As a professional photographer, I know that many people are intimidated by the camera. Many are aware of their lack of photogenic appeal and are terrified of facing a photo shoot.
The issue is compounded when you also have to capture important moments in your life, like a wedding, where, whether you like it or not, you are the main focus. If this is your problem, you’re probably wondering, “How can I look good in photos?”
Well, don’t worry because we’re going to give you a hand, since there are a series of tricks and tips both when posing and looking natural, which you can learn and of course if you’re up for it, you can start practicing them to face this great fear that grips you when appearing in photos.
Once you master these techniques, you’ll lose your fear of posing in front of a camera to capture your memories, not only of your wedding day but also of parties with friends, Sunday family lunches, or even just to remember how great you looked at your best friend’s wedding.
Not to mention the increasingly common selfies that have become so popular in our lives. So, here are some tips.
Body language
It’s not about behaving like a model, but knowing some poses, gestures, and of course, a good attitude will help you improve your photogenic qualities.
Separate your arms
Don’t stick them close to your body, separate them! Otherwise, they will visually merge with your torso, which will inevitably appear wider and make you look bulkier.
Pay attention to your legs
Keeping your legs together and straight doesn’t add much; it doesn’t create volume or curves, so it doesn’t flatter anyone. Try shifting your weight to one hip or even bending one leg.
Mind your posture
An important tip: posing straight on doesn’t do anyone any favors in photos. Look at models or celebrities when they arrive at a photocall full of reporters. You’ll see that none of them pose facing forward.
The trick they usually use is to put one hand on their hip and position their body in foreshortening. We’re not big fans of posed shots, so you don’t have to do the same, but if you do a few tests, you’ll see that your photos improve considerably just by turning slightly.
Here’s a good exercise: look at photos of yourself and discover what you don’t like. Once you’ve studied it, practice different poses to disguise the parts of your body that, according to you, make you look bad in photos.
Straight back
There’s nothing worse than looking hunched over in a photo, and the main culprit is your back. It’s as simple as straightening your back and even pulling your shoulders back slightly. You’ll see how much this simple tip improves your posture. Just be careful not to overdo it!
Hands
We often don’t know what to do with our hands; they’re perhaps the most important part of our body, yet the one we manage the worst. In this case, almost anything goes—except letting them hang around! Hug your partner or friends, hold something, or even better, put a hand in your pocket.
Clothes
Choose things that flatter you for the session and make you feel beautiful. There’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable in your outfit.
Your face is what speaks best about you
I promise you it’s not a question of being more or less handsome; there are handsome people who don’t look good in photos and, on the contrary, ordinary people who manage to convey great photogenic appeal.
It’s true that our facial appearance is the sum of many factors: smile, gaze, expression, etc. And it takes time to “train” them all together, but believe me, attitude will make you look better and better.
The smile
First of all, smiling isn’t necessary to look good in photos. Simply not having your mouth completely closed is enough, as this pose is very unnatural.
A little tip: Try putting your tongue behind your upper teeth; with this simple gesture you will unintentionally relax many muscles in your mouth.
Keep in mind that we often focus on our mouth, but a true smile is usually found in the eyes.
I promise you, pouting isn’t the best option, even though everyone seems to do it.
The gaze
Try not to show fear or embarrassment in front of the camera (unless that’s what you want to communicate); looking strongly and directly at the camera is not easy, even when the person taking the photo is someone you trust.
One trick would be to close your eyes or turn your back to the camera and only look at the exact moment the photo is taken. We’ll lose our inhibitions and gain in intensity.
Another trick you can try is to look just above the camera at a fixed point.
Just like with posture, looking straight ahead isn’t a good approach; try not looking directly, find an angle of inclination, or even tilt your head slightly.
The chin
A very common fear is the double chin effect in a photo. This is easily solved by slightly lifting the chin, being careful not to make it look like we’ve stretched our neck, which could give us an arrogant or overbearing impression.
The trick of putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth to improve your smile will also help you tighten your chin muscles.
Hair. Ally or foe?
We should use it to our advantage; many times it will help us to “cover up” some parts of the face while also making us look slimmer and more flattering.
Attitude in front of the camera
I think this is the most important part because if you’re afraid of facing a camera, that fear will be reflected in the resulting images. Try approaching it with a different attitude, keeping these aspects in mind:
- Spontaneity: If you don’t like posed photos, this is your best option. Forget about the camera, as if it doesn’t exist. (Of course, for this to work, the photographer must know their craft and how to capture that spontaneity.)
- Relax: The camera doesn’t bite; it wants to be your friend. You just have to trust it. What can happen? The worst-case scenario is that you forget about that photo, but don’t think negatively like “I ALWAYS look bad in photos.”
- Enjoy: We are not usually aware of many memories until we have something tangible and palpable, so enjoy the photos, because as time goes by, they will gain value and will undoubtedly be what helps you remember how much fun you had.
- Don’t overdo it: If you force it, it will look too artificial, and we’ll look really strange. And this applies to posture, gestures, smiles, etc.
- Improvise: Who knows, maybe interesting things will come out, what is clear is that if you don’t try it you won’t know.
“More professional” techniques
There are a number of factors and techniques that photographers take into account. I’m not saying you need to take a photography course to look good in photos, but simply understanding these factors that greatly influence the final result will help you improve your photography.
Avoid front flash
If you are going to use it, keep in mind that it is a light that flattens and reduces volume, so it is not advisable to shoot it from the front of the photo.
Light. Our main tool. Study and analyze the quality of light; be careful with harsh sources such as direct sunlight, the midday sun (it’s not bad light if you know how to use it).
A good angle
Study your photos and analyze the camera angles that flatter you most. This way, you’ll know how to position yourself for the next photo. Always avoid head-on, passport-style photos.
Camera angle (high and low angles). When we raise our arm to take a selfie, we’re using a high angle shot, and when we shoot from below, we’re using a low angle shot. A low-angle shot will undoubtedly make us feel slimmer, but watch out for a double chin!
To conclude this article, I’d like to mention that they say you don’t truly relax or know how to pose in front of a camera until you’ve taken over 1,000 photos. I don’t think that many photos are necessary to look good, but I do recommend practicing your poses and analyzing the results. Just be careful not to learn one pose and use it in every situation, only changing the background.
However, there’s no need to go overboard and become obsessed. I believe the best photographs tell a story, and that’s only possible by capturing natural moments. If you’re planning a wedding, it’s more important to find the right professional for the type of photography you want than to force yourself and your partner to learn how to pose.
I hope I’ve been able to help you learn how to look good in photos. However, I want you to keep in mind that most of the time, we are our own worst critics. While many people see natural beauty and a lovely smile in our photos, we only focus on finding our flaws.