Book Review: Tips on Posing for Pictures

As some of you may have read from my recent blog entries, I am reading a book called A Guide to Elegance. I only have a few chapters left and I am very disappointed. I have really enjoyed reading this book.

It will be a book that I will revisit over and over. A few weeks ago I read the chapter called” Photography” and in this chapter Genevieve discussed how to pose for pictures and to always look your best. Here are some of her tips for great photos. I found them very interesting:

– You should stand straight with your toes turned outward, with one leg placed a little ahead of the other, and with your body turned slightly sideways, so that the camera will capture a three-quarters view.

– Unless you are very young, you should always smile at the photographer; otherwise, the expression lines around the mouth are apt to make you look disagreeable and tired.

– You should always remove your dark glasses for an outdoor snapshot, but never look directly into the sun.

– If you are being photographed stretched out on a beach or the deck of a boat, it is more flattering to prop yourself up on one hip and an elbow and present your body in profile, instead of lying spread out flat like a fried egg.

– The most frequently recommended position for the hands- lightly crossed on your lap- always seems terrible stiff; if you don’t know what to do with them, you can place them behind your back, but never on your hips.

– Lastly, it is better for the camera to be angled at you from a low position rather than from above; which always has a foreshortening effect.

Also, just in case you missed it, please take a look at my post called 100 Ways to be Elegant. I simply love reading this list. It is so much fun! Enjoy!