How to take a great photo. Every. Single. Time.

Believe it or not, the way you pose in a photograph has a lot to do with the outcome.  I recently had a photographic session with photographer Abigail K.

She gave me tips on how to stand to make my shots look good. The way you pose can either make you look bigger than you are or make you look slimmer.

Here are my favourite tips. I've been using them for posed and selfie pics and I’m telling you… they work.

Chin forward and down

Extend your chin forward and then drop it a little. It does wonders to avoid that dreaded double chin look.

Fake a waist

You can create the appearance of a slimmer waist, by putting your hands on your hips, but slightly higher up than you would normally place them. Then slide your hands inwards towards each other. This position makes your waist seem slimmer and more pronounced.

Push back to slim down

In photography, what ever is closer to the camera is emphasised and whatever is further from the camera is de-emphasised. That means that if the lower part of your body is your problem area, you can make it look smaller if you tilt your upper body toward the camera, and push your bum backwards. 

Lift the camera

An elevated camera position will de-emphasise the bottom part of your body. If you are looking up at the camera, it will also elongate your neck and prevent the double chin look.

Clothing choice

Avoid wearing big, baggy clothes as they make you look bigger than you really are. Rather wear fitted clothing that gives you shape. You will really see this principle in action in photographs. It’s much harder to make these slim posing principles work if your clothing has a bag-like effect.

Here are some additional tips on how to take a great selfie:


Non-distracting background

The emphasis needs to be on your beautiful face, so select a plain background.

The right light

Ensure that there are no shadows falling across your face, and that your face is well lit.  Try a couple shots till you find the best possible light available.

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