earlier, no one is expected to be Gisele or Tyra! This is about YOUR outfits...We already know you have mad style and we look forward to seeing it on MyStyleDiary.net