If the early 2000s were all about big heads — think Bratz dolls and old-school Steve Madden ads — then the 2020s are poised to be the era of giant hands showing off a fresh manicure.
Traditionally, if you wanted to take a photo of your nails, you’d snap a quick pic of your hand as it rested gently on your steering wheel, or you’d snag a shot of your fingers daintily gripping an iced coffee. Now, it’s all about the .5 nail photo.
The .5 camera setting on your phone uses a wide-angle lens and, along with a little editing magic, makes it possible to balloon your hands to epic proportions. If they end up looking 500 times bigger than your body, that’s how you’ll know you’re doing it right.
The .5 nail photo hack took off on TikTok, where it now has 24 million views, after creator and nail tech @ameyamarieokamoto posted her own massive hands in a video on Sept. 9. The Gen Z-approved .5 selfie became a trend in 2022, so it makes sense that this is now the coolest way to show off your nail art.
Nail art is small and notoriously difficult to photograph, after all. It takes finagling to get the right angle that lets the shells in your mermaid mani or the bows on your coquette set really shine.
If you put a lot of effort into doing your nails — or getting them done — then you’ll want a photo that truly does them justice. And the .5 claw is exactly that: Not only does it magnify your manicure, but it also lets your hands take center stage in your selfie.
How To Take A .5 Nail Selfie
To take a photo of your manicure in .5, you’ll need to have an iPhone 12 or newer with a dual or triple camera system. When you open the camera app, you’ll see “0.5” at the bottom of the screen. Tap it and it’ll change your lens to an ultra-wide setting. For more high-def detail, turn the flash on, too.
Next, tap the white circle of arrows at the bottom of the screen to flip your camera to the front view, and then turn your phone around to face you. For this OTT manicure selfie, you’ll need a friend to help out — or a tripod with a timer set — since you’ll likely want both arms up in the photo.
Step back, stick your hands in the air, angle your digits towards your phone, and then bend your fingers to reveal your manicure. The more claw-like, the better.
Snap a bunch of photos so that you have options, then choose one that beautifully shows off your nails. You can also magnify your hands to make them bigger within the .5 selfie, or use an editing app — like Hypic or Procreate — to cut your hands out like a sticker, according to @ameyamarieokamoto.
Once your big hands are snipped out, paste them back on your photo so that they line up with your arms. Now you can post and enjoy all the mani love.
