One of the most common questions that I hear (and that I used to always ask when in front of the camera) is, "what do I do with my hands?"
It's a great question! I have a rule when photographing that there should be "no loose limbs." What that means is that you don't want your hands just dangling from your arms at your side. We want to make sure your hands have a home, somewhere to go, something to do!
It doesn't matter what body shape you have, we all have hands and need to figure out where to put them for pictures.
When taking pictures as a family, a couple or a group the best thing you can do with your hands is grab onto somebody. Hold their hand, hug their elbow, rest your elbow on their shoulder, wrap your arm around their midsection (be sure to not leave a floating hand on their shoulder). If you're not touchy (hello you're talking to the former queen of no touchy, I get it) then you can do with your hands what you would do individually which I'll show you a lot of possible examples below.
CREATE ANGLES when possible. Angles are pleasing to the eye. You were made with hinges, bend those joints! I'm not talking about always popping a hip and putting your hand on your lower back, that had it's time, but cross your ankles, bend your knee, fold your arms, any time you can create something other than a straight line with your body you will create something more visually appealing. Try to create triangles.
Here's some possible examples with what to do with your limbs in a picture. Yes these work for Women AND Men, except maybe the play with your hair poses. Men may have long enough hair but they are more feminine poses.
Now take this advice- PRACTICE in the mirror, take self timer pics- you can delete them after- but try out different poses so that you know what YOU prefer and what works best for you and your BEAUTIFUL body.
POCKETS! We love them, use them if you have them!
But remember- keep a thumb out, or only put a thumb in. This helps us visually see that you have fingers at the end of your hand, it keeps you from shoving your hand too far in your pockets and it naturally creates an angle with your elbow. You can put one hand in a pocket or both.
Also check to make sure your elbows are back, this tends to happen naturally but occasionally there will be chicken wings sticking straight out.
Grab a wrist, or your other hand, or a little above your wrist- you choose!
Try and make it a soft grab.
Also notice how the legs crossed make a different overall visual image than the slight bend in one knee. Try out what to do with your legs as well.
Fold your arms. It's a classic and works for just about everyone. Now notice how this appears to be the same exact pose but looks different. I have my weight on different feet.
Whatever you put closest to the camera will appear bigger. The first picture I have my weight on my front foot which makes me appear slightly bigger than when I place the weight on my back foot in the 2nd picture.
Variations on the folded arms. Keep one arm across and play with your hair, put a fist under your chin or place one hand on your hip.
Draping an arm across your midsection can also help create or define a waistline.
When you are posing with an arm against your body you want to try and not pancake your arm. What that means is create some space in between your body and arm, if you keep it held tight next to your body you can create a pancake effect with your skin and your arm will appear bigger (so if you're a teenage boy you may want to do this and they often do this when they fold their arms across their chest in an attempt to make a bicep appear).
Okay now go! Try them in the mirror! Set up the selfie timer, figure out YOUR go-to 'what to do with your hands' in pictures!
There's obviously more options but hopefully this gets you started. Let me know what other poses you like to do with your hands by commenting below or tagging me on social media.
0 Comments