If you are a woman who is either Gex-Z or a Millennial, chances are HIGH that you were indoctrinated into the hand-on-hip (or H-O-H) pose club. In this essay, I'll be arguing...
Just kidding. I don't have to argue. Because you and I both know that, at this point, the moment a camera flies in your face, your muscle memory kicks in and your elbow is whipping out at a speed not even a Formula 1 driver can compete with.
Here's the thing: If you love it, keep on keepin' on. Ya know? That being said, I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that since you are reading this article, you're also looking for a better way to slay. Being a woman of the people, I gotchu.
There's one objection I need to clarify before we get to them though--
"i don't know if I can pull off bolder poses."
Not to sound harsh, but I am going to need you to leave your confidence issues at the door because...are you kidding meeeeee??
I know that you're not sitting there telling me that you are going to put all of that time and effort into looking THAT good and then have the gall to question whether you, a literal goddess, are going to "look silly" or "seem vain" showing off all of your hard work. No. Not under my roof!
So, take a deep breath and get it together because we're about to get into a few poses that are about to make you look and feel incredible.
(PS: If you're more of a video person, you can find these and more of my pose tips on both my Instagram and Tiktok pages.)
Must-Do Poses for Absolutely ~Serving~ in That Dress
1. The casual goddess
This pose is all about using your hands to frame your hips. To start, you are going to drop one side of your hips and cross over the corresponding leg to give us that initial "oomph" factor. From there, you're going to gently place your hands asymmetrically on your abdomen with the hand sitting above the popped hip going higher and the hand above the crossed leg sitting on your upper thigh.
2. The marilyn
If Marilyn was nothing else, she was fabulous. And, this pose channels that classic movie star energy. You'll start by crossing one leg over the other. Then, bend that front leg a tad and move your hands to the smallest part of your waist. From here, you want to cave in your shoulders while bringing your bellybutton as close to your spine as you can. The key to nailing this pose is to resist the urge to suck in. Instead, as you fold over try to exhale, use your abdominals to pull your belly backward, and relax your shoulders.
3. The turn-around
I love this pose and there are like a thousand ways to expand on it once you have the essentials down. So, to begin, you're going to turn away from your camera at a slight angle and place your feet about a shoulder's width apart (you can go slightly wider if you have really narrow shoulders.) From there, twist from your waist to look behind you and place the palm of the hand closest to the camera face down on your back. The goal is to get that hand as close to your side as possible while keeping it flat. The moment it starts to angle along your side, you've gone too far.
From here, you can use your remaining arm to decide what tone you want to go with for this pose. You can put your other hand on your waist as I did above, run your fingers through your hair, fidget with glasses...the world is your oyster.
4. The sensual stretch
This pose is the epitome of "look like you're not even trying", and it really is pretty simple. All you're going to do is drop your hip and cross that leg over a tad further than feels natural. From there, you literally just stretch up. You can fully straighten your arms for a more severe pose, or keep them relaxed as I have done in the photo above.
5. The upgraded h-o-h
I know I said we were leaving the hand-on-hip, but it's a classic for a reason. So, we're just going to add a little flavor to take it from sorority sister to runway model. For starters, the hip pop/leg cross combo. Then move the hand above the crossed leg to the smallest part of your hip. You are going to slightly arch your back while pushing down and forward on your hip with your hand. You should find that this naturally pops your shoulder and elbow backwards, opening you to the camera.
From there, like The Turn-around, it's a choose your own adventure with your other arm. You can let it hang, play with your hair, bend it and place that hand on your shoulder, etc.
6. The simple & pretty
This pose is great for an understated, yet chic photo. You are going act like you are taking a step while crossing the front leg over the back one. As you do this, let your body follow, putting you at a slight angle with the camera. From there, arch your back and let your hands meet behind you. And, you're done.
7. The one-arm frame
This pose is allllll about relaxed confidence. You're going to pop your hip and really lean a bit into it, taking the leg from the dropped side and crossing it over. But, you're not trying to plant that foot on the other side. Rather, keep your weight all on the other leg and allow this foot to go a tad slack. Then, raise the arm on the same side as the crossed leg, let your forearm fall towards the rear of the top of your head, and allow your wrist to completely fall. The opposite arm can just drop down and lie against your hip.
Pro Tips from a photographer (aka me)
- Whenever you are doing a pose that requires lifting your arm, make sure that you are keeping your shoulder relaxed and down. Otherwise, you shorten your neck and make yourself look strained
- I always recommend practicing these in front of the mirror before attempting to employ them in the wild. Every body is different, and knowing how yours sits and what micro adjustments you want to make is crucial to getting the photos you want.
- Be gentle with yourself. You're not going to nail any pose every time, and that's okay.
- Watch for tension in the shoulders and neck – relaxed confidence shows in every shot
When venturing away from our generation's comfort pose, every new and different movement can feel awkward. I encourage you to try anyways. You deserve photos that make you feel beautiful and there's no better time to capture those moments than when you already feel hot as you know what.
Ready to upgrade from selfies to a professional photoshoot? Contact me today and let's build your ideal session together.
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