Wipe the crust from your eyes and grab a bikini top, it's time to become a quarantine cutie

With the whole world quarantining and everyone under lockdown, there’s no better time to post hot pictures of yourself online. With nothing to do except scroll on their phones, all of your crushes are captive audiences on Instagram (unless, of course, you have one of those crushes who doesn’t have an Instagram—hot!—but most of us aren’t so lucky).

In order to take the perfect thirst trap, this is all you need:

-The camera phone: For this project I personally used an iPhone X, but any iPhone will do. You can use an Android, but I have to warn you, people will know. Don’t tell me how the “resolution is technically better actually” we all know iPhone pictures look better.

-A willing photographer: I use the descriptor “willing” loosely. Literally anyone who you’re quarantining with who you can bug until they say yes is fine. If you’re quarantining alone, the self-timer feature on your phone will work.

-A good source of natural light: Take your picture in front of a window, (as demonstrated below). This is by far the best way to have a well-lit picture.

-A rough idea of your angles: I personally REALLY know my angles, but I get that we’re not all so lucky. My advice would be to find an Instagram model who has a similar face shape to you and study their poses.

-Hot outfit: The perfect quarantine thirst trap outfit is a combination of sexy and relaxed. You’re LOUNGING, so pick something that looks like you just threw it on. I went with sweatpants and a tiny swimsuit top. Sexy, but still something I would believably wear while holed up in my house.

Step One: If you’re quarantining with someone, ask them if they can take a picture of you. I asked my sister.

Step Two: Don’t be afraid to give direction! If you’re not liking how the pictures are turning out, ask the photographer to try a new angle. They might be annoyed, but that’s on them. They agreed to this.

Step Three: Start posing!

Step Four: Don’t be afraid to adjust.

Step Five: Take your phone back from your disgruntled photographer who has received too many requests and no longer wants to participate in helping you take the perfect thirst trap even though you literally need two specific guys to see it.

Step Six: When all else fails, use the timer function on your phone and DO IT YOURSELF!

Step Seven: If you don’t like the ones you took of yourself, find a hot picture of a celebrity who kind of looks like you, post it and hope for the best. As someone who’s short and brown, my options are limited, but I can usually make do.

And she reads! Click here for Dana’s book recs 

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