“I’ve no idea how to pose.” I hear this in almost every preliminary consultation.
Let’s start with the good news: you don’t have to. During the shoot, I’ll show you every pose, demonstrate it and tell you exactly what to do. You don’t need to learn anything off by heart.
Even so, it helps many women to have a few basic ideas in mind beforehand. Not to be perfect, but to realise: ‘Ah, so that’s how it works.’ Here are my ten favourite tips.
1. Breathe out before the image forms
In front of the camera, almost everyone unconsciously holds their breath. This causes the shoulders to rise and the face to tense up. Breathe in calmly and let the air flow out slowly through slightly parted lips. At that very moment, your face and body will appear soft and relaxed.
2. Shoulders down, neck elongated
Imagine someone gently pulling you upwards by a string attached to the back of your head, whilst your shoulders sink towards the floor. Your neck becomes longer, your posture straighter, and you immediately appear more confident – without being stiff.
3. Never directly head-on
If you turn slightly to one side, rather than facing the camera head-on, you’ll create lines and depth. A slight twist of the hips, with your shoulder moved forward just a little – and suddenly your body looks lively rather than flat.
4. Hands: light and busy
“What should I do with my hands?” is the most common question of all. The simple answer: give them something to do, but touch only very lightly.
- one hand in your hair, as if you were just brushing it back
- the fingertips on the collarbone or shoulder
- a piece of fabric, a sheet or the hem of a shirt between one’s fingers
- one hand resting loosely on his thigh
Important: Do not grip or squeeze, just touch. Relaxed hands look elegant; clenched hands look tense.
5. Distance between the arm and the body
If your arm is held close to your body, it looks wider than it actually is. A small gap between your elbow and waist – sometimes just one or two centimetres – instantly makes your silhouette look more defined.
6. Weight on one leg
Whilst standing, shift your weight onto your back leg and let your front knee bend slightly. This creates a natural curve in your hips and looks relaxed, as if you were leaning casually against something.
7. Acute angles instead of straight lines
A slightly bent knee, a bent elbow, standing on tiptoes: anything that adds a bit of angle to the picture looks more dynamic than straight, stiff limbs. This makes a big difference, particularly when lying down or sitting.
8. The gaze: away and back again
Looking straight into the camera gives a strong, confident impression. Looking to the side or down gives a dreamy, intimate impression. Both are lovely. Here’s a little trick: look away, and when I say so, slowly bring your gaze back to the camera. This creates a natural, lively expression.
9. Movement rather than stagnation
The most beautiful photos are often taken between two poses. Run your fingers slowly through your hair, roll from one side to the other on the bed, pull the sheet up a little higher. I’ll capture the movement – and you don’t have to hold a pose stiffly.
10. Think of something nice
It sounds simple, but it works surprisingly well. Just thinking about a person, a place or a moment that makes you happy changes your facial expression more than any instruction ever could. The camera can see what you’re feeling.
And what if it still feels a bit odd?
Well, that’s perfectly normal. Lots of poses feel a bit awkward, but they still look lovely in the photo. That’s why I’ll keep showing you the photos on the screen every now and then. By then at the latest, you’ll realise why that one-centimetre turn is worth it.
And if a pose doesn’t suit you, we’ll just leave it out. There are plenty of others.
The most important thing last
You don’t need to know how to pose. That’s my job. All you need to do is be there, feel at ease and let me know if something isn’t quite right. We’ll do everything else together – step by step, at your own pace.
If you’d like to find out more about how a photoshoot with me works, have a look at the 20 most frequently asked questions or read about how I work with light.
