Cole Walliser believes that a great selfie can create a strong connection, interview

Are you celebrating National Selfie Day or do you celebrate selfies every day? Celebrity photographer Cole Walliser has partnered with Kinder Bueno Mini to bring a little more glamour to those selfies.

While many people might think of those photos as a quick moment captured for social media, in some ways that selfie is a way to connect with people. Just like unwrapping a Kinder Bueno Mini is a multi-layered experience, that self-captured photo might have people pulling back the layers of their personality.

As part of the Kinder Bueno Mini launch from Ferrero, the brand and Cole Walliser have created the buenobot. This Kinder Bueno Instagram filter brings the glamour to savoring that special treat. Although everyone is star in their own world, this special filter can make moments shine more brightly.

Through the Kinder Bueno Mini partnership, FoodSided spoke with Cole Walliser and learned some great tips for the perfect selfie.

Like many people, Walliser appreciates that being digitally connected is important. From that glimpse into someone’s world to sharing the moment, social media is more than just a moment in time, it is an expression.

Walliser said, “Early in social media, when I focused a lot of only sharing the finished product of my work as a director, I was meeting someone I met off of social. I was sitting at a cafe and I realized ‘wait, this person pretty much has no idea what I look like’ and sure enough my face was nowhere to be seen on my feed. I felt like that really wasn’t a good representation of who I was, so I started posting some pics of myself, which of course, included selfies.”

Even if that social media feed is a representation of the person, sometimes it needs to include that an image of the person. Walliser shared, “The other thing that I realized was that the experience with hanging out with me, you are looking at my face for the entire duration. You associated it with… me! Lol. So a good selfie can really help replicate the experience of being with someone. So fundamentally a good selfie really connects you to that person.”

Although it seems that some people are constantly sharing every moment of their day, the truth is that some people want to give that glimpse. But, being judicious in that moment of sharing is important, too.

For Walliser, when asked about if people share too much on social media, he candidly said “I’d say yes and no to be honest. I think the person posting needs to be aware of people’s reactions and feelings of what you are posting, but I do think content is king, so the more… half decent posts the better. I don’t even think you need to post the most amazing content all of the time, I think keeping your feed up to date is equally as important as high quality content. Right now, I think more is better, but maybe as the world does that, we’ll shift.”

Whether that social media feed is full of content or sporadic, the image is there to be seen and it needs to be a good one. Although there are days when the hair isn’t perfect and the yoga pants might be the uniform of the week, there are ways to bring a little “glam” to that shared image.

Walliser shared, “I think sweats and yoga pants have been in for a while, so I see no reason why you can’t make those glamorous. If there’s a will there’s a way! I think most of the time when you feel drab it’s all in your head, and I also think it comes down to balance. It’s definitely good to be completely relaxed and zone out on the couch, but if it comes to a few too many hours, or a few too many days, maybe give it a shot in switching up your routine and look because often how you feel follows. A good quick way is of course use the filter!”

While the new Kinder Bueno Mini buenobot filter might be a game changer, Walliser gave the best tip when taking a great selfie. Everyone needs to take this advice.

Walliser revealed, “the secret is (as if everybody doesn’t already know this) you should take more than one! I find a good rhythm helps me get a few without feeling too silly, you should find a good cadence of subtlety changing your expression or the camera angle and snap away to a beat. It definitely helps me!”

Although everyone’s selfies might improve with every snap, Walliser and his illustrative career shows that drive and determination can help people achieve their goals. Having photographed and captured many powerful women in the music industry (like Miley Cyrus and Pink), those experiences have impacted his vision.

Walliser shared, “I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a lot of women were driven by breaking down barriers. They would strive towards them, and when people told them no, they would put effort to prove them otherwise. Which is amazing because they really have paved the way for a new generation to break down even more barriers. I think fundamentally it’s about being persistent and driven. When you try, and try hard and try hard often, that becomes a powerful thing. Of course being kind, determined and extremely talented also helps!”

For anyone who is determined to capture the perfect selfie, those words of advice from Cole Walliser might be even more important. Try hard, try often, and keep on snapping. And, maybe there is a Kinder Bueno Mini waiting as that sweet reward.