Skip to content
Tips to Take Better Thanksgiving Food Photography
Mon, Nov 25, 24
How to Pose for the Most Flattering Photos
No matter how perfect we looked beforehand in the mirror, we’ve all had the misfortune of having unflattering photos taken. In this social media-obsessed world, not knowing how to pose for pictures simply isn’t an option. Figuring out all of our best poses and angles can be a lifesaver, so we are here to help you do just that.
Use your tongue
It might feel strange, but by pressing your tongue on the roof of your mouth while smiling is an effective way to help avoid the dreaded double chin because it helps elongate your neck and your jawline.
Angle Your Face
Try to avoid direct head-on shots because there’ll be an absence of shadows, which could make your face look wider, larger, or slightly discolored. Instead, stand slightly sideways and tilt your chin a little bit upward or a tad downward. From there, be sure to look at something just above your natural line of sight.
Twist your body and position your arms
Ever wonder why every celebrity poses with her camera-facing arm on her hip? It’s because that move ensures her upper arm isn’t smashed against her body making it look flattened. If you find the hand-on-hip pose to be a bit forced, try holding your arms out from your sides ever so slightly. Position your body 45 degrees and put the arm closest to the camera on your hip. Then plant one foot slightly in front of the other, point your toe to the camera and place your weight on your back leg.
Leave Visual Space by the Waist
Everyone loves looking thin. One of the things you can do to trim down your subject is by giving them their "natural" waist, without any additives. This means visually isolating the skinny part of the torso so they look as thin as they are. Simply have your subject place their arm on their hip and pull that arm a little forward. This allows you to see the space, so the waist doesn't have anything adding visual bulk.
Turn the Shoulders
This is a very simple tip, but important. If your subject stares at the camera head-on, they look bigger. This can be good when shooting a football player or CEO of a big company, but it is bad when shooting beauty or portraits. By having your subject turn, they are showing a slimmer profile of themselves to the camera, and look slimmer.
Don't Let the Nose Break the Face
This one is a bit more complex, but still important. When you don't want your subject facing forward, you have them turn to the side. Assuming you don't want a full profile where you only see one side of the face, they will be at a quarter turn with both eyes in frame. If you draw an imaginary line down the side of their face, this line is the line that cannot be crossed by their nose. If they turn too far and the nose crosses this line, it "breaks" the natural curve of the face. It creates the "Pinocchio" effect and extends the length of their nose. You can avoid this by having them turn back toward you slightly, until you can see a little bit of space between the end of their nose, and the side of their face. You don't want to break that line or it makes them look like they have disproportionate facial features.
Cross Your Ankles
If you’re being shot head-on cross your legs, starting at the calf. This stance will make your hips look narrower and your legs look longer, plus it looks a bit more casual. It’s worth noting that the pose also works when you’re sitting. Although it’s always preferable to stand in pictures, if you happen to be on a chair or a couch when someone comes at you with a camera, sit up straight and cross your legs at the ankles. It’ll be more flattering than not.
Don’t be a Follower
The key to a stellar group shot is not having everyone doing the same pose. Everyone is shaped differently, so the viewer’s eye will naturally gravitate to who looks best in the pose, not the picture. Instead, when striking that next Instagram worthy pose for your Sony Xperia Smartphone from Beachamera.com, be sure to stand comfortably without mimicking the people directly next to you.
Smile for the Camera
Smiling is a tricky thing when it comes to photos. Too big, and you look silly, but none at all can make you look broody or angry. The solution? The ‘natural’ smile you use when the camera’s not on you. Smiling too wide on purpose will cause your face to tense up, your eyes to squint, and your cheeks to puff out, which aren’t the benchmarks of an attractive photo. Instead, take a second to relax your face and open your mouth slightly, so that your lower lip matches the curve of your upper teeth. This is universally flattering, and allows you to decide how much teeth you want to show.
Break out your Nikon D3300 DSLR Camera from Beachcamera.com and use the handy tips that are not only for photographers looking for inspiration, but also the people who want to look great in every shot. These are some of the best poses which highlight your best features and hide even the most obvious imperfections.
Twist your body and position your arms
Ever wonder why every celebrity poses with her camera-facing arm on her hip? It’s because that move ensures her upper arm isn’t smashed against her body making it look flattened. If you find the hand-on-hip pose to be a bit forced, try holding your arms out from your sides ever so slightly. Position your body 45 degrees and put the arm closest to the camera on your hip. Then plant one foot slightly in front of the other, point your toe to the camera and place your weight on your back leg.
Leave Visual Space by the Waist
Everyone loves looking thin. One of the things you can do to trim down your subject is by giving them their "natural" waist, without any additives. This means visually isolating the skinny part of the torso so they look as thin as they are. Simply have your subject place their arm on their hip and pull that arm a little forward. This allows you to see the space, so the waist doesn't have anything adding visual bulk.
Turn the Shoulders
This is a very simple tip, but important. If your subject stares at the camera head-on, they look bigger. This can be good when shooting a football player or CEO of a big company, but it is bad when shooting beauty or portraits. By having your subject turn, they are showing a slimmer profile of themselves to the camera, and look slimmer.
Don't Let the Nose Break the Face
This one is a bit more complex, but still important. When you don't want your subject facing forward, you have them turn to the side. Assuming you don't want a full profile where you only see one side of the face, they will be at a quarter turn with both eyes in frame. If you draw an imaginary line down the side of their face, this line is the line that cannot be crossed by their nose. If they turn too far and the nose crosses this line, it "breaks" the natural curve of the face. It creates the "Pinocchio" effect and extends the length of their nose. You can avoid this by having them turn back toward you slightly, until you can see a little bit of space between the end of their nose, and the side of their face. You don't want to break that line or it makes them look like they have disproportionate facial features.
Cross Your Ankles
If you’re being shot head-on cross your legs, starting at the calf. This stance will make your hips look narrower and your legs look longer, plus it looks a bit more casual. It’s worth noting that the pose also works when you’re sitting. Although it’s always preferable to stand in pictures, if you happen to be on a chair or a couch when someone comes at you with a camera, sit up straight and cross your legs at the ankles. It’ll be more flattering than not.
Don’t be a Follower
The key to a stellar group shot is not having everyone doing the same pose. Everyone is shaped differently, so the viewer’s eye will naturally gravitate to who looks best in the pose, not the picture. Instead, when striking that next Instagram worthy pose for your Sony Xperia Smartphone from Beachamera.com, be sure to stand comfortably without mimicking the people directly next to you.
Smile for the Camera
Smiling is a tricky thing when it comes to photos. Too big, and you look silly, but none at all can make you look broody or angry. The solution? The ‘natural’ smile you use when the camera’s not on you. Smiling too wide on purpose will cause your face to tense up, your eyes to squint, and your cheeks to puff out, which aren’t the benchmarks of an attractive photo. Instead, take a second to relax your face and open your mouth slightly, so that your lower lip matches the curve of your upper teeth. This is universally flattering, and allows you to decide how much teeth you want to show.
Break out your Nikon D3300 DSLR Camera from Beachcamera.com and use the handy tips that are not only for photographers looking for inspiration, but also the people who want to look great in every shot. These are some of the best poses which highlight your best features and hide even the most obvious imperfections.
