The attempt at the perfect selfie usually suffers from lack of light. The new LuMee smartphone case solves that problem with a little illumination.
"We're solving a problem that lots of people didn't even know they had," Allan Shoemake, one of the case's creators, told ABC News. "It's great when you're trying to take a selfie with a background that's light or inside a cab or restaurant - mostly low-light situations or at night."
The illuminated smartphone case, in black or white, is available for the iPhone 5 and 5S at Amazon for $39.95. Samsung Galaxy owners can purchase the case starting in October.
The cases comes with built-in lights and its own battery that takes 30 to 45 minutes to charge. The case will stay illuminated for 2.5 hours on the highest setting and up to 36 hours on the lowest. Users can adjust the brightness by holding the dimmer at the back of the case. The lights in the front will stay on while taking a selfie or putting on makeup.
"I've been a photographer for 30 years, so I was really picky about the lights and the color temperatures," Shoemake said. "The beauty of not having a flash is what you see if what you get."
Shoemake came up with the idea while using Skype to video chat with his daughter, who was studying abroad in Italy, according to ABC News. He became frustrated he couldn't see her face in the low lighting of her room.
"I said, 'I can hardly see you. Why don't you go by the window?" he said. "I said to my wife, 'Why don't they have a light out there to help light up cellphones or computers?'"
The inventor tested a lighting design using Christmas lights around his computer to light up his screen. The next time he Skyped with his daughter, she noticed the difference. "She was like, 'Why do you guys look so good?'" Shoemake said of the conversation.
The father from Boonton Township, N.J., collaborated with an electrical engineer to develop the final product. He's also developing similar cases for the iPad and other tablets.
"There's nothing like it out there for the perfect selfie, the perfect food shot. It's multifunctional," Shoemake said. "We're not going to appeal to every case out there, but everyone needs good lighting."
