Having a beautiful face, glowing skin, and excellent physique will take you places if you want to be a print model. When you have all three traits, you will have better chances of getting amazing photographs all the time. This will help you stand out and land the best modeling jobs for teenagers.
Knowing how to pose in front of the camera will also ensure you look great in all your photos. When you look fabulous in every shot, your agent and photographer will have no qualms recommending you to other clients. Your chances of working with the same brands repeatedly will be higher as well.
If you want to be a print model but still haven’t mastered the art of looking great in photos, follow the posing tips below to turn things around:
Master the art of smiling.
A smile can do wonders on how you look in your photos. It can light up your face and lift your cheekbones to give you a more youthful look. More importantly, it will convey the kind of emotion you or your photographer wants to express.
As such, practice different smiles in front of a mirror. If you want to show off genuine happiness in your pictures, learn to smile with your eyes. Try crinkling your eyes, parting your lips slightly, and tilting your chin to achieve this look. If you want to convey love and affection in the photo, tilt your head sideways when smiling.
Your headshots will look amazing when you know how to express the right emotion with a natural smile.
Avoid looking directly at the camera.
Unless the photographer tells you, do not gaze directly into the camera. Avoid staring out of the corner of your eyes as well. When you do, your eyeballs become more exposed and increase the amount of white in your eyes. And this always results in unappealing photos.
For better results, always look at something behind the camera. By doing so, your eyes will look more alive. You will appear more attractive in the photo as well.
If you need to rock the dreamy look during a photoshoot, stare at something far behind the camera. If the photographer wants you to give off a more intimate vibe, follow your nose with your eyes or stare at an object that is near the camera.
Learn to elongate your neck.
Although this can be hard to do since it feels unnatural, you will look taller and poised in your pictures when you extend your neck even just a little. It will help you avoid the dreaded double chin as well.
Again, practicing will help you master this. Stand in front of a mirror and look at yourself as you stand or sit normally. Next, roll your shoulders back, thrust your face forward, and keep your chin up.
Observe your neck as you do these two poses alternately. When your shoulders are rolled back and your face thrust forward, your neck and face look slimmer. And this will translate to better, more beautiful photos.
Use your hands to frame your face.
For portrait photos or headshots, you can use your hands to create shapes that will emphasize your face and convey various emotions.
To show off a lazy or sleepy look, place the heel of your hand to your forehead and tilt your chin upwards while directing your gaze downwards. If you want to appear deep in thought, rest your chin gently on the back of your hand.
But when using your hands, make sure your palms don’t look flat. It should only be their sides that appear on the photo as well.
Keep your arms and hands loose and relaxed.
For full-body portrait photos, always bend your arms naturally. Place your hands around your waist or in your pockets if you haven’t practiced any poses using them. These always look great on any picture.
Another classic position you can try is the hands-on-hips and neck over shoulder pose. This will make you look more confident and appear like a professional model.
If you need to show your hands, always keep your middle finger lower than the others while relaxing them with a slight curve. Avoid bunching your fingers together and showing the back of your hand since they will look big and fat on photos. Again, show only the sides of your hands since they are small and better to look at.
Know how to slouch the fashionable way.
If you are modeling clothes in a photoshoot, you will be asked to do the slouching pose. This curved, inward slouch allows you to highlight the lines or tailoring of a particular outfit.
To get this pose correctly, you have to know the difference between slouching and hunching over first. You need to know where and when to stop when bending so that your posture will make you look relaxed and natural and not someone with a bad back.
However, make sure you don’t lean back too much while slouching since your stomach will appear bigger.
Additionally, you will get this pose right by putting uneven weight on your feet and bending the foot supporting the lesser weight naturally.
Be creative and playful.
Finally, photos that show your natural side are always eye-catching and attention-grabbing. As such, be creative and work with what you have to get interesting pictures.
For instance, if you are wearing a flowy dress, toss it in the air or twirl the hemline. If you were given a hat or there are flowers, use them creatively so that you will have a few whimsical photos. You can also play with your hair to match the mood of the shot.
Whatever you do, remember to avoid covering your face with your prop or hair. Otherwise, the photo will be unusable.
As an additional tip, find out the theme of the photo shoot and what you will be wearing once you booked a job. In case you were hired to sell something, get as much information as you can about the product. You can get all these details from your modeling agency in Melbourne if you already have one.
When you have all these details, practice poses that will compliment or showcase the product or purpose of the photoshoot. Choose the best ones that won’t hide or put them in the background.
Finally, remember that knowing how to pose correctly in front of the camera will help you get amazing photos. However, you also need to listen to and follow the instructions of the photographer, your agent, and your client or employer during the photo shoot. You have to work with them to ensure your photos meet their vision so that they can be used for their intended purposes.
More importantly, when you show that you can take instructions, you create a reputation for someone easy to work with. This will help you greatly as you build your career as a professional print model.
AUTHOR BIO:
Adam Jacobs is the Managing Director of Bubblegum Casting, the longest running agency specialising in babies, children and teen talent in Australia. Bubblegum Casting works with some of Australia’s biggest brands, media properties and agencies to secure talented children to work in Television, Film and Modelling roles.
