Ever looked at a photo of yourself and wondered why your neck looks like a turtle’s or why your hands seem to belong to a completely different person? It happens. All the time. Honestly, most people think they are "unphotogenic," but that’s usually a lie we tell ourselves because we haven't mastered the weird, counter-intuitive physics of posing for a camera. It feels awkward because it is awkward.
If you feel natural, you probably look stiff. To look natural, you have to feel like a contortionist.
That’s the big secret professional models like Coco Rocha—who can reportedly pull 50 poses in 30 seconds—understand instinctively. It’s not about being "pretty" or "handsome" in a conventional sense; it’s about understanding how a 3D human body gets flattened into a 2D image. When you stand square to the lens, the camera sees a solid block of person. It’s boring. It’s heavy. It’s exactly what you want to avoid.
The "Squinch" and the Jawline Trick
Most people make the mistake of opening their eyes too wide when they see a lens. We think "big eyes" equals "alert and happy." In reality, it just makes you look surprised or slightly terrified. Peter Hurley, a world-renowned headshot photographer based in New York, famously coined the term "the squinch." It’s not a squint. If you squint, you look like you’re trying to read a menu without your glasses. A squinch is specifically lifting and tightening the lower eyelids while slightly descending the upper ones. It conveys confidence. It conveys "I know something you don't."
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Try it in the mirror. See the difference?
Then there’s the jawline. This is the most transformative thing you can do while posing for a camera. Photographers often call it "the turtle." You basically push your forehead out and slightly down toward the lens. It feels ridiculous. You feel like you have a massive neck, but from the camera’s perspective, it separates your jawline from your neck, eliminating the dreaded "double chin" effect that even the leanest people get when they tuck their heads back.
Geometry is Everything
Your body is a collection of lines. When those lines are straight and parallel to the camera, you look wider. This is why the "red carpet" pose—one foot forward, weight on the back hip, hand on the waist—is a cliché. It works. By angling your body at a 45-degree angle, you instantly create depth.
Think about your joints. If it bends, bend it.
A locked arm looks like a wooden post. A slightly bent elbow creates a "window" of space between your arm and your torso, which defines your waist. The same goes for knees. If you stand with both legs straight, you look like you’re standing at attention in the military. Shift your weight to your back leg. Let the front knee go soft. This creates an "S" curve in the body, which is universally more dynamic and appealing to the human eye.
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What to Do With Your Hands?
Hands are the hardest part. They are the "villains" of photography.
If you leave them hanging dead at your sides, they look like giant meat paddles. If you ball them into fists, you look aggressive. The trick is to give them a job. Lightly touch a lapel. Hold a coffee cup (but don't actually grip it hard). Put one hand in a pocket, but leave the thumb out—tucking the whole hand in makes your arm look like it ends in a stump.
Lindsay Adler, a top fashion photographer and educator, often talks about "the butterfly touch." You want your hands to be light. Barely touching the surface of your face or shoulder. If you press too hard, you distort your skin and look tense. Tension is the enemy of a good photo.
Lighting Changes How You Pose
You can’t talk about posing for a camera without talking about the light source. If the sun is directly overhead, you’re going to get "raccoon eyes"—dark shadows in your sockets. In this case, you need to tilt your chin up toward the light to fill those shadows, even if it feels a bit dramatic.
If the light is coming from the side, use it. Shadow is your friend. It creates contour. Most people want "flat" light because they think it hides wrinkles, but flat light also hides your cheekbones and your jaw. If the light is hitting one side of your face, turn your "bad side" toward the light. This puts the side of your face closest to the camera in shadow, which is a classic slimming technique used in portraiture for decades.
The Psychology of the Lens
Why do we freeze up?
It’s a physiological response. The camera lens looks like a giant eye staring at us, and our "fight or flight" reflex kicks in. We stop breathing. Our shoulders creep up toward our ears. Our smiles become "plastered" on.
To break this, you have to move. Don’t just hold a pose for five minutes while the photographer fumbles with settings. Shift. Breathe. Look away and then look back. A "captured" moment is always better than a "created" one. Even if you're posing, you should be in a state of micro-motion.
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Common Mistakes to Kill Immediately
- The "Cheese" Smile: Stop saying "cheese." It pulls the corners of your mouth back in a way that looks fake. Instead, try pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. This engages the muscles under your chin and keeps the smile from looking forced.
- Hugging the Torso: Don't press your arms against your ribs. It flattens the triceps and makes arms look twice as large as they actually are. Pull the elbows back slightly.
- The High Camera Angle: While the "MySpace angle" from 2006 makes you look slim, it also makes you look like a child looking up at a parent. For authority and presence, the camera should be at eye level or slightly below.
Real-World Scenarios
If you're in a group photo, don't be the person who stands perfectly straight while everyone else is leaning in. You’ll look like an outsider. Match the energy of the group, but keep your individual "rules" in mind—weight on the back foot, chin out, shoulders down.
In a professional headshot, it’s all about the eyes. You want to look like you’re thinking about something. Don't just stare blankly into the glass. Think of a joke. Think of someone you're annoyed with. That internal dialogue shows up in the muscles around your eyes and makes the photo look "alive."
Technical Realities: Focal Length
Wait, let's talk about the gear for a second. It's not just you; it's the lens. If someone takes a photo of you with a wide-angle lens (like the standard lens on an iPhone) from close up, it will distort your features. It makes whatever is closest to the camera—usually your nose—look huge.
If you're posing for a camera on a smartphone, ask the person to step back and zoom in slightly (the 2x or 3x lens). This "compresses" the image and is much more flattering for the human face. It's why portrait photographers love 85mm or 105mm lenses. They make you look like the best version of yourself, rather than a funhouse mirror version.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Photo
- Find your "good" side. Most people's faces are asymmetrical. One eye is usually slightly higher, or one side of the jaw is more defined. Spend three minutes in a mirror today—not for vanity, but for research.
- Practice the "Turtle." Push your ears forward. It feels like you’re a weirdo, but look at the profile in the mirror. See how the jawline pops? That’s your new best friend.
- The Shoulder Drop. Right before the shutter clicks, exhale and consciously drop your shoulders. We carry stress there, and high shoulders make your neck disappear.
- Avoid the "Dead Eye." Squinch those lower lids. Give the camera a look of slight "mischief" rather than wide-eyed shock.
- Weight Shift. Never stand with weight distributed 50/50. 90% of your weight should be on your back foot. This naturally angles your hips and creates a more lean silhouette.
Mastering these movements isn't about being "fake." It's about translating your 3D self into a medium that doesn't always play fair. Once you get the muscle memory down, you’ll stop worrying about how you look and start actually enjoying the moment being captured. Next time someone pulls out a phone or a DSLR, don't shrink away. Move your chin out, shift your weight, and squinch. You’ll be surprised at who looks back at you from the screen.