10 Easy Posing Tips: How to Pose for a Portrait
Maybe it’s for your wedding day, your senior photoshoot or you simply want to look attractive and confident in photos! When it comes to posing for portraits, your goal is to show your ‘best side’ by learning how to find your right angles.
Keep in mind that the photographer will guide you through your session and show you what’s working (at least that’s what I do!) Knowing these easy tips will most definitely boost your confidence for your session.
Posing Techniques for the Body
It’s important to know that posing is about showing your best characteristics and authentic self and to do that, you need to know these 10 posing tips I’ve gathered throughout my 10 years of experience as a portrait photographer.
1.Shoulders
While you may feel shy at first in front of the camera, try not to shrink into yourself mentally or physically. Stand up straight, taking up space, and use the position of your shoulders to add dimension to the image.
Position them at an angle rather than straight to the camera to avoid looking wider than normal. Experiment with slightly lifting one shoulder and bringing it forward while you angle your torso – this can create a sense of movement and is appealing to the eye.
2. The Head Tilt
With the shoulders at an angle to the camera, the head is normally turned or tilted to follow the natural line of your eyes. The direction and degree of the tilt can add strength or softness to your expression, depending on your preference.
While somewhat a cliché, the masculine tilt of the head implies strength. Conversely, the feminine tilt of the head creates an impression of mystery and vulnerability. Keep in mind that the most natural look is achieved when the tilt of your head is slight - don’t overdo it!
3. Put the weight on the back foot
Begin by angling your feet slightly away from the camera, shifting your weight mostly to the back foot. This stance helps create a more dynamic and flattering body line. From there experiment with the hips, bringing them closer or further from the shoulder.
Play with shifting the weight between feet, observing how you feel in each pose. From there slowly start shifting towards including the hands.
4. Hands and Arms
People feel awkward when they cannot figure out what to do with their hands. The easiest fix - do something with those hands!
Here are some examples of hand poses used to highlight different body parts:
Hand on the chin: With this hand pose, you’re not only giving your hand something to do – you’re also directing the attention towards your face. Try some gentle movements so the movement looks smoother. For example, place the right hand against the left cheek, then slowly slide it towards the right cheek. (That way, the hand will already be in a natural position as it was following the movement flow.)
Frame your face with your hands
Put your hand on your waist: There are different variations of this pose. You can put both hands on the waist or just one. Also, there are some people that prefer to have four fingers in front and the thumb on the back while others prefer it the other way around.
Playing with the hair
Hold the collar: This is a very useful hand pose if you want to draw attention to the face without actually touching it. The hand will be very close to the chin, so you’ll be getting the same effect as I mentioned before.
Hands above the head: Plus, raising your arms is always flattering for the figure! It also creates dynamic lines to make the photo more interesting. Here you can even lean the head back a little into the hands to look more casual and relaxed.
One hand on the neck
Using props like holding a cup, cigarette, a tangerine.. :)
5. Leaning forward
One can’t deny the power of a simple photo pose such as this one! Leaning forward towards the camera is a great way to shape the body and give focus to the face. That’s why leaning forward is used in a lot of close up portrait poses.
Keep in mind that anything closer to the camera will look bigger, so this will automatically slim the body. You don’t want the face looking disproportionate either, so stand at a reasonable distance to prevent distortions.
Posing Techniques for Face & Expression
Posing is a whole-body experience. Once the body is in the proper orientation, your expression is the last thing to nail! Many people feel on edge with a camera up close and personal - which is totally normal! Knowing these techniques for getting a genuine emotion is what differentiates a good portrait from an amazing one.
It is one of the reasons I often get complimented for my images showing so much emotion and personality! So let’s see what adds a level of connection to the viewer:
Relaxed-mouth pose
A tip I always give my clients is to open the mouth slightly, which relaxes the muscles on the face. To get this pose right, imagine you’re just about to say something to a friend and then freeze the moment - might feel weird at first but trust me, it’s a game changer!
2. Natural smile pose
It’s a bit funny to talk about a posed natural smile for your portrait photographs. But smiling in portraits is a surprisingly difficult thing to get right.
A huge smile can look forced and unprofessional. So what’s the answer? Recreate that smile you use in social situations. Practice smiling so that your lower lip follows the curve of your upper teeth – this should ensure that your pose is relaxed. While you do this, try pressing your tongue up against your palette. You’ll avoid showing off a double chin.
P.S. If you’re unsure how to act in your portrait session, worrying about looking unnatural or awkward, you should absolutely check out these secrets to becoming more camera-confident!
3. Engage in conversation
From my experience, photographers often start a dialogue to make you feel more at ease and to capture your natural expressions. Talk to them as open as you could and build on a genuine connection. Trust me, it will show in the photos!
4. Embrace individuality
You are unique, so embrace your individuality and find poses that flatter your body type and personality. The best portraits look like the best version of you. Don't be afraid to let your personality shine through, with all its quirks and imperfections!
5. Be Flexible
Be open to trying different posing ideas and suggestions. Keep in mind that we see you differently and can help you fall in love with some features you might be insecure about.
Remember
I've provided these guidelines to answer common posing problems and spark your creativity, but ultimately, it's your photoshoot! Remember, photographers are there to support you and make the session enjoyable.
Like I said, my sessions are all about relaxed fun and capturing the unique you. Music playing in the background, genuine smiles, a relaxed atmosphere, and better-than-imagined results. Come as you are and let's create beautiful memories together.
