I will never forget when I had professional portraits made for the first time when I was 14 years old and tried to do a “sexy/sultry serious face”. I looked sick to my stomach, in pain and unbelievably awkward. The pictures were made for a dance audition and I was trying to mimic some of the poses I saw my dance teachers do in their headshots. Heck, I’m in my late 20s now and I still don’t know how to do that face!
Now as a photographer, I realize that I was making the biggest mistake that people make when having pictures made: I WAS NOT BEING MYSELF.
I thought if I was getting dance pictures made, I needed to look like all of my professional teachers. I failed to acknowledge that they were 10+ years older than me, had way more experience in front of the camera than I did, and were auditioning for roles for adults and not teenagers.
When you’re having portraits made, 95% of the time, you want your images to look like YOU (unless you’re a model and making someone else’s vision come to life).
Here are some tips and tricks to hitting perfect poses that reflect your personality:
- Relax
I can’t stress this first point enough. I can always tell when my subject lets their guard down and relaxes because their pictures and posing instantly improve. I always tell my clients that the more relaxed they are, the better their pictures will be. You will not make your photographer uncomfortable by looking off to the side and laughing for no reason. If anything, you’ll make them jump up and down and get great images! - Be Yourself
If you are a shy and reserved and not one to “ham it up” in front of the camera, IT’S OK! Don’t feel like you have to be someone you aren’t in front of the camera. You want your confidence and personality to shine through the images and for your pictures to look like you. As cool as some of the pictures and poses are in Vogue and on Pinterest, those poses might not be a good reflection of your personality or work for your outfit, body or environment. Use these images as inspiration for your session, not expectations for how your images should look. - Speak Up
Tell your photographer if you ever feel uncomfortable with a pose. If you feel uncomfortable, you’re going to look uncomfortable. Make sure to have an open dialog with your photographer if a pose doesn’t feel “like you”. - Understand your outfit and how it moves
Before your session, practice sitting, standing, and squatting in each outfit to help you understand how the outfit “moves”. Practice posing in the mirror or get a friend to take pictures of you on their phones to see how each outfit photographs. Sometimes an outfit looks great on a hanger, but isn’t the most versatile for posing. If you’re a stickler for perfection, a long, fringy skirt might not be the best option if each strand of fringe isn’t going to lay perfectly. - Trust your photographer
Your photographer sees things in ways you don’t see them. When your photographer is looking through their camera, they see your outfit, body position and hair in ways that someone standing 9 feet to the side will not see. Listen to your photographer if they tell you to lift your chin, twist your shoulders or adjust your outfit or pose. Their vision, expertise and experience will help guide you to the most flattering poses that reflect your personality. - Separation
Separate your limbs from your body or floor. If your arms are pressed up against your body it will cause your arms to roll and appear bigger than they actually are. If you’re sitting on the ground, lift your legs barely off the ground to avoid your legs pushing into the ground and appearing larger. It might feel a little odd, but separating your limbs will help give you a more realistic and flattering look. - Keep your hands loose
I instantly see tension in someone’s hands. Keep your hands relaxed and loose to avoid a “bear claw” or “dagger/blade” look.
I wish I could tell my 14-year-old self to quit comparing myself to what I see in magazines and online. The poses that work for models might not work for me due to age, body proportion and posing experience. Just relax, be yourself and trust your photographer to guide you to poses that look like you.
