How to take a professional selfie on Xiaomi Redmi 9: from camera settings to processing

Xiaomi Redmi 9 with front camera 8 MP is able to take quality selfies — if you know how to set up the device and use its capabilities. Many users complain about blurry images or unnatural processing of the face, although the problem is often not in the hardware, but in the wrong settings. In this guide, we will analyze all the nuances from basic smartphone training to professional techniques of shooting and post-processing.

Feature Redmi 9 – software optimization of the camera through the shell MIUI, which offers unique modes like AI-But these features require fine-tuning: standard settings often repaint the face, removing the naturalness. We will show you how to balance between improving quality and maintaining realism, and also reveal the secrets of working with lighting and angles, relevant for this model.

Technical characteristics of the front camera Redmi 9

Redmi's front camera 9 It is built on a Samsung sensor S5K4H7 permittingly 8 MP and aperture f/2.0. Despite the modest by modern standards characteristics, the camera is able to give decent results thanks to the camera:

• 🔹 Pixel binning – combining data from 4 pixels into 1 to improve light sensitivity in the dark.
• 🔹 Phase autofocus (contrast) AF), who works even on the frontal.
• 🔹 Support HDR — automatically balances exposure in bright background light.
• 🔹 Video 1080p@30fps — Allows you to shoot storis and video calls in high resolution.

The downside is that there's no autostabilization in the video, so you'll have to use a tripod or a support for even shots, but in the photo mode, the camera shows good detail with enough light. The sensor does not physically support background blur (bokeh) without software processing, so portrait mode works only through algorithms. MIUI.

⚠️ Note: When shooting in format HEIF (settings in camera settings → Selfies take up half the space but may not open on older devices. JPEG.

Preparing a smartphone before shooting

Before you take a selfie, check out the key settings of Redmi 9, which directly affect the quality of your shots:

1. Clear the lens. Fat spots and dust on the front camera are the main reason for blurry photos. Use a microfiber wipe (not paper!).
2. Update. MIUI. In the firmware older MIUI 12.5 bugs with color processing and autofocus. Check relevance in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
3. Turn off the power saving. → Energy saving limits camera performance, which can cause artifacts to appear.
4. Set resolution. In camera settings. → Select 8M (4:3) for maximum detail.

You also need to calibrate the light sensor if the camera is constantly over-lighting or darkening the images.

1. Open the settings → Screen → Brightness.
2. Turn off Auto Brightness.
3. Manually set the brightness to 50% and take a test selfie.
4. If the exposure is unchanged, the sensor is working correctly.

Camera lens cleared|

Battery charge > 20%|

Power saving mode is off |

Maximum resolution (8 MP) selected)|

Updated firmware MIUI-->

If after all the manipulations the camera still "brakes" when opening, reset its settings: → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data. It will remove the user presets, but it will restore factory stability.

Setup of camera modes for selfies

The standard Camera app on Redmi 9 offers 5 basic modes for selfies, each of which requires individual customization:

• 📸 Normal mode: Basic option with minimal processing. AI-beauty (slider at the top of the screen) and manually adjust the exposure (tap on the screen) + sun-regulation).
• 🌟 Portrait: Simulates background blur (bokeh). For realistic effect, keep your phone at a distance of 30-50 cm from your face and avoid complex backgrounds (branches, grilles).
• 🌈 HDR: Useful in contrast lighting (such as the sun behind your back) and automatically activated, but you can force activate in settings.
• 🎭 Beauty: Mode with aggressive retouching, we recommend reducing the intensity to 20-30% and disable the option Change the shape of the face.
• 📹 Video: Permission is appropriate for Storis 1080p, But enable stabilization in the settings (although it is software-based).

Hidden Life Hack: Professional (available after swipe left) can be manually configured ISO It's the best selfie for a selfie:

• ISO 100-400 (daytime), ISO 800–1600 (indoors),
• Excerpt. 1/100–1/200 (to avoid lubrication when hands shivering).

Normal (without processing)|

Portrait (with blurry)|

Beauty (with retouching)|

HDR (contrast-scenes)|

Video (for storis)-->

For night selfies, turn on Night Mode (moon icon), but keep in mind that it requires you to hold your phone still for 2-3 seconds. In the dark, an external light source will also help (see next section).

Lighting: How to avoid shadows and lights

Even the most advanced camera is useless without the right light. Redmi 9 is particularly sensitive to contrast: in bright sun behind you, your face will be dark, and in frontal light, deep shadows under your eyes will appear.

• ☀️ Natural light: Shooting at a window in cloudy weather (scattered light) or in the shade outside. Avoid direct sunshine - it creates hard shadows.
• 💡 Artificial light: Use two sources on the sides (such as table lamps) for uniform lighting.Light temperature: 4,000–5000K (white-neutral).
• 🔦 Screenlighting: Turn on the other smartphone white screen at maximum brightness and point at the face at an angle of 45°. Even the Redmi 9 will fit in flashlight mode (but it gives a cold light).
• 🌃 Night shooting: Use Night Mode + external source (e.g. street lamp at a distance of 1-2 m) Do not shoot in complete darkness - the noise will be too strong.

Redmi 9 problem – automatic white balance is often mistaken in mixed lighting (e.g. lamp) + daylight to fix it:

1. Open Professional Mode.
2. Put it on the badge. WB (white-colour).
3. Choose a cloud preset for warm light or an incandescent lamp for yellow.

💡

If you have purple glare on your selfie (chromatic aberration), change the angle slightly or move away from the light source, which is an optics defect that is characteristic of budget cameras.

Views and composition: rules for harmonious selfies

The right angle can hide flaws and highlight the dignity of the face. For the Redmi 9 with its wide-angle frontal (26 mm), it is especially important to avoid distortions around the edges of the frame.

• 📏 Angle: The camera should be at eye level or slightly higher (not lower!) and the bottom visually enlarges the nose and creates a second chin.
• 🔄 Head turn: Easy turn on 30° (three-quarters) adds volume to the face. Direct face makes the face flat.
• 👁️ Focus on your eyes: Tapping the screen on the eye area before shooting will force the camera to focus on the most important part.
• 🖼️ Background: Avoid colorful patterns and bright objects behind your back - they distract attention.

Redmi 9's wide angle distorts the proportions at the edges of the frame.

• Do not place your face near the edge of the screen.
• Use the grid (includes in the camera settings) → Grid) for centred purposes.
• For a group selfie, step 1-1.5m away from the camera to minimize distortion.

For dynamic selfies (such as those with hair or clothing movements), use a serial shot: press the down button and then select the best shot in the gallery to help you catch natural facial expressions.

Post-processing: programs and settings for retouching

Even the perfect selfie can be improved with editing. built-in tools MIUI Gallery allows:

• 🎨 Adjust exposure (rage, contrast, shadows).
• 🔍 Remove defects (acne, wrinkles) with the Retouch tool.
• 🌈 Filters (Recommend Natural or Fresh for the natural look).
• ✂️ Cut and rotate (useful for correcting the horizon).

For advanced processing, install third-party applications:

The rule of post-processing is, don't overdo it. Excessive blurring of the skin or changing the proportions of the face looks unnatural.

1. First, adjust the exposure and white balance.
2. Then remove the temporary defects (pimples, shine).
3. At the end, apply filters with a transparency of 30-50%.

💡

Ratio 60/40 — practicum: 60% The quality of the selfie depends on the shooting (light, angle), and only 40% — post-processing.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

An analysis of thousands of selfies taken on Redmi 9 revealed typical problems and solutions:

• 👻 Blurred face: The cause is a tremor of hands or the wrong focus. Use a timer (3 seconds) or an external trigger button (earphones).
• 🟡 Skin yellowness: The culprit is the wrong white balance. 4000K lamp-light 5500K daylight.
• 🖼️ Distorted proportions: Wide-angle lens stretches the edges. Hold the phone further and frame in the editor.
• 🌑 Dark circles under the eyes: Lack of light. Shooting by the window or with a ring lamp solves the problem.
• 🔴 Red eyes: Flash effect. Turn it off and use an external light source.

Feature Redmi 9 software processing in the mode Beauty often leaves artifacts (blurred hair, unnatural lip color).

⚠️ Attention: In Beauty Mode settings, turn off Skin Improvement and Face Shape Change options. Easy retouching is enough (<30%) and tone correction.

If the camera is constantly losing focus when shooting, try:

1. Restart the Camera app.
2. Clear the camera cache in Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse.
3. Reset the camera settings to factory (in the camera settings menu) → Reset).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions