06 Sep How to look and feel confident in pictures
How to look and feel confident in pictures
Hi! My name is Liana and I am Natalie Jill’s Cister (cousin who is like a sister). I am a stylist on a mission to help women feel carefree and confident in their clothes – no matter their age, size and shape! I was thrilled when Natalie asked me to write a guest blog to share with you some of the top tips and tricks I have learned to help you learn how to look and feel confident in pictures. Knowing this insider information makes all the difference!
We’ve all been there. We posed for a pic where we thought we looked great! Like move over Cindy Crawford great, but when we see the photo we feel totally bummed with how we look. Oh my goodness, don’t fret! You just didn’t know about the 4 simple tips to looking and feeling confident in photos!
Step #1 Make-up
If you are planning on being at an event where you know you are going to be in a lot of pictures, family photos, weddings, reunions, or a big milestone celebration, it is well worth it to pay a professional make-up artist to do your make-up. They know all of the tricks towards giving you a natural look where you look like yourself only like you’re wearing a filter 😉 and magically lost 10 pounds overnight. Professional make-up doesn’t have to break the bank. MAC cosmetics will do your make-up for $50 and you get to walk away with $50 in products too.
*PRO TIP from Natalie Jill’s make-up artist, Lauren Reid is to avoid make-up with an SPF in it for photos.
If you are doing your own make-up stick with this advice, also from professional Make-up Artist, Lauren Reid:
- Do your eye make-up first and then clean up anything that may have fallen beneath your eyes. This prevents that dreaded racoon look.
- Then apply your moisturizer, your primer and then apply your foundation for a long wearing, pore minimizing, and “filter wearing” look.
- Blush is a must! A natural blush helps you really pop in the picture. Apply blush where your cheeks are when you smile and use a smaller brush for more controlled application.
Step #2 Clothing
The #1 most important thing for looking your best in photos is to choose clothes that you feel confident in. When you feel good, you look good!
Here are a few more tips:
- Wear clothes that you know look good on you. Take pictures of yourself before you leave the house and adjust anything you don’t like.
- Dress in flattering cuts for your body type. Choose clothes that fit well. Avoid lots of material, baby-doll cuts, and clothing that’s too large.
- Know what colors look good with your complexion and hair.
- As a general rule, solids photograph better than patterns. Smaller patterns can look too busy and messy in a photo. A good rule of thumb is to pick one patterned piece of clothing.
- If you want to look thinner, darker, solid clothes should be your go-to.
- Lastly, your undergarments are SO important! A good shaper like spanx can smooth and flatten everything out. If it’s be a while since your last professional bra-fitting, go get fitted! Wearing the right bra size can improve your entire appearance and take off 10 pounds instantly!
Step #3 Lighting
Good lighting is ERRRRRRRRYTHING! Find the light source and shine your pretty face towards it.
- Move around rooms to find the lighting. Try putting the lighting behind you, above you, and in front of you to find the best placement.
- Avoid standing directly under a light, which can cast weird shadows on your face This can accentuate imperfections and give you unflattering dark areas.
- Too bright sun lighting can also emphasize wrinkles and other trouble spots. Look for lighting that creates an even glow.
- Lastly, if your photo comes out too dark, use a photo lightening app like VSCO or lighten it using your phones editing tools.
Step #4 Angles
- Try bending your arms, legs, anything that will give them life.
- Hold your arms slightly away from your body and bend it slightly. This helps your arms appear slimmer and it also helps create shape to your midsection area.
- Legs- try bending your front leg and placing your weight in the back leg. Try crossing your legs at the ankles.
- Turn your body 45 degrees away from the camera instead of taking a photo straight on. This pose gives a slimming effect and creates angles that look better in photos.
- When you look at the camera, don’t look straight at the camera. Look slightly above or slightly below. Then, tilt your head up or down slightly. To reduce the likelihood of that dreaded double chin, elongate your neck and tilt your chin down. It might feel funny, but it’ll help you look great!
I hope that you take these tips and tricks to help you have more fun and feel more confident the next time you are in front of a camera.
XO,
Liana
PS. For the nutrition plan that Natalie Jill and I follow to keep our skin glowing go HERE
