Looking better in photographs?

[Danestress]

Any tips for appearing better in photographs? I realize this is entirely off topic and also vain, but so many casual photos of me are bad. I don't mind looking my age, but I just wish I looked a little better in family photos. I am, in particular, not happy with my neck!

[Renthead Mommy]

According to every Greek in MBFW2, the best thing to do is have the person next to you pull your neck!  But you have to pull her's too.

[Danestress]

I will try the head forward thing!

[ktgrok]

Yes, photographers told me about the head thing. Don't look down or up, just jut it forward like a chicken. Also, stand slightly sideways and turn to the camera. And if your arm is showing, do "skinny arms". In other words, put your hand on your hip and your elbow out away from your body. Do NOT have your arm against your body. Against the body the fat squishes flat and makes your arm look wider. Jutted out makes the fat fall vertically and the arm looks skinny. 

[Guest]

Wear more makeup. Photos wash people out.

[Sarah CB]

Wear more makeup. Photos wash people out.

 

Yes - I don't wear lipstick often, but I like the photos of me with lipstick a lot better than the non-lipstick pictures.

[fairfarmhand]

Heres a tip. Don't let your kids take your photo with your phone!

 

My kids were looking through my phone and said, "In every photo, mom, you look awful."

 

It could be that my pics were made with a poor quality phone camera done by an 11 yo while  I was chewing food wearing my pajamas.

[marbel]

Heres a tip. Don't let your kids take your photo with your phone!

 

My kids were looking through my phone and said, "In every photo, mom, you look awful."

 

It could be that my pics were made with a poor quality phone camera done by an 11 yo while  I was chewing food wearing my pajamas.

 

I am dying of laughter here.

 

Except in my world it's not an 11-year-old.  It's my father-in-law.    He just takes random pictures at odd angles and with no warning.  I am always either eating or he catches me saying a word that has my mouth wide open so it looks like I'm yelling.  Or looking down so I have a triple chin.  I don't think it's intentional. But I have to always be on guard around him when I see the camera.  (He doesn't have a cell phone with camera, at least).

 

I am going to try the arm thing.  My upper arms are fat and always look huge in photos.

 

 

[Sarah CB]

I am dying of laughter here.

 

Except in my world it's not an 11-year-old.  It's my father-in-law.    He just takes random pictures at odd angles and with no warning.  I am always either eating or he catches me saying a word that has my mouth wide open so it looks like I'm yelling.  Or looking down so I have a triple chin.  I don't think it's intentional. But I have to always be on guard around him when I see the camera.  (He doesn't have a cell phone with camera, at least).

 

I am going to try the arm thing.  My upper arms are fat and always look huge in photos.

 

Dh used to take pictures of me eating. Especially me eating while pregnant. And looking awfully happy about whatever I was chewing on. 

 

We have our photos as a screen saver on the big screen in our main living room so these lovely pics would randomly come up.

 

I eventually went into the computer and deleted every last one of them.

[lewber]

I am not photogenic at all so I'm always trying to look better in pictures. I have to pose and work at it to look normal.

 

One issue I have is my chin- so maybe this will work for a neck. I agree on jutting the chin out. For informal pics or selfies with a group, have the person with the longest arms hold the camera so it's looking down and you are looking up into it. Very little neck shows this way.

 

In big group shots, I try to be toward the back. I don't want to look big, so I try to be partway behind someone and never toward the front on an end. Proportionately this position makes me look smaller in comparison to other people than I am.

 

Good thing with digital- take a bunch and pick your favorite. At least you'll have some you like!

[Happy]

Former pro portrait photographer here...

 

Yes, on the jutting the face forward. It works. It feels strange, but it works. Your face should go straight toward the camera.

 

Always stand slightly turned from the camera--straight on makes you broad. A 3/4 turn with all your weight on the back foot is flattering to everyone. Slightly point the front foot or bend the knee a tiny bit.

 

I notice when people suck in their gut, they put their shoulders back and tuck their chin--which creates a double chin almost every time.

 

So suck in your tummy, then lean ever so slightly forward from the waist to relax the neck area.

 

When you are with others the sucking in of the tummy can make heads tilt far away from each other. Suck in and tilt your head toward the other person. The photo will have more life and charm.

 

If you are in a group, don't hide completely behind someone else. All that does is call attention to your size. Instead, put half of yourself behind someone. It really does make the eye travel differently.

 

​Personal pet peeve....when doing groups, spread people out a bit. Have some sitting if possible, some standing...maybe some kids on the ground. Don't bunch everyone up and then stand way back.

 

If you have time to think of clothing--think higher necklines or a collar or a scarf for the neck. Long vertical lines to slim the torso -- like an open jacket or light blouse. And yes, I think of clothing when going to a family event or somewhere I know someone will be taking photos. :)

 

The big thing is to SMILE!

[Guest]

Heres a tip. Don't let your kids take your photo with your phone!

 

My kids were looking through my phone and said, "In every photo, mom, you look awful."

 

It could be that my pics were made with a poor quality phone camera done by an 11 yo while I was chewing food wearing my pajamas.

My mother always took pictures like this. Unposed and looking absolutely awful, with one eye rolling and my mouth in mid-chew.

[Danestress]

These are good tips! I am naturally slender, but my issues are still the chin, the neck, the arms that look pressed and fat! Thanks so much.

[Guest]

Yes, photographers told me about the head thing. Don't look down or up, just jut it forward like a chicken. Also, stand slightly sideways and turn to the camera. And if your arm is showing, do "skinny arms". In other words, put your hand on your hip and your elbow out away from your body. Do NOT have your arm against your body. Against the body the fat squishes flat and makes your arm look wider. Jutted out makes the fat fall vertically and the arm looks skinny. 

And when you do this, push your elbows back away from the camera, or you will look like Popeye. Let your hands rest on your hips, or even a little bit forward, on your stomach.  It slims.  And let them rest there, not stiff, but relaxed.

[Guest]

I wrote a big old post on this last night and then the internet ate it.  So I will try again.  I've taken classes on how to pose people for photographs, but the biggest benefit has been posing myself a little better.

 

If you understand three principles, you can apply them to make yourself and to help others look good in pictures you take of them.

 

1.  The camera doesn't see 3-D.  It sees 2-D, that is, on a focal plane that is completely parallel to the sensor in the camera.  Anything that is in front of that plane will look larger; anything in back of that plane will look smaller.  If you want a perfect example of how this works, take a look at the red-carpet pictures from the entertainment industry.  The women allllll have flat bellies, small hips and big bookshelves...no they don't.  They just know how to work the plane.  Most of them are standing in the focal plane but arching their backs a little bit which causes the tummy to recede and get smaller, and the bum/hips to do the same, while leaning the bookshelf forward toward the camera.  Not much...just a little bit--a couple of inches...but it makes all the difference.  

 

If you are pear shaped, lean into the photo a little.  If you are top-large , put your weight on your back foot and lean back just a titch.  If you are an apple shape, use your hands resting softly a few inches apart but at your tummy level, with you arms making triangles at  your sides, elbows back a little, and you will give yourself a little more of an hourglass shape.  

 

If you are seated, scoot to the front of the chair and turn slightly to the side, so that your legs and your torso are roughly on the same plane.  That keeps your body proportionate to itself.  If you have a group shot, rather than having three people on a couch (scooted all the way to the back) and three people beyind (which really messes up the close/far relationship to the plane), get two chairs, and have 2 people sit on them, with their bodies turned so they are "in the plane".  Then have a couple of people stand just behind them and lean in a little to get them "in the plane."  Then have one sit on the floor with legs extended to the sides so that person is "in the plane."  And another can kneel the side of one chair, "in the plane."  Arrange the hands to everyone is connected to someone in the picture, but pay attention so you don't have a hand coming out of nowhere--that's a little disconcerting...but also a little bit of an OCD concern at some point.

 

2.  Elongate yourself.  Instead of standing up straight (which tends to make people throw back their shoulders in an unnatural posture, roll your shoulders back and then let them fall.  Then, imagine that someone up high is pulling on a string attached to the top of your head.  That lifts your chin a little.  Then lean your head forward just slightly.  That gets rid of a lot of double-chinniness.  It also makes your head appear slightly larger, which is a trait of almost all celebrities--their heads are a little oversize for their body size...and it works well with the camera.  

 

3.  Use your hands to shape your body or to create motion and emotion in the picture.  You might let your hand slide down the side of your face, and rest the fingertips on the chin-line.  That draws the viewer's eye to your face.  (But dont' just smoosh your head into your hands...it looks scrunched up.)  Pinky side to the camera.  If it is a group shot, use your hands to establish emotional connection to others.  The arms-over-the-shoulders shot is almost never flattering to anyone.  

 

Lastly, you can put a little energy into your eyes--like the teensiest squint or like you are trying to convey to your offspring at a wedding buffet that they need to stop putting their feet on the table but you don't want to open your mouth.  You know, the intense Mommy look...but smiling.  Not enough to wrinkle your brow, but just to add a little intensity.  It really shows up on the camera.  

 

If you understand the plane, how to elongate, and think about ways to use your hands to shape your body, you can make a big difference in how you look in pictures.  And I guarantee you, it will feel ODD, but it will look good when the picture is printed.  :0)

[fdrinca]

I like to give my face a little down angle. I know the chicken neck advice as to go straight out, but here's my strategy:

 

1. Chicken neck

2. Slight (very slight) downward tilt of chin

3. Press tongue to roof of mouth

4. Do crazy half-squinty eyes smile 

 

Body-wise, break up so you're all angles. Bend your joints. Nothing straight except your back.

 

[hornblower]

Just don't go too crazy with the squinty eyed thing or you'll look like a presidential candidate's spouse..always staring into the sun, slightly peeved... ;)

 

Now we need someone to do a "how to look awesome in selfies" tutorial. Patty Joanna, got anything for that? It's like my arms aren't long enough. I always look fishbowly. I guess I need the dreaded selfie stick....

[Guest]

Just don't go too crazy with the squinty eyed thing or you'll look like a presidential candidate's spouse..always staring into the sun, slightly peeved... ;)

 

Now we need someone to do a "how to look awesome in selfies" tutorial. Patty Joanna, got anything for that? It's like my arms aren't long enough. I always look fishbowly. I guess I need the dreaded selfie stick....

If your arms are good enough to look good in a selfie, you've got bigger problems than I can help you with!  LOL 

 

Yup on the selfie stick

OR

Just say no to selfies.  :0)  LOL