Finding Your Best Poses for Photos

Photography is more democratized than ever. Smartphone technology allows almost anyone to take photos, then edit and share them, with a minimum of effort. Nevertheless, some people still feel awkward about having their photographs taken because the end result is so often unflattering. Fortunately, there are ways to improve your poses to result in more attractive pictures. There are simple tricks you can learn to improve the end result.

Understand the Relationship Between Distance and Size

The goal of photography is to produce an image that is as true to life as possible. Nevertheless, cameras create distortion by their very nature. Objects closest to the camera appear larger, while objects farther away look small. This is often a problem when taking selfies; your head looks small while your nose or torso look huge because they are closer to the camera lens. Even when you eat healthy, work out regularly, and live the Thrive experience, the size of your body may appear distorted in photographs.

Once you understand the relationship between the distance between the object and the camera and the size that the object appears to be, you can use this to your advantage. By putting your weight on your back legs and leaning slightly forward, you can emphasize your face while minimizing the appearance of the lower portion of your body.

Turtle

To "turtle" is to stick out your head like a tortoise coming out of its shell. You accomplish this by pulling your ears forward and sticking your chin out, but not up. This makes the chin appear more defined and reduces the appearance of the flabby skin underneath that all people have when in a normal, relaxed stance.

Be careful when turtling not to stick your chin up. Otherwise, the camera lens will be looking straight up your nostrils, and that's not a good angle for anyone.

Find Your Light

The word "photography" literally means "writing with light," which may be better understood to mean creating a picture with light. Despite the shift to digital from photosensitive film, light is still crucially important to photography and often means the difference between a good picture and a bad one.

Whenever possible, you should use natural light to take pictures. This means standing near the biggest window you can find when indoors. You should try to avoid low-light conditions that require the flash. Harsh light such as this can make you look exhausted and older than you are by casting weird shadows on your face.

While natural light is preferable to artificial lighting, you shouldn't necessarily take pictures under the midday sun either. This can cause squinting and glare. The best time of day to take photographs is when the sun is just above the horizon, whether at dawn or dusk. Photographers sometimes refer to the time when the sun is on the horizon as the "golden hour" because of the quality of the light.

Turn the Shoulders

Avoid squaring your shoulders so that they're directly in front of the camera. This makes your body look wider than it really is. Instead, turn your shoulders slightly to one side. It is a subtle change that can make a significant difference as you present a slimmer profile to the camera.

Improve Your Posture

Sitting or standing up straight is often recommended as a way to prevent spinal fatigue and injury. As it turns out, it is also good advice for taking a picture because it makes you appear taller and therefore more statuesque. When sitting, point your toes rather than putting your feet flat on the floor. Your legs look longer as a result.

Style Your Hair Strategically

Whether up or down, behind the shoulders or in front of them, the way you wear your hair in your photo can give different effects. Most hairstyles are appropriate depending on the context. The one hair "pose" that is really taboo is allowing the hair to rest on top of the shoulders. This gives an odd, winged appearance.

When you have your pictures professionally taken, the photographer will guide you through the most flattering poses. However, even amateur pictures can be more attractive when you follow these tips to find your pose.