I hear it all the time from women who are nervous about being photographed:
"I don't know what I'm doing"
"I can't pose."
"I'm terrible in front of a camera."
"I'm not photogenic"
Well let me let you in on a little secret: unless we are talking to a professional model, most women would agree that they aren't photogenic and can't pose. Taking a selfie is one thing, (how many get deleted before that perfect shot at that perfect angle?) but to sit in front of a professional with a big DSLR camera- well that can be intimidating. We aren't professional models, after all.
But let me let you in on another little secret: being photogenic is a skill that can be taught
Wait what?
When you think about the word photogenic you probably think of that friend you have that looks amazing in every picture, whether she's in messy bun and sweatpants or a fresh blowout and a ball gown. You know who I'm talking about. It has to be just how her face is, right?
Wrong. Being photogenic is all about posing.
And guess what? I know a lot about posing.
Honestly, you don't need to worry about it one bit before coming into my studio. But if you are like me you probably want to research every aspect of everything before you come in. So let me give you a few tips so you know what you are doing.
- Chin forward and down.
You are going to hear me say this a lot during your session and I'll be honest with you, it's going to feel awkward as heck. This is not a comfortable, relaxed position by any means. But it will do something pretty amazing for your portraits. Any traces of a double chin will be replaced by a nice defined jawline with one simple movement- chin forward and down. - Shift your weight to one hip.
Whether you are curvy, thin, or somewhere in between, there is one thing that we are always going for in order to create a flattering, feminine portrait- curves. Shifting your weight to one side or the other will create gorgeous curves at your waistline and will effect the way your entire body is positioned. This leads quite nicely into our next tip: - Push anything that we want to slim away from the camera.
Everything is about perspective when it comes to photography. The things closest to the camera will look the biggest, and the things farthest away will look the smallest. Let's use this to our advantage. If you lean in towards the camera you will instantly look slimmer- no diets necessary! - Keep your neck long.
Posture is everything! Models look like models not because they are tall and skinny, but because they have long elegant limbs. The more you lengthen your neck, straighten your back, and drop your shoulders, the more you will embody that same look.
These may seem like tiny things, but they make such a huge difference in how you look in a portrait. It can be a lot to keep track of, but lucky you, that's why you have me. During your portrait session I will instruct you how to pose from your toes to the top of your head. All you have to do is look pretty (and I promise, you are better at it then you think!)
None of these lovely ladies thought they could pose either. Psh.
