8 Simple Poses You Should Master To Never Look Awkward In Photos Ever Again

Before the advent of social media, posing and always looking outrageously good in photos seemed more like something only models and celebrities were capable of. Apart from these blessed beings, the rest of us mortals often get stuck with a certain standard pose in every shot.

However, the rise of influencers on social media in recent years and the desire to put forth one’s best self online has pretty much changed the game. Not everyone was born to werk it but at the very least, these eight simple poses will ensure you never look awkward again in photos.

1. The ‘Looking Back On Life’

This ‘over-the-shoulder’ pose used to be seen only on runways and red carpets to emphasise the classiness of backless gowns. Now, you commonly see it as the go-to pose for many blogshop models, influencers or even your friends. It may look daunting but it’s really not as hard as it seems.

The trick to nailing this lies in the angle — turning too much will cause your body to look oddly twisted while turning too little makes it look like a typical ‘back shot’. It’s really up to the discretion of your photographer (or unwilling friend) in finding the middle ground.

2. The ‘Act Busy’

Consciously knowing that you are posing for a photo often makes everything extremely awkward. The easy solution to this is to constantly act like you are busy with something. When doing so, a flight of photogenic stairs is where you want to be.

Having trouble mastering the fine art of ‘peering into nothingness’? Fret not, you can always turn to your smartphone for help.

3. The ‘Side Profile’

Staring straight into the camera and trying to look cool at the same time is definitely not for everyone. Unfortunately, I learnt it the hard way. While high fashion poses may be a little out of your league (for now), a side profile shot is simple enough even for the layman.

Again, if you can’t decide where to look at, your phone is always a safe bet (I promise this article isn’t a plug for a new smartphone).

4. The ‘Down To Earth’

If you firmly believe in the saying “anything for the ‘gram”, you are guaranteed to be a natural at this next pose that involves getting on the ground (literally). But honestly, it doesn’t get any easier than this – all you got to do is sit on the floor.

The hardest part is actually picking where to sit. From experience, contrasting colours or repeating patterns are always a good choice.

5. The ‘Casual Stride’

As the name suggests, the ‘casual stride’ only requires you to do one thing — keep walking (cue Johnnie Walker). There’re many ways in which you can do this though; Some prefer walking in slow-motion while others prefer it au naturel.

At the end of the day, it should look the same so choose whichever is most comfortable and less awkward for you.

6. The ‘Le Kua Si Mi’

It’s never easy to make your shots look candid and more often than not, even that one ‘candid’ shot was planned for. While most people are familiar with the burst shot trick, there’s a simpler way to achieve this. First, position your photographer on higher ground. Next, look up. It’s that easy.

Not only will this appear candid, it gives an interesting perspective of the surroundings as well.

7. The ‘Hands In Pocket’

You probably would have seen this classic pose in fashion magazines, or even found a picture of your dad striking this pose while flipping through some old family albums. Transcending generations, the ‘hands in pocket’ can be used anywhere and in all situations.

As they say, old is gold indeed.

8. And… The ‘Anything Goes’

By now, most of us are probably sick of scrolling through post after post of our favourite celebrities looking drop-dead gorgeous 24/7.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to show the best side of yourself on social media but at times, the wackiest poses turn out looking the best so don’t hold back on being weird or unglam in front of the camera. Well, unless you do look drop-dead gorgeous 24/7. *shrugs*

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Werking it like Asia’s Next Top Model may still be a far-off dream for the majority of us common folks but everyone’s got to start somewhere. Let loose, have fun and don’t be afraid of showing who you truly are — there’s no rocket science involved here.