How to make sure you look great in your photos

Everyone wants to look great in pictures. I have learned in my years of photography that perhaps the most important part of making a good picture is to make sure the people in them look good.

A photo can be well-lit, well-composed and have pretty scenery. But if the person in that picture doesn’t like they way they look, the photo is terrible.

First a caveat – there is nothing wrong or conceited about wanting to look good in photos. Wanting to look good just means you feel good about yourself and take pride in your appearance. That’s a good thing. Everyone deserves to have photos of themselves that they love.

So, what do I do to make sure people look their best in photos? Here are some rules I follow:

Start with the face and look great

Let’s start with the face. Most of us aren’t blessed with the bone structure of a super model. Many of us would find something about our faces we don’t like. Here’s an example – when in front of a camera people often stand up straight and tilt their head back. The result of this might be a double chin appearance. The trick here is to lean your head forward, stick out your chin and put your chin down. Think of a turtle putting its neck forward. You want to do the same in photos. It will give you a stronger, better look.

Moving to the body, many people tend to stiffen up when they stand in front of a camera. Sometimes their shoulders go up. I tell people to relax, shake their arms and relax their shoulders. It works every time.

How to stand

When it comes to standing, it is important to stand straight and have good posture. Then put your weight on one leg. Bend the other leg and turn it in. Angle your turn so you aren’t facing the camera with your full front. Make sure your hands are soft and relaxed. This will give you a better look in photos.

Then, when everything is done right in front of the camera, the photographer can work magic behind the scenes. With a few small editing efforts, a person’s appearance can go from good to great. A simple skin smoother works wonders and is something I use on my photos.

Remember, looking your best in your photos is what you want and what you deserve. Make sure your photographer realizes this too.