Be photographed beautifully
No one is truly unphotogenic. Most of us simply stand as though we were waiting for a bus. A handful of small refinements changes everything.
Four things photographers know
Angle, never flat
Turn your body thirty to forty-five degrees from the lens, then bring your face back. Square-on reads wider and stiffer.
Forward and down
Ease your forehead slightly towards the camera and lower the chin a fraction. The jawline defines itself.
Give the hands purpose
A pocket, a lapel, a cuff, a cup. Idle hands are the source of nearly all awkwardness on camera.
Exhale
Breathe out just before the shutter. The shoulders fall, the face softens and tension disappears.
Four poses for any occasion
The weight shift
Rest your weight on the back leg and soften the front knee. It creates natural shape and banishes the line-up look.
Hands in pockets
Thumbs or fingertips only, never the whole hand. Relaxed and assured, especially in a coat or jacket.
The lean
A shoulder against a wall, feet a little away from it. Instantly at ease, and ideal for full-length portraits.
The three-quarter turn
Body at forty-five degrees, face to camera, one hand near the collar or jaw. The classic portrait.
Four poses that look unposed
Sit tall, lean in
Perch on the front third of the chair, back long, inclined slightly towards the lens. Engaged, never slumped.
The hand to the face
An elbow on the knee or table, the hand near the chin, barely touching. Thoughtful without looking staged.
The walk
Walk slowly towards the camera, gaze just off to one side, in burst mode. One frame will be perfect.
The genuine laugh
Ask your photographer to say something absurd, or begin with a pretend laugh until it becomes real. Look down, then up, mid-laugh.
A face that looks like you
- The squinch. Raise the lower eyelids slightly, as if about to share a secret. Wide eyes read as nervous, a soft squint reads as assured.
- Think of someone. Picture a person you love just behind the lens. Real warmth reaches the eyes.
- Tongue to the teeth. Press the tongue lightly behind your upper teeth. It quietly lifts beneath the chin.
- Reset between frames. Look away, breathe and return. A smile held for ten seconds becomes a grimace.
Set the scene
Face the light
Stand facing a window, never with it behind you. Soft daylight is the most flattering light there is.
The golden hour
Shortly after sunrise and before sunset, the light is low, warm and kind to everyone.
Lens at eye level
Or slightly above. A camera below the chin adds chins no one has.
Step back, zoom in
A phone's wide lens close to the face exaggerates the nose and forehead. Stand back and use the 2× or portrait lens.
Wear your palette
Your best colours do half the work before the shutter clicks. Discover yours.
Presence doesn't stop at the camera.How you hold yourself in a room, in a meeting or across a table matters just as much. Read Presence in a room