The holidays are upon us, which means there will be photo opportunities galore. And while some people have a natural gift for looking great in every picture, some of us need a little help in facing that camera. Like me, when I forget I should probably suck in my stomach after indulging in Abuela’s cooking a little too often. (But seriously, Abuela’s cooking is amazing.) Here’s a guest post from the lovely Natasha of NOM Photography to help everyone get in line and look their best. Read through to the end for a special discount code for readers of Bubbles & Ink. Happy holidays!
3 Tips on Looking Great in Every Photo
Posture and Stance
“Mother knows best!” This old adage is true and when it comes to posture, it’s no exception. You’ve heard your mother tell you before, “stand up straight”. So…
1. Stand up nice and tall.It not only makes you look better but also tricks your brain to help you feel that much more confident. If you look good people will see it and if you feel good people will believe it.
Now, try it. Keep one leg in front of the other. Tilt your head very slightly to the side, drop your chin or turn over your shoulder and look at the camera.
If you’re sitting down, then cross your legs at the ankles and bring your arms and shoulders inwards. This creates vertical lines that contour your figure nicely.
Practice Makes Perfect
2. Be prepared with a bag of tricks beforehand. Study magazines to see what looks work best for your body type. These days, a picture can be taken at any given time. So it’s great to know beforehand what lighting looks more flattering for your complexion. When someone says, “hey, let’s take a picture!” you can just as quickly chime in and suggest, “Sure, how about by this window where the light will make us look great!”
Know yourself. Know your natural smile, your sexy smile, your best “Blue Steel” face angle. And, know your cheesy and fake smile too. I’m of the opinion that you shouldn’t force a smile, but sometimes you are in a situation where you will have tons of photos being taken. It’s great to know what other facial expressions work for you so that you don’t have your face look the same in every photo. This also comes in handy when your mouth starts to ache from smiling for so long. You’ll be happy you took the time to do this.
Camera Angles
3. Designate a photographer or “iphoneographer.”
When you’re with a group of people, find the person you know takes a good picture, even if you’re using a phone. There’s always someone who knows how to frame and focus best in the group. If you’re taking the time to read this, then that person just might be you. If that’s the case, then share your knowledge with a friend. This way, YOU can also be IN the photo and not just behind it.
Take your camera, lift it up and aim at the person you want in the photo so that they are slightly looking UP at the camera. This is the best angle to take a photo when you want to make someone look slimmer and have “big eyes”.
Another camera trick is to have back lighting instead of overhead lighting, which causes harsh shadows.
Lastly, think about your outfit. We all have colors that will complement our complexion, hair and eye color. Find the one that makes you POP. You’ll know because you will receive the most compliments when you wear it. *wink wink*
Thanks for reading! I hope you found these tips helpful! Remember to mention Bubbles & Ink to get 20% off your session in 2014!
Xoxo,
Natasha
NOM Photography
Thanks so much to Natasha for the beautiful family photos. Lucy had a fantastic time.