Models make it look effortless, but striking a killer pose is an art that requires knowledge and training. Today, we’re sharing with you a simple guide on doing model poses to help you sharpen your skills and become the specimen you aspire to be.
Step 1: Don’t Look Directly at the Camera
The first rule of posing like a professional model is to avoid looking right at the camera. It’s a rare event for top models to look directly into the camera while striking a pose, so stick to turning your face slightly away from the lens.
Having your eyes pointed right into the camera can look awkward and forced, and your goal here is to make your look seem as natural as possible. To make that happen, have your eyes follow your nose so you’re gazing straight out over it.
Not to mention, a lot of people end up looking a bit bug-eyed in photos when looking right at the camera, even more so when they turn their heads to the side.
Looking away from the camera can also help you get over self-consciousness issues, which often affect your facial expression even if you don’t realize it.
Step 2: Extend Your Chin Ahead and Down
When you’re posing for a shot from your front profile, you want your neck to look long and your jawline to seem more pronounced. The easiest way to do that is to control your chin, extending it slightly forward and tilting it a bit downward.
This can also help create a slimmer look that emphasizes your unique facial features.
Keep in mind that this technique isn’t ideal if you’re doing a side profile shot because you’ll probably end up looking like a turtle poking out its head. For a more natural look when posing from a side profile, just hold your head normally.
Step 3: Find Your “Halfway” Smile
Posing like a model means learning how to smile like one as well. This is a whole art on its own, but mastering that picture-perfect smile is essential if you want to look like a top model.
We call it the “halfway” smile because it’s right in the middle between cracking your biggest smile and not smiling whatsoever. The result should be a smile where your lips are parted to show only your upper teeth. Some people call it a gentle smile as it seems friendly and laid back.
The reason models don’t usually smile too big is because this action causes the cheeks to lift and the eyes to narrow. You want your eyes to be open and relaxed while subtly showing off your whites.
Mustering the “halfway” smile on demand will require some practice on your part, but it’s a priceless tool for a model. So don’t be afraid to get in front of your mirror and learn how to control different muscles of the face.
Step 4: Keep Your Mouth Slightly Open
You’re not always going to be smiling in photos. For those shots, a good model will give the camera an open-mouth look. While this may not be the biggest change, it can have tremendous effects on the vibes of the picture.
If you don’t want your face to show a dull expression, then you shouldn’t pose with a closed mouth because the clenching of the jawline will do exactly that. Instead, let your mouth relax and fall naturally to produce a pleasant, familiar feel.
Be careful not to open your mouth excessively to avoid looking fake or awkward. It’s not hard to get this right, simply keep your lips parted by no more than a centimeter. This way, you’ll be perceived as subtly natural.
Step 5: Add Length to Your Neck
Looking as tall and slim as possible is a huge part of doing model poses. Stretching your neck can help add length to your figure, so be sure to try that the next time you’re posing for a photo. Extend your neck outward to ensure you’re not looking shorter or smaller than you actually are on camera, which can easily happen if the angle is wrong. So when it’s time to shoot, try lifting your head with a slight turn of the face in the same direction.
If you’re doing a side profile shot, looking up can elongate your neck a bit to give yourself a slimming appearance.
Step 6: Put Some Space between Your Limbs and Your Body
Make sure there’s some space between your arm and your torso as well as between your legs. No matter the angle the picture is being taken from, doing this will help you look slimmer.
Not to mention, your arms and legs won’t be pushed against your body, which can otherwise highlight the appearance of fat.
Strike a model pose with arms lifted away from your trunk and legs slightly spread out so they’re not touching.
Step 7: Engage Your Whole Body
Posing like a model requires complete awareness of all your body parts. You need to engage everything from your head to your toes so that your shot looks alive.
It’s like when a dancer is on stage, all of their body is strong even when they’re not moving. Being limp doesn’t look good on camera, especially when posture is key.
The first thing you should focus on is engaging your core, which will also help you look slimmer. Secondly, you should move on to engaging your arms and legs.
Note that adding strength to your posture doesn’t mean coming off as masculine or aggressive; it just means being in tune with your body so you can channel your energy into your pose. This makes a big difference in the feel of the shot.
Step 8: Seek Asymmetry with Your Body
Being asymmetrical with your body means doing different gestures or movements on each side. This always creates a more interesting pose, which makes for a more engaging photo.
If you’re looking to deliver a dramatic effect (as long as it suits the vibes of the shoot), try doing very different or opposite actions with your arms and legs and drop your head to the side.
Keep in mind that being asymmetrical doesn’t mean being “extra”. A simple dip of a hip or shoulder can produce the desired effect as it places your arms at different heights. or bending one leg a little (or a lot) more than the other.
As a model, you need to understand that the picture isn’t about showcasing your beauty, it’s about being part of the targeted aesthetic. So if that means creating new angels and trying poses that are outside of your comfort zone, then so be it.
Step 9: Know Your Angles
It’s crucial to learn the angles that highlight your best features so you can use them when doing model poses. For example, if you have a strong jawline, try tilting your head slightly up and sideways to accentuate that feature.
The most effective way to know your angles is to get in front of a mirror and experiment to figure out what brings out interesting aspects of your face.
Step 10: Be Aware of the Lighting
Knowing the direction from which the light is going to hit you can help you take advantage of the resulting shadows and highlights. Even if they’re not very strong, these low-light spaces can alter how your face looks.
For example, shining a light from above can cause your brow bone to darken your eyes area with shadow if you turn your nose down. This can work for conveying a sinister or harsh look, but surely not for a friendly one.
Step 11: Let Your Hands Loose
You may find yourself confused about what to do with your hands when posing for a picture, but as a model, your best bet is to let your hands fall loose. Whatever you do, don’t bunch them up into a fist (which often happens subconsciously) — that’s straight-up awkward.
The goal is to have your hands looking as natural and relaxed as possible. This will give your pose a more inviting, familiar feel.
A few tips to make this happen is to lower your middle finger a bit more than the rest of your fingers, curving all of them inwards slightly at the same time.
Step 12: Make Your Own Waist
Last but not least, this one’s for anyone looking to look slimmer with a few extra curves when doing a model pose. To make a false waist, simply move your hips slightly to one side. This will give you a natural curve and pronounce your waist.
Wrap Up
There you have it, a simple guide on how to do model poses. Remember, a big part of striking a great model pose is having the confidence that you can use your body to express the message or feel of the shoot.
This comes with experimenting and observing your movements in a mirror. So don’t be afraid to look at yourself — that’s the best way to learn!