How to Pose Like a Pro

Tips for Everyday People

Let’s face it—most of us aren’t professional models, but that doesn’t mean we can’t look like stars in front of the camera. Whether it’s family portraits, a professional headshot, or that candid photo someone insists on taking, knowing a few key posing tips can make all the difference in feeling like you know how to pose.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what to do with your hands (spoiler: you’re not alone), or dreading the moment someone says, “Let’s take a picture!” this guide is for you. I’ll walk you through simple, flattering tips to help you know how to pose to look your best while still feeling like yourself. By the end, you’ll be armed with knowledge for your next photo op.

Because let’s be real: a great pose isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being you.

the crux of the issue

The Problem with Photographs

Cameras help us make a two dimensional image of a three dimensional being. Something has to lost in translation when you lose the entire dimension of depth! It’s a shortcoming, but one that we can use to our advantage.

For starters, it’s important to know that just like our eyes, cameras see whatever is closest as BIGGEST, and whatever is furthest away as smallest. So whatever you want to emphasize, push it forward (I’m thinking eyes and faces here!) and anything you want to de-emphasize, push it away from the lens. Everything else about how to pose is just different ways of exploiting this one great aspect of photography!

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Avoiding The Dreaded Double Chin

Chin forward and down

If you’ve worked with me, you’ve certainly heard this. Most people tend to raise their chin to counteract the double chin effect – please don’t! (more explanation below on why, or you can just trust me on this). The simplest way to correct this is to think of pushing your nose or ears straight forward toward the camera, and tip your head down just a hair. If you’re doing it right, you should feel a tiny bit awkward, your nose should not be up in the air, and you will rediscover your jawline when you get your images back! For those that want to know why not to raise your chin, here’s what happens in a photograph when you do that: your eyes are farther away and therefore look smaller, your chin is closest to the camera and appears larger, and you give a clear shot up your nostrils. And only your ENT will think that’s a good thing. There’s also a relatively quick video (link here: How to Avoid a Double Chin ) showing the (in)famous “turtle” popularized by Tyra Banks. Same idea!

Super Quick Slimming Adjustments

Put Your Weight On Your Back Leg

Quickest, easiest, and most effective way to slim down on camera? Rest your weight into the leg/hip AWAY from the camera. You can test if you’ve got it by lifting your front foot. If it comes up pretty easily, it’s not bearing your weight: good job! Whatever is closest to the lens will look proportionally biggest, even if it’s not. This is such an easy fix, and everyone looks best on camera with their weight away from the camera. There are few absolutes in photography, but this is one of them.

Lean Forward (ever so slightly)

Most people have a tendency to lean away from the camera (I theorize it’s a natural reaction to something that makes us want to run away anyway). But this works to our disadvantage in that (again) whatever is closest to the camera appears biggest, and that makes our lower body bigger in proportion to our head. No need to limber up for this move, but think of leaning your top half slightly in front of your feet/legs by just a slight bend forward at the waist while keeping your back nice and straight.

Army Challenges

Don’t Squish Your Arms to Your Body

We all know arms are just one of those things that like to look bigger in pictures. And we all know it’s technically an easy fix… put some space between your arms and your body . This prevents your arm from being spread out and looking bigger, as well as making the line of your waist visible – a slimming two-fer.

Now I said “technically easy” because this is easy if it’s just you (think red carpet shots, every one of them has one hand on their hip), but you have to be a little more creative if you are in a group shot. It starts to look a little weird if Mom has her hand on her hip for every family shot. Were the kids making her mad that day? Who can say. One easy way to achieve this in a family grouping is to lightly rest your hand or arm on another family member like the portraits below. This creates contact between people (which makes a better family image) and it gives you that space between your arms and torso that makes you look your best.

Now… what do I do with my

HANDS?

And finally, the thing that stumps everyone but a professional model… what do I do with these things on the ends of my arms? Master how to pose your own hands and you really will know how to pose like a pro. The first tip is to identify a few positions that feel comfortable to you. The second is to alternate through them so you are not always doing the same thing. And lastly, asymmetry is your friend here, so do two different things with your two hands… one up, one down, or any other combination that creates variety from one hand to the other. Here’s some sample options. Try ’em out in front of a mirror, memorize the ones you like, and rotate through them like a pro!

Hand on waist (not hips!)

Rest one lightly on your natural waist, then scoot it in to the front a bit more than you would naturally do.

Resting on thigh

Place your hand on your thigh, with the profile facing the camera, and then draw it just an inch up to give your arm a little breathing space from your torso.

Tucked in a pants pocket

Always a good option, and keeps you from fidegeting if you’re prone to that.

Crossed gently in your lap (while seated)

Drape one wrist over the other. Almost always looks graceful with zero effort

By face, or in hair (Women only)

Placed gently (no pressing your skin) next to your face, or playing with the ends of your hair for a little movement.

Hold the cuff of your shirt or jacket sleeve (Guys only)

This one is a very typical GQ spread look, but it’s a classic for a reason. It photographs well! For those guys that feel ill at ease behind the camera, this gives you something to do with your hands.

And Most Importantly:

Real Smiles!

And most importantly, a real smile trumps every other posing guidline. A real smile reaches your eyes and causes at least some squinching in the laugh lines around your eyes. A smile that only involves your mouth looks flat, dead, and frankly… a little creepy. While it’s hard to command someone to smile naturally, you will never love your images if you give a fake smile. This is one of those “you get out what you put in” kind of things. So, have a game plan for what will help you smile naturally. A great memory you can call on, a cat meme you saw on facebook yesterday, making fun of your photographer (in your head, of course), whatever it takes.