Until very recently, you might have assumed that snapping a “selfie’’ – that is, a self-taken photograph common in the world of social media — was a fairly simple and straightforward endeavor. Armed with nothing more than a camera, an arm, and a little duck face, anyone could capture the perfect self portrait.

Imagine our surprise, then, when an e-mail arrived last week from the public relations firm CWR and Partners, informing us — in so many words — that we had no duck-facing idea what we were talking about.

In addition to a wealth of helpful information such as “People all over the world are obsessed with SELFIES’’ and “Never has our ‘Face’ been more on display to our friends and family than NOW,’’ the e-mail also introduced us to Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, a Chestnut Hill plastic surgeon who has devised a list of eight easy-to-follow tips for snapping the perfect selfie.

“Let us know,’’ the e-mail kindly stated, “if you are interested in these tips and if you would like to interview Dr. Spiegel.’’

As it happens, we were very interested in said tips, as well as in speaking to Dr. Spiegel, and so we arranged to drop by his office one recent afternoon.

Dr. Spiegel, whose office wall is adorned with a 3-foot-long pair of decorative red lips, was just finishing up with a client, and he met us in a small exam room, where he first explained that he has been researching attractiveness — and how we identify it — for more than a decade and a half.

“The selfie tricks kind of go along with what I do in the office,’’ Spiegel said. “I’m trying to figure out what are the curves, shapes, and aspects of the face that make it most attractive.’’

Having perused his tips earlier in the week, we had already learned that, when taking a selfie, you should stand at an angle to the camera (“This creates a slimmer body profile, and adds some interest to the photograph’’) and make sure to smile with your eyes (“A fake smile is just your mouth. A true smile is when your whole face is laughing’’). And that, a minute before snapping a photo, women should “tap on your lips a few times (somewhat stronger than you’d think!),’’ as this will “send blood to your lips, making them redder and fuller — both considered very attractive.’’

Here in his office, however, Dr. Spiegel was happy to delve a little deeper.

During our hourlong visit, for instance, we learned that front lighting is much more desirable than side lighting if you’re hoping to mask any facial irregularities. We learned that you should blink a second before the photo is taken — since, as the list explains, this will “get you with the most open and bright eyes — and remember, bright eyes are critical to looking good.’’

We further learned that women should hold the camera slightly above their heads, because this forces you to look up and therefore “makes the whites of your eyes more visible and makes you look like you have fuller and younger cheeks.’’ Meanwhile, men — particularly those with a propensity for double chins — can extend their necks slightly to give themselves stronger jawlines.

(At one point, we also learned that, despite Dr. Spiegel’s extensive research into attractiveness and selfie-related matters, his wife insists on holding the camera whenever the couple takes a selfie of its own: “I might be an expert on attractiveness and facial features,’’ he said, “but I’m still a husband.’’)

Now, you might be wondering: What if I follow these tips — tap my lips (somewhat stronger than you’d think!) and extend my neck and smile with my eyes — only to find that the perfect selfie has still eluded me?

In this case — and really, there’s no easy way to put this — there is a chance that the problem might simply be your face.

But do not be discouraged: There might be hope for you yet.

Consider Dr. Spiegel’s eighth and final tip:

“Think about relaxing your face and trying to convey that to the camera,’’ the tip begins, before going on to plug the widespread benefits of botulinum toxin treatment — botox and the like — to temporarily paralyze muscles and soften lines.

Thanks, doc. For now, though, we’ll stick with the duck face. And good lighting.

Dugan Arnett can be reached at dugan.arnett@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @duganarnett.