How to pose for photos? Turn 30-45 degrees away from the camera, put your weight on your back leg, move your arms away from your body and give them a job, and push your chin slightly forward and down. These four moves work standing, sitting and in a selfie, for women and men and any body shape.
Distance matters too: anything you push towards the lens looks bigger, and the closer the camera, the stronger the effect. Below: 16 poses with descriptions, a calculator for this effect and a 10-second checklist.
Posing for photos: 5 rules for every pose
Before you pick a pose from the list, check these five things.
- Turn to the camera at an angle. Stand at 30-45 degrees, with one shoulder closer to the lens. Standing square-on shows your body at its widest.
- Put your weight on your back leg. The front leg stays loose, with the knee slightly bent. Your body stops being symmetrical and looks relaxed.
- Give your hands a job. A hand on your hip, a thumb in a pocket, fingers in your hair or a prop. Leave a gap between arm and body, and turn your hands edge-on to the lens.
- Push your chin forward and down. Your neck looks longer and no fold forms under your chin. Don’t tip your chin up.
- Relax your shoulders and breathe. Breathe out just before the shot and drop your shoulders. Tense shoulders creep up towards your ears and shorten your neck.
How to stand for a photo
Keep your feet no wider than your hips: a wide stance with locked knees makes your legs look stiff. To make your legs look longer, point your front foot at the camera and lift its heel slightly, so you stand on the ball of that foot.
Smile and expression
A smile that reaches the eyes, called a Duchenne smile, moves not only the corners of the mouth but also the muscle around the eye: small creases appear next to the eyes. Ekman and colleagues (1990) showed that this smile goes with real enjoyment, and other smiles do not.
According to a meta-analysis by Gunnery and Ruben (2016), people with a Duchenne smile are rated better: as more genuine, more attractive and more trustworthy. The difference was bigger in videos than in photos, and with spontaneous rather than posed smiles.
That is why saying “cheese” rarely gives you a real smile. A conversation during the shoot, a funny question, or counting to three and laughing as you breathe out works better. Your gaze changes the photo too: eyes on the lens make contact with the viewer, eyes off camera give a “caught in the moment” shot.
Pro tip: if your smile goes stiff, close your eyes for two seconds and open them just before the shot. Your face relaxes and the photographer catches a fresh look.
How to pose for photos standing up: from feet to head
Standing, your whole body is in the frame, so set it up from the bottom.
- Feet: front foot pointing at the camera, back foot sideways. Don’t place them evenly side by side.
- Knees: weight on the back leg, front knee slightly bent. A slightly lifted front heel adds length to your legs.
- Hips and torso: hips turned away from the camera, chest turned a little more towards it. This twist slims the waist.
- Arms: away from your body, elbows slightly bent. An arm pressed against your side flattens and looks wider.
- Shoulders and head: shoulders down, back straight, chin forward and slightly down, head tilted a touch.
Pro tip: between shots, change only one thing, for example your hand or the direction of your gaze. In a series of 10 photos it is then easier to pick the best one, and you know what made the difference.
16 poses for photos, with examples
Each pose is a starting point, not a recipe. Shoot 3-5 versions of each, changing your hands and the direction of your gaze, and pick the best one on screen.
Standing poses
- Three-quarter turn. Turn 30-45 degrees, weight on the back leg, arms loose with a gap at the waist. The safest pose for a full-length photo.
- Hand on hip. Hand high on the hip, elbow back rather than out towards the camera. An elbow pushed towards the lens looks big.
- Thumb in a pocket. Slide just your thumb or half your hand into a pocket and keep the other arm loose. The arm has support and the fingers don’t stick out.
- One foot in front of the other. Put one foot in front of the other, as if mid-step, toes pointing at the camera. Your legs look longer and your hips narrower.
- Leaning on a wall. Lean your shoulder or shoulder blades on the wall, not your whole weight. You can rest one foot against the wall behind you.
- Hands in your hair. Lift your hands to your hair or behind your head, elbows out to the sides. The pose opens up your body and works best framed from the waist up.
Poses in motion
- Walking towards the camera. Walk slowly towards the photographer while they shoot a burst. The best frame is often the one where your front foot is just touching the ground.
- Over the shoulder. Turn your back to the camera and look over your nearer shoulder. The shoulder covers part of your neck and your face shows in a slight profile.
Portrait poses: face and hands
- Hand near the face. Touch your cheek, chin or hair, and if you rest your head on your hand, do it only lightly, because the cheek gets squashed. Turn your hand edge-on to the lens, not palm-on.
- Looking off camera. Look to the side or into the distance, keeping your chin in front of you. The photo looks as if it was taken in the middle of a conversation.
- Laugh on three. Count to three and laugh as you breathe out while the photographer shoots a burst. A laugh also moves the muscles around the eyes, and a “photo smile” usually doesn’t.
Sitting poses
- On the edge of a chair. Sit on the front half of the seat, back straight, torso turned slightly towards the camera. Leaning back against the backrest makes your body sag.
- Legs crossed, knees to the side. Cross your legs and point your knees slightly away from the lens. A knee aimed at the camera looks big because it is closest.
- Elbows on knees. Lean forward and rest your elbows on your knees, hands loosely together. This pose works well for men and outdoors, on a bench or steps.
Couple and group poses
- Couple shoulder to shoulder. Turn 30-45 degrees towards each other and stand close. Touching hands, a hand at the waist or a head resting on a shoulder connects you in the frame.
- Group at different heights. Some people stand, some sit or lean, so the heads don’t form one line. People at the ends turn towards the middle, but nobody stands right at the edge of the frame: in a phone’s wide-angle camera, faces at the edges come out stretched (Shih et al., Google, 2019).
How to pose for photos to look slimmer
Two things decide how slim you look in a photo: how you stand and how far away the camera is.
Turn sideways
Turned sideways, the narrower side of your body faces the lens. Keep the turn at 30-45 degrees and bring your face back towards the camera, so the photo doesn’t become a profile.
Keep your hands away from your waist
A hand on the hip with the elbow slightly away from the body leaves a gap at the waist.
Why do I look fat in pictures?
In our studio experience, a common cause is a camera that stands too close. Size in a photo is inversely proportional to the distance from the lens, so whatever is closer grows: a hip, an elbow, a knee or a hand pushed towards the phone. Ward and colleagues (2018) worked this out for the face: a selfie from 30 cm (12 in) enlarges the nose relative to the width of the face by 30% in men and 29% in women, while from 1.5 m (5 ft) there is practically no difference.
Calculator: how much wider anything closer to the lens looks
Choose how far the camera or phone is from you, and how much closer to the lens than your torso your elbow, hand or knee is.
The calculator needs JavaScript. The table below it shows the results for typical distances.
Camera distance from your torso
Pushed towards the lens by
+25%
From 1 m (3.3 ft), anything 20 cm (8 in) closer to the lens than your torso will look 25% wider.
To bring the difference down to 10%, the camera has to stand at least 2.2 m (7 ft) from your torso. Use the zoom to frame the shot.
Model: size in a photo is inversely proportional to the distance from the lens, as in Ward et al. (2018). Distance matters, not the lens: the zoom lets you step back and keep the frame. Width only; area grows even more.
The calculator shows how much wider anything 5, 10 or 20 cm (2, 4 or 8 in) closer to the lens than your torso will look. Results for 10 and 20 cm at typical distances:
| Camera from torso | 10 cm (4 in) closer | 20 cm (8 in) closer |
|---|---|---|
| 30 cm (1 ft) | +50% | +200% |
| 1 m (3.3 ft) | +11% | +25% |
| 1.5 m (5 ft) | +7% | +15% |
| 3 m (10 ft) | +3% | +7% |
| 5 m (16 ft) | +2% | +4% |
What this means in practice:
- Photographer further away, frame with the zoom. For a full-length shot, ask them to step back to 2-3 m (7-10 ft), for a portrait to at least 1.5 m (5 ft), and to zoom in. Nikon recommends 50-135 mm for portraits: with such a lens you stand further away for the same frame. More in our guide to focal length.
- 2× instead of 1× on your phone. Step back and zoom in. Some iPhone models have a 2× option in Portrait mode, which lets you stand further away for the same frame.
- Camera height. A camera held low, at knee height, brings the legs closer to the lens, so they look longer. For a portrait, keep it at eye level or slightly higher, because from below the chin and neck are closest to the lens.
- Clothes. Popular advice says vertical stripes are slimming. In one study, by Thompson and Mikellidou (2011), horizontal stripes looked narrower than vertical ones, also on a mannequin. According to Ashida and colleagues (2013), however, this effect is strongest on a slim figure, and on a fuller one it may reverse. So stripes are not a sure thing; clothes fitted at the waist will show your waist.
Posing and light: where to stand
Light is what shows the shape of a pose. The simplest source is a window: face it or stand at an angle to it, a metre or two from the glass, with the photographer standing next to the window.
Soft light from a large, diffused source, such as a window on a cloudy day or a softbox, spreads evenly over the skin and softens shadows under the eyes. That is why it works well for portraits.
Hard light, for example the midday sun or a bare lamp, gives sharp shadows and strong contrast. In full sun, turn side-on or with your back to it, or step into the shade of a building.
Light from the side sculpts the face and body: one side is brighter, the other in half-shadow. It brings out the cheekbones and the line of the shoulders.
Turn your face slightly towards the light, so your eyes don’t disappear into shadow. On the body, side light leaves a soft shadow along one side, which shapes the figure, while flat light straight from the front removes it.
Couple poses: 6 ideas for romantic photos
How do you pose for couple photos? Start from pose 15: stand close and turn 30-45 degrees towards each other instead of standing side by side, facing the camera. Then give the photographer something to catch: a touch, a look or movement.
Forehead to forehead
Touch foreheads gently and close your eyes or look down. The pose shows closeness and works best in calm, natural surroundings.
Holding hands
Hold hands and look at each other or into the distance. Standing in a slight arc or walking towards the camera adds movement.
Embracing from behind
One partner stands or sits behind the other and wraps their arms around the waist or shoulders. The person behind rests their chin near the other’s shoulder, so both faces stay in the frame.
Dance
Dance, even in the middle of a field or on a pavement. The photographer shoots a burst, and spins and laughter give the most natural frames.
Having fun together
Fool around: jump, chase each other, give each other a piggyback. A real laugh is easier to catch than a posed smile.
Surprise kiss
One partner kisses the other on the cheek or nose by surprise. This works in relaxed, playful shoots.
How to pose for pictures as a man
The rules are the same as for everyone: a slight turn, weight on the back leg and hands with a job. If you want broad shoulders and a solid stance, a few details differ.
Stance
Keep your shoulders down and your back straight. A stiff, wide stance square to the camera looks like a passport photo.
Hands and arms
Hands in your pockets or loosely crossed arms add a casual touch. Avoid clenched fists and arms held stiffly at your sides, which look forced. An arm resting on something above you, such as a wall or a beam, shows off the shoulders.
Facial expression
Men’s faces often look best with a subtle expression: neutral, a slight smile or eyes turned away from the lens. Push your chin forward and slightly down to define the jawline.
Body angles
To make your shoulders look broad, keep them closer to square-on and turn only your hips away. Turning your head slightly towards the camera adds movement to the photo.
Use your surroundings
Leaning against a wall, sitting on the edge of a table or holding sunglasses gives your hands and body something to do. The photo looks natural rather than posed.
How to pose for photos in a dress
In a dress, the pose shows off the cut and the fabric as well as you. Choose movements that show how the dress falls and moves.
Let the fabric move
Light, flowing fabrics look best in motion: walk, turn gently or sway the skirt. Ask for a burst, because the skirt is in a different place in every frame.
Show the details and cut
If the dress has special details, such as buttons, a neckline or pleats, choose poses that show them: a close crop, a turn or a step. If you sell dresses and want the cut shown without a model, see our ghost mannequin photography.
Touch the fabric
Gently holding or lifting the fabric gives your hands a job and shows how it falls. Sitting works too: a dress draped over the edge of a bed or a chair shows the material.
How to pose for photos on holiday
On holiday the place is half the photo. Use what is around you instead of standing stiffly in the middle of the frame.
Use the landscape
Walk along the beach, touch the plants or look at the view. Trees, rocks and architectural details give the photo depth, and leaning on them gives your body something to do.
Natural poses
Loose, relaxed poses usually work best on holiday: laughing, sitting at the roadside, resting. In full sun, turn sideways to it or step into the shade, so you don’t squint.
Movement
Jumping, running and spinning add energy to holiday photos. Ask for a burst and pick the frame where your body is fully stretched out.
How to pose for a selfie
In a selfie the lens is no more than an arm’s length from your face, so perspective works at its strongest: from 30 cm (1 ft), anything 10 cm (4 in) closer to the phone, such as a hand under your chin, looks 50% wider. That is why you set the angle and distance first, and only then your expression.
Angles from above
The rule from the calculator applies here too: whatever is closer to the lens looks bigger. A phone slightly above your eyes brings the eyes closer and the chin further away, while one held too high enlarges the forehead. Straighten your arm or use a tripod and the self-timer: from 1 m (3.3 ft) the face is distorted much less than from 30 cm (1 ft).
Face turn
Turning your head slightly, rather than posing face-on, brings out the cheekbones and jawline. Turn your face towards the light, and if your free hand is in the frame, keep it edge-on to the lens.
Simple background
A busy background distracts from the main subject, which is you. Choose a plain wall or a background that says something about the place, and check that nothing is growing out of your head.
Play with facial expressions
A real smile, a slight grimace or surprise adds personality. Your eyes give away a smile on command, so take a burst and laugh during it. In a group selfie, keep your heads close and at a similar distance from the phone, so no face comes out bigger than the others.
Mirror selfies
In a mirror you can show your whole outfit without a second person. Hold the phone upright at chest or waist height, so the lines of the mirror and the wall come out straight.
Watch what shows in the reflection behind you: it comes out as sharp as you do. If the phone isn’t meant to be part of the photo, hold it to the side, so it covers as little of your face as possible.
Experiment with angles. You don’t have to look straight into the mirror: looking at the phone screen or to the side gives a different photo from looking at your reflection.
Posing tips: a checklist before every shot
Run through it in your head before each shot, from your feet to the background. After a few shoots it takes 10 seconds.
- Feet and weight: weight on the back leg, front foot pointing at the camera.
- Angle: body turned 30-45 degrees, not square-on.
- Arms: they have a job, there is a gap at the waist, hands are edge-on to the lens.
- Head: chin forward and down, shoulders relaxed. Find your better side by taking one photo of each side.
- Breathing: breathe out just before the shot, lips slightly parted, or a real laugh.
- Distance: camera at least 1.5 m (5 ft) from your face, 2-3 m (7-10 ft) for a full-length shot, the frame set with the zoom, not by stepping closer.
- Light: face towards the window or in the shade, no harsh sun from above.
- Background: nothing growing out of your head, no random objects in the frame.
- Series: 5-10 photos with small changes instead of one “perfect” shot.
- Inspiration: borrow poses from fashion magazines such as Vogue or inspiration sites such as Pinterest. Pick 3-4 and practise them in front of a mirror.
Read more:
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
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How do you pose for any photo?
Turn 30-45 degrees, put your weight on your back leg, give your hands a job and push your chin slightly forward and down. Then ask the photographer to step back and zoom in.
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What is the most flattering way to pose for pictures?
A three-quarter turn with your weight on the back leg and a gap between arm and waist. The camera at eye level or slightly above, at least 1.5 m (5 ft) from your face.
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Why do I look chubby in photos?
In our studio experience, a common cause is a camera too close and a body facing it square-on. From 1 m, anything 20 cm closer to the lens looks 25% wider; from 3 m, 7%.
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How do you pose like a model?
Move slowly and change one thing between frames, as models do: a hand, the angle of your head or your gaze. Shoot a burst like that and pick the best frame on screen.
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How do I get better at posing?
Practise three poses in front of a mirror: the three-quarter turn, a hand on the hip and a look over the shoulder. Then shoot a series from a tripod, changing one thing each time.
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How should a guy pose for pictures?
Same rules: a slight turn, weight on the back leg and hands with a job. For men, a hand in a pocket, leaning on a wall and elbows on knees when sitting work well.
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How should a couple pose for photos?
Stand close and turn 30-45 degrees towards each other instead of standing side by side facing the camera. Touching hands or the waist connects you in the frame, and walking together relaxes you.
Summary
Posing for pictures comes down to a few simple moves: a 30-45 degree turn, weight on the back leg, hands with a job and the chin forward. Add a camera further away, with the frame set by the zoom, and a series of photos with small changes does the rest.
The same rules apply on a professional shoot for a clothing brand, except that there the pose mainly has to show the cut and fit. marszalstudio photographs clothing and accessories on a model, and photos with a model are priced on request: you send the request in the studio chat in the app.
