Friends, let’s face it I am no Spring Chicken, and as I was reviewing images from a recent session of capturing imagery for my brand I found how important it was to me personally how I place my legs, hands, and arms so that my curves would be properly proportioned. Also, let’s be real even if you are a double zero , the most often question I get asked is what do I do with my hands, LOL!! The vision of “Ricky Bobby” immediately pops in my head. If you don’t know who that is, well, enjoy looking it up and having a few good laughs.

To be 100 with you, just because we are experienced photographers it doesn’t mean we are confident in all the areas of posing ourselves or that there is one specific way you should do it. After all we are all blessed with different body types and what might work for one may not be our favorite look for another. It’s all about the person, the location, if you are sitting or standing! Believe me there is one shot I tried on this chair and it’s too tragic to even share without a butt load of embarrassment.

Posing is so important and creates a feeling to viewers for them to be captured and engaged. My clients rely on me to give them guidance with posing. As movement and laughter are my personal key tips I have listed below 5 tips to make sure you are taking the initial steps for great posing techniques.

5 Tips For Posing with Curves

1.) Sit Up/Slightly Turn lower Body and Twist Upper Body Towards Camera. (Even stretch out by adding movement in your body language or adding laughter.) At Times You may be bent that may feel awkward but reads across the camera well.

The below image does not make the cut , this took me out of my comfort zone to share, well for obvious reasons, but it’s not flattering at all. So Sit up , stretch out and give your tummy some space and not scrunched up, lol! Now I am literally doing sit-ups, uggghhh!!!

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2.) Position your Legs with Space. Put One Leg out in front and bring one leg a few inches behind while maintaining your knees close together. When and if you decide to cross your legs, try crossing at your ankles. If you want to do an upper leg cross cross your leg with the thy not facing the camera. If you cross with the thy closer to camera view it will make your thy larger than preferred. When crossing with the outer leg not in camera view this will allow you to roll your hips and bottom towards the camera to create a great pose to accent your body type properly.

3. Always Push your Toes- Flat Feet can stump you , it not can only make you look short, but pointing your toes will elongate and give a pretty stretch that looks elegant, even in tennis shoes 😉 .

4.) Create space with your arms, If I just rested my right arm in my lap I don’t feel this image would have been engaging and I wanted to create space so that you could see my body shape and not one big Audrie square, my arms are not toned or defined at the moment so I needed to add some definition. I also used my left arm in the other image to cover up a little tummy pudge ( ok carb pudge, we can blame it on being a Mom with two babies right? Not the fact that Pizza is my love language?)

5.) Hands, what do i do with my hands? I love holding items it makes it so much easier! Props, pens, bags, glasses, cups, but in this situation I didn’t want a prop as it would be out of sort, and I have over done the coffee mug trick long enough.Sometimes a hair touch, glasses touch, and a hat grab are perfect movements but in this situations I positioned my little stubs that moved with my body language. I wanted a relaxed and inviting shot, but used my other hand to pull my body toward the camera, as I am engaging towards you. I also like crossed arms but in an inviting lean, my style is welcoming and vibrant. If you are shooting editorial or a certain look this causes for more dramatics and bends. In my particular brand I want to be inviting, average lady, that wants to coffee chat with you and laugh loud with a dash of EXTRA!

Don’t get me wrong , I could still critique this so much but hey we’re human and the average person doesn’t notice what we do and, I like it and Its doing it’s purpose!

All opinions, styling, and thoughts are of that of my own. Images captured by Audrie Dollins Team. Thank you for loving and supporting my work friends! You are greatly appreciated!