Posing for photos can be a tough nut to crack, especially if you don’t have a professional photographer calling the shots and taking only your best pictures – and most of us don’t! But don’t worry! Here I’ll cover how to pose for photos for the ultimate Instagram photoshoot!
Whether you’re just starting out your content creation journey, are heading on a trip and want to take cool photos, are trying to improve your Instagram, or have been an influencer for a while now, we all need posing tips here and there to capture the best angle there is!
Well, here I share my favorite poses and tips so that you can get amazing content and improve your Instagram.
Say goodbye to awkward hands and even a double chin. Sayonara to boring Instagram posts. And adios to amateur photos!
Here’s how this post of photo poses is organized:
- How to Pose for Photos: Quick Tips That Always Work
- What to Do With Your Hands in Photos
- Standing Photo Poses that Look Natural
- Sitting Photo Poses
- Movement & Candid Photo Poses
- What to Do with Your Face in Photos (Besides Smile)
- Photo Poses for Shy People
- Close Up and Creative Photo Poses
- How to Pose for Photos as a Couple
How to Pose for Photos: Quick Tips That Always Work
If you’re ever feeling awkward in front of the camera, use this simple formula. I come back to these five steps in almost every photo I take, no matter the location, outfit, or vibe.
1. Shift your weight and stand at a slight angle
Avoid standing straight on. Shift your weight to your back leg and angle your body slightly away from the camera. This instantly creates shape and looks more natural in photos.
2. Fix and elongate your posture
I can’t reitierate this one enough! If you take away anything from this article, let it be this! Every time I get ready to take a photo, I tell myself “shoulders back!” You’ll want to stand (or sit) tall by pulling your shoulders back and lifting through the crown of your head. Think “long neck, long torso” rather than stiff or posed.
3. Chin forward and slightly down
Unless you’re intentionally looking somewhere, you’ll want your chin to be slightly down. This one feels weird, but it works. Gently push your chin forward, then tip it slightly down to define your jawline and avoid a double chin, even in close-ups.
4. Give your hands something to do
Awkward hands are the #1 posing problem. Touch your hair, hold a hat, grab a strap, frame your face, or interact with a prop. If your hands are busy, the rest of your body will relax.
(Not sure what to do with your hands? Jump to the What to Do With Your Hands in Photos section below for easy ideas.)
5. Relax your face (and breathe!)
Soften your jaw, part your lips slightly, and take a breath before the photo is taken. A relaxed face always photographs better than a forced smile.
Once you’ve got these five steps down, all of the photo poses below will feel easier and automatically look better. Now let’s get into it! Here are 38 photo poses for your next Instagram photoshoot!
What to Do With Your Hands in Photos
If you ever feel awkward in photos, your hands are usually the problem. These easy photo poses and pose ideas give your hands something natural to do so the rest of your body can relax and look more confident on camera.
1. Interact With A Prop
I’ve got to start with my number one tip on how to pose for a photoshoot. Bringing a prop into a photoshoot automatically makes for more candid shots. Probably the number one complaint I hear from aspiring Instagram influencers is “I just don’t know what to do with my hands!”
Bringing some sort of prop into the photoshoot solves this instantly! Whether you hold flowers, a hat, a camera, food, a purse, or whatever else, you’ll look and feel much more natural in front of the camera.
2. Throw Your Hands Out
This was one of my go-to poses when we were in Alaska because it just came so naturally in such gorgeous nature! Throwing your hands out and angling your face slightly upward lends a carefree vibe that exudes freedom and happiness. It’s such an easy pose to do, too!
Tip: when angling your body slightly, make sure that the arm closest to the camera is behind your body instead of in front of (and blocking) your torso.
3. Hold Your Hat
I’m a huge fan of hats. I think they add another dimension to photos and make for very convenient photo props. Don’t know what to do with your hands? Easy! Hold your hat, whether it’s on your head or if you’re holding it out. In some shape or form, I use this photo pose technique on probably about 50% of all of my photos!
4. Play With Your Hair
Don’t have a hat? No problem! You can also play with your hair to add some candid vibes while having something to do with your hands.
5. Cheers
Cheers-ing with a glass of champagne, mug of hot chocolate, your daily coffee, or anything else makes for a great photo pose. It gives you something to do with your hands while adding celebratory vibes with a fun toast!
If it works for the photo, have your photographer reach out to clink glasses with you as well! This adds depth and makes the photo more interesting.
6. Throw Up A Peace Sign
If you don’t know what to do with your hands, throwing up a peace sign on your next photoshoot is an easy way to give you something to do while adding carefree vibes. It’s an easy way to pose for photos and requires no additional props!
7. Raise One Hand Up
Raising one arm instantly adds shape and movement to your body, which helps photos look more relaxed and natural.
8. Put Your Hand On Your Hip
Going back to the question, “What do I do with my hands during a photoshoot?” Another easy thing to do is place your hand on your hip. It’s a flattering pose for your arm that has stood the test of time!
9. Reach For The Camera
Reaching for the camera adds depth and gives you something to do with your hands! A win-win! Plus, unlike the follow-me-to pose, you can do this shot yourself if you’ve got a tripod!
Tip: make sure you reach slightly downwards so that you don’t block your face or too much of your body!
10. Put Your Hands in Your Pockets or Hold a Sweater
This is one of the easiest ways to pose if you don’t know what to do with your hands. Slide your hands loosely into your pockets or lightly hold a sweater, jacket, or strap to keep the pose relaxed and effortless. Avoid pushing your hands all the way in – keeping them casual looks more natural in photos.
Standing Photo Poses that Look Natural
Standing photos don’t have to feel stiff or overly posed. These standing photo poses show you how to pose for photos in a way that creates shape, balance, and a natural, relaxed look.
11. Look Over Your Shoulder
Here’s a classic pose you can’t go wrong with! Turn your body slightly away from the camera, then glance back over your shoulder for a soft, flattering angle. This pose adds shape to your body and works especially well for outfit, travel, and candid-style photos.
12. Stand and Look Away
Here’s how to pose for photos for the ultimate wanderlust vibes. It’s one of my go-to’s for travel photos. If you have something remarkable or beautiful in the background, the “look away” pose never fails! You don’t have to worry about what your face is doing, which solves a lot of photoshoot worries. By simply standing there and looking away, you emphasize the beauty of wherever you are.
13. The Classic Weight-Shift (One Leg Forward)
Shift your weight onto your back leg and bend the front knee slightly to create a natural curve in your body. This is the easiest standing pose and instantly makes you look more relaxed, balanced, and comfortable on camera.
Tip: Angle your front toe slightly outward to keep the pose from feeling stiff.
14. Lean Against a Wall or Railing
Leaning against something instantly makes a standing pose feel more relaxed and natural. Rest one shoulder, hip, or hand against the wall or railing, and let your weight sink slightly to avoid looking stiff.
15. Get a Profile Shot
Most photos you see on Instagram feature the subject straight on or at a slight angle. A profile shot not only looks good but switches things up a bit! My favorite way to do the profile shot is to hold my hat (or scarf, here) while looking ever-so-slightly down.
16. Wide Stance Power Pose
Where my #bossbabes at? Here’s how to pose for photos to exude confidence! The power stance is a fun pose for anyone! Face the camera and adopt a wide stance to strike a power pose! This is definitely a great choice if you like full-body pictures, too!
17. Kick Up A Leg
Here’s an easy photoshoot pose if you want to add playful vibes to a photo. Kicking up a leg not only adds movement to a photo, but it’s also a great way to show off your shoes! It also makes you look like you’ve just been caught dancing – which is always a fun vibe to capture on camera!
Sitting Photo Poses
Sitting for photos can feel tricky, but small angles make a big difference. These sitting photo poses are simple pose ideas that help you look relaxed, flattering, and natural in seated photos.
18. Angled, Facing Away
Sit with your body angled slightly away from the camera and turn your shoulders just enough to avoid facing it straight on. This creates a relaxed, flattering shape and helps seated photos look more natural and less posed.
Tip: Keep your back straight and let one arm rest loosely on your leg or beside you for an effortless look.
19. Angled, Facing the Camera
Angle your body slightly toward the camera instead of sitting straight on, and lean in just a touch to stay relaxed. This pose keeps seated photos flattering while still feeling open, natural, and approachable.
Tip: Cross your ankles or bend one knee slightly to avoid a stiff, straight-on look.
20. Sit Cross Legged
You can do this pose both facing the camera and looking away! Make sure you’re straight on (ie. not angled to the side). I find that this photo pose accentuates your curves and makes your waist look thinner. It has become one of my go-to poses and seems to always look good! Try it out and tell me if it also works for you!
21. The Lean-Forward Sit
If you’re sitting for a photo and don’t know what to do, slightly lean your torso forward from the hips with your ankles together or crossed. Rest one arm casually on your leg or lightly touch your hair. Leaning forward engages your core, defines your waist, and keeps the pose from looking stiff or slouched.
22. The Sideways Sit
Here’s another one of my go-to photoshoot poses for Instagram photos. Sitting sideways with your knees slightly bent looks great in photos.
Tip: Make sure that your legs are bent equally or that the leg closest to the camera is slightly less bent than the one behind it.
23. Sitting on Your Knees
Here’s how to pose for photos if you’re somewhere where the ground is soft- because this pose simply doesn’t work on a sidewalk or street (ouch!). This pose is ideal for soft sand on the beach if you ask me! I find this pose tends to be very flattering. Simply angle your body slightly, sit on your knees, and face the camera.
Tip: I have large thighs and calves but by not sitting down completely on my knees, my legs look slimmer than they are. (I’m all about body positivity but also about feeling great about how you look in photos! This tip helps me!)
24. Cross Your Ankles
If you’re sitting on something and facing the camera, a simple pose you can do is to cross your ankles.
Movement & Candid Photo Poses
Adding movement instantly makes photos feel more natural and candid. These candid photoshoot pose ideas are perfect when you want your pictures to look effortless instead of staged.
25. Walk Across the Frame
To add movement and make a photo look candid, walk in the frame. Take a bunch of shots while you’re walking so that you can choose your favorite walking pose.
26. Walk Away From the Camera
The “walk away from the camera” pose is an iteration of the previous pose. You can do this pose in two different ways. The first is to literally just walk away from the camera while your photographer clicks away. The second is to just walk a few steps, over and over again. I use the second method when I know exactly how big I want to be in the photo. By just walking a few steps, I make sure that I’m relatively the same size in the photo but still have movement.
Also, this is also a great way to show off the back of your jacket if you’re ever wearing one with an elaborate design that you want everyone to see!
27. Walk to the Camera
Walking toward the camera creates natural movement and helps photos feel candid and effortless. Take slow, relaxed steps and let your arms swing naturally so the pose doesn’t feel forced or stiff.
Tip: Keep your gaze soft or look slightly past the camera for a more natural feel.
28. Run from the Camera
Running away from the camera adds energy and movement while keeping the focus off your face, which makes this pose great if you feel camera-shy. Take light, playful steps rather than a full sprint so the photo feels natural and not forced.
29. Flip Your Hair
Flipping your hair instantly adds movement to a photo! Make sure your iPhone is set to live photo mode instead of burst mode. With live photos, you can later go through and pick the frame where your hair looks its best! If you’re using a DSLR, make sure that (a) your camera is on quick-shutter mode and (b) that you’re using a high shutter speed. That way you’re capturing a bunch of different shots you can choose from, and your hair will be sharp instead of blurry.
30. Twirl
Here’s a common Instagram photo pose for girls: the twirl! Adding movement to your Instagram photos is a great way to make them feel more candid and authentic. Twirling adds the illusion of movement to photos and makes them feel more glamorous and/or whimsical!
Here is the skirt I’m wearing – it’s my favorite skirt for Instagram!
Try to look at one point and keep your head steady while smiling and keeping your eyes either fully open or fully closed. A hard part about the twirl for me is that if I’m not concentrating on my eyes, they end up half-closed in photos, which is an automatic no-no. You can also look away for an easy solution!
31. The Dress/Skirt Flick
Alternatively, if you aren’t confident twirling in public, you can do a smaller motion – the skirt flick! Set your camera to quick shutter mode and flick your skirt. Whether you do just one side or both, this photo pose easily adds movement to your photo.
32. Leap
Whether you’re jumping in the air or into water (the latter is my preferred way to jump!), jumping is a photo pose that has been around for ages. It adds movement and carefree vibes to any photo! But if you want to do this gracefully, I find the best method is to do a profile shot of a leap. For this method, you’ll set your camera to quick shutter mode or iPhone to live photo mode, then do one simple leap. Try to keep your arms out so that either both are behind you or so that one is in front and one is behind you!
33. Throw Something (Papers, A Pumpkin, Leaves, Flowers, Etc.)
For more movement in photos, throw something in the air! Make sure your camera is on quick-shutter mode with a high shutter speed to ensure what you’re throwing stays sharp. iPhone users – live mode will do the trick here!
Tip: if you’re throwing leaves or flowers, don’t hold them tightly in your hand when you’re collecting them! That way when you throw them, they won’t clump together.
What to Do with Your Face in Photos (Besides Smile)
Not every photo needs a big smile. These face angles and posing tips show you how to pose for pictures with natural expressions that feel relaxed, confident, and camera-ready.
34. Look at the Camera
Looking directly at the camera creates a confident, intentional photo. Keep your expression soft by relaxing your jaw, slightly squinting your eyes, and thinking of something that makes you smile naturally.
Tip: Take a breath right before the photo – relaxed faces always photograph better than forced smiles.
35. Look off to the Side in the Distance
Looking slightly off to the side helps photos feel candid and relaxed, especially if direct eye contact feels awkward. Pick a point in the distance and soften your expression so the pose feels natural rather than posed.
36. Look at Something Around You
Shifting your attention to something nearby – like a view, a flower, or an object you’re holding – instantly makes photos feel more candid and natural. This is an easy way to relax your face and avoid a stiff, posed look.
Tip: Choose something slightly off to the side for the most flattering angle.
37. Turn Your Face to the Sun
Bask in the sunshine! Turning your face toward the light creates a warm, flattering glow and softens your expression. Close your eyes to avoid harsh shadows and keep the pose looking natural.
Tip: If the sun is strong, angle your face slightly rather than straight on to avoid squinting.
38. Do a Kissy Face
Want to switch things up from your usual smile? Blowing a kiss gives you something to do with your face that is super cute! For this pose, I find it looks best when your face is straight on/eye-level with the camera, instead of angled.
39. Do A Goofy Face
Have fun with your photo pose by making a silly face! Not only does this look more candid in photos, but it’s also a way to add more fun to your photoshoot! You can even try this pose with sunglasses on for a wackier effect!
Photo Poses for Shy People
If being in front of the camera makes you uncomfortable, these easy photo poses for camera-shy people are a great place to start. They’re ideal if you want to pose for photos without feeling awkward or overly exposed. And if you’re just starting to be in your own Instagram photos, these are for you!
40. Look Out
Here’s how to pose for photos if you’re ever anywhere with a balcony! Lean over a bit and keep your arm ever-so-slightly out so that it’s not pressed against your body. It’s much more flattering that way!
41. Back-to-the-Camera Pose
Turning your back to the camera takes the pressure off facial expressions while still creating a strong, intentional photo. This pose works especially well for travel shots, outfit photos, or scenic backgrounds where the setting is part of the story.
42. Get a Far Away Shot
Stepping farther from the camera helps take the focus off your face and makes photos feel more natural and less intimidating. This pose is perfect for scenic locations or travel shots.
43. Cover Your Face With a Hat
Partially covering your face with your hat is another great way to occupy your hands. Though you can do this pose in many ways, my favorite is to face the camera straight on.
Tip: Dip your hat low- but not too low! Make sure your smile can still be seen!
Close Up and Creative Photo Poses
When you want to switch things up, close-up and creative photo poses add variety and visual interest. These creative pose ideas are great for artistic shots, detail photos, or breaking up full-body pictures.
44. The Close Up
Try your hand at being a portrait photographer by taking a close-up photo! To balance the photo, have a flower, palm leaf, or another person right next to you. When editing, you’ll want to crop the photo so that the prop has exactly the same width as your face. This is a great way to emphasize your jawline too!
Tip: When doing portrait photography, you can easily enhance your iris and whiten your eye whites. When editing in Adobe Lightroom, use the selective tool to select your iris and increase exposure and saturation. You’ll also want to select your eye whites and desaturate them while upping the exposure a bit to whiten them.
45. Frame With Something
Here’s how to pose for photos while adding an extra artistic element. By framing the photo, you draw your viewers’ eye exactly where you want it to go. This is an aesthetically pleasing photo pose that adds depth and an extra layer of beauty! You don’t just have to use a lei… I’ve done this with a leaf with a heart-shaped hole cut into it, candy canes held to form a heart shape, books (which you can see here), and more!
46. The Follow-Me-To
I’m a huge fan of this pose because it both occupies your hand and is a cool perspective (I think so, at least!). You’ll have your photographer hold your hand loosely with one hand, and hold the camera with the other hand. If you have a tripod, setting the camera up on it will make your photographer’s job a whole lot easier!
Tip: stand as far as you possibly can from your photographer while still holding hands. If using an iPhone, shoot on a .5 to .8 wide-angle setting.
47. Cover an Eye
I love the “cover an eye with a flower” pose, though I know it’s a little basic. But it gives you something to do with your hand while also incorporating a flower, so can you blame me? It’s still a great pose, nonetheless!
48. The Drone Shot
If you’ve got a drone or are in a place where your photographer is on a balcony above you, this is my favorite photo pose for aerial shots. Keep in mind that with drone shots, you’re usually tiny, so any big movement you can do with your body will help make this shot cool. My go-to is holding my hat either in front of my face or above me.
Tip: Let your arms be the only ones doing any sort of movement! Keep your legs together while pointing your toes.
How to Pose for Photos as a Couple
If you’re taking photos with your partner, posing works a little differently. Angles, spacing, and movement matter more. I’ve put together a full guide with my favorite couple photo poses, including candid walking shots, sitting poses, and romantic movement ideas. See all my favorite couple photo poses here!
In conclusion…
I hope this post has shown you how to pose for photos with plenty of ideas and inspiration! If you’re posing with friends and taking group shots together, you can even try combining different poses from this list for spectacular results!
Do you have a favorite pose that isn’t on my list? Let me know in the comments below!
Also, here are some more posts you might find useful:
- 15 Tips to Taking the Perfect Instagram Photo
- 31 Ways to Improve Your Instagram
- 51 Winter Photoshoot Ideas
- 40 Fall Photoshoot Ideas
- 44 Creative At-Home Photoshoot Ideas
- What’s In My Camera Bag
Have fun modeling!
Jasmine
And if you want a high-resolution, two-sided PDF printable of these photo poses, join my email list, and I’ll send it to you!
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7 Responses
I AM A BIG POSER TOO!! have lots of fun ones.. would post a photo here but cant find where…. or check my Instagram at caribbean mermaid_ ( underscore at end !!! ‘ LOVE YOUR POST
I AM A BIG POSER TOO!! have lots of fun ones.. would post a photo here but cant find where…. or check my Instagram at caribbean mermaid_ ( underscore at end !!! ‘ LOVE YOUR POST
Haha I love it! Thanks Martha!
This so helpful!! Thanks so much!
I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks, Molly!
Thanks a million, you shared innovative information and your photography was outstanding.
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