In our ongoing research of capturing the perfect shot of brides and grooms, we thought that we would post a few tips for our readers that pertains not just to brides, but to anyone posing for a photograph. These are not 'set in stone' rules, but they do help create an artistic balance and help you look your best.
Think about your posture and body position:
Standing up straight may seem obvious, but being aware of keeping your shoulders back and your head up straight may not come easily - especially if you are wearing a long veil that is out of the norm for you. Pointing your toe forward or sideways causes you to shift your weight on your back leg, therefore making you look more curvy and slim. Standing straight-on to the camera with both feet flat on the ground has the opposite effect. Your body should rarely be straight on to the camera - you should usually be at about a 45 degree angle (or more) for the most slimming effect. Don't forget to relax your shoulders!
Keep your chin tilted oh-so-slightly down:
Most people believe that if they keep their chin up, it may hide that 'double-chin' effect or make them look slimmer, but this is quite the opposite! If you stand up straight, lean forward slightly at the waist and tilt your chin down (barely a 1/4 of an inch), this puts your forehead forward just a little and will highlight your eyes, making them nice and large and avoid the double chin.
Relax:
Lifting your eyebrows to make your eyes look bigger is a misnomer. Lifting your eyebrows and widening your eyes will only cause creases in your forehead and make you look nervous, so just relax your face, smile and be natural!
Of course, as photographers we prefer to catch our subjects in candid and impromptu moments, where the subject is unaware that they are even being photographed. This is where you get the best and most natural images, but formal photography is still popular and can be just as creative. These tips will help you to look your best in those moments and may even seem unnatural, but the benefits are outstanding when you see the improvement and results in the images.
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