Portrait Photography How To

Do you hate how you look in photos? Or, as a photographer, are you often unsatisfied with how your subjects appear in your images after you snap the photo? The problem might not be you; it could simply be the wrong pose.

In the below video, travel photographer and model Sorelle Amore (great name, right?) tells you how to get it right…your posing that is. As she points out at the beginning of the clip, the right pose not only means a better portrait, it can also make us feel better about ourselves, particularly when the photo is of us.

“Knowing how to pose will help you look your best in photos and feel your best in life,” Amore says. “There's nothing more crushing than leaving the home, feeling amazing, only to have your photo taken when you're out and thinking you must have been crazy thinking you looked good because the photo is horrible! But it's most likely just because you don't know how to pose and bring the best out of your features.”

Here’s a rundown of her pro posing tricks, which she explains in depth in the video while serving as the model for each one.

1. Body Poses

2. Give Limbs Some Space

3. Create Curves

4. Siting Poses

5. Standing Poses

6. Group Photos

7. Facial Expressions

8. Favorite Side of Face

9. Chase the Light

10. Fake Laugh

11. Chin Forward & Down

12. Piercing Eyes

13. Relax Your Lips Open

14. Tilt Your Head

15. Things to Avoid

16. Important Notes

17. Camera Angles

18. Snap Away

19. Don’t Snap Aimlessly

20. Who Do You Want to Be?

“Knowing how to pose means knowing how to position your body, position your head and using specific facial expressions, as well as knowing what not to do in posing,” Amore says.

Speaking of what not to do, here’s a video from another photographer showing what happens when poses go wrong. And here’s a video where a portrait pro demonstrates how to pose models for better boudoir photos at home.

You can see more of Amore’s videos on her YouTube channel. 

Via FStoppers