I am so sorry for my lack of posts this past week, but I’ve been down with a nasty flu for over a week now, keeping me stuck in bed with a throbbing fever and even a worse mood. Oh how I hate not being able to be productive, especially when it comes down to my blog and my sweetest readers LOL. As you can imagine I haven’t been able to shoot any outfits so I thought it would be fun to share a few tips on how to pose for street style photos. In this three part series, I will tell you all about this subject over the next few weeks. So stay tuned on this subject! As you may know, I had done quite a bit of modelling when I was younger, so I was armed with some experience when I started this blog almost three years ago. I do have to add that I never really liked modeling too much and have always been more interested in singing and dance and ultimately became my job when I moved to Los Angeles quite a few years ago. When I started this blog I wanted it to look editorial, so I started playing with a lot of different poses and faces in front of the camera until I found my signature moves for my outfit photos.
I think posing in front of a camera has much to do with acting. You are mostly pretending to be in some kind of mood. For my photos on this blog that mood depends on an outfit, I am wearing that day. For example, when I wear a fierce looking outfit I try to put a lot of attitude in my face and poses. When an outfit is dainty and very feminine I put on a cute and smiley face and transfer that to the way I am posing as well.
Modelling for photos is a way of communicating with the lens without saying any words. Over the last three years, I have become better at this but don’t get me wrong I am still learning every day and in some of my photos I think I look like a complete idiot. Of course these photos are never published and deleted quickly, but that aside. Posing is all about lots of confidence. Looking relaxed is key, even if you don’t feel that way, or when you are grumpy or passers-by stare and whistle at you. Of course, I am getting to know what poses look best with a particular outfit and know what faces to pull to look my best. Meaning that it has become so much easier over time and being able to pose on auto pilot. Hopefully some of my experience can be of some help to you when taking any type of photos. So let’s start!
Lots of “Attitude” in my face and poses is something I have used quite the most in my photos. It almost looks like I am a bit arrogant. I squint my eyes and tilt my head. I think it’s needed when I really want the outfit to exude confidence and fierceness. Although I am trying to look pretty cool, I do laugh at myself on the inside. I am that much of a goofball and because I really can’t take myself too serious at the end of the day.
Walking in photos is an artform. It takes quite a few shots to get it right. What I do is walk in slow motion but still keep an attitude like I am walking fast. I hope you guys understand what I mean. Don’t walk in slow-mo with a slow-mo face. It looks very strange. In this photo, it took me about five walks up and down to nail it. Always make sure you keep a relaxed face while doing this, It is very easy to look too concentrated on the walk itself and to show that in your eyes. I usually just smile or look ahead with a calm face pretending to look like I am not being photographed. Don’t forget to remain a straight posture and hold in that tummy.
An acting teacher in Los Angeles taught me this “face”. She called it: “I have a secret face”. A lot of actors use it while on camera, and it can be a tad sexy and mysterious. It also is a cheeky face with a twinkle in your eye that hides a thought like: “I have a secret and you guys don’t know about it and it makes me giggle”.
When you think this to yourself your eyes and smile automatically pull a face like you can see me doing in these two photos. Fun thing is, it also works well when you are on a date and want to seduce that special guy.
Whenever I wear flats on my blog, I pose while standing a tad bit on my toes like I am wearing heels. It creates a more elegant and flattering silhoutte, and a big bonus is your legs will appear longer.
Can you tell I have been trained to become a ballet dancer? I studied dance at the Lucia Marthas Institute For Performing Arts six days a week in Amsterdam from a very young age. Okay, okay you don’t need training as fanatic as this to use dance moves in your photos, but for me it definitely helped to bring some of my outfit shots to life!
I did this in Paris in front of the Eiffel tower with a large crowd around me. Did I care about people staring and talking about me? No! When I create my photos there is nothing that will shy me away, and I am just looking for the best photo possible even if that makes me looking like a complete fool. So do remember to not hold back and dance, move and jump. A windy day makes it even more spectacular with hair blowing all over your face creating spectacular photos.
Too many of us think we are too cool for school to smile on photos especially us fashion bloggers. I have to disagree. Smiling shows personality and can spark up any plain ole photo. Most of the time I look around when posing and try to find something that will crack an otherwise forced smile. It could be teenage boys staring from a passing bus making funny faces at me to cute children playing around me and asking their mom if I am a model. NO, I am not a model kiddo LOL. I am a blogger, editor, stylist, photographer…eeem well allright maybe sometimes some kind of model. I guess? When “funny” objects are not available to me I joke around with my photographer and it always helps. I love it when he yells out jokes to me because that sure will get the laughter going. Remember taking photos should be fun. Play around, find your best poses, and I sure hope any of these tips will help you in the future. If so let me know!
Enjoy a fabulous day and thanks so much for reading everyone and stay tuned for part II coming up next week!
With love Tamara Chloé
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