When we talk about Blog Photography and especially Fashion shoots we want to have natural images, that’s why this post will help with the best 5 Tricks on How to Pose Naturally.

As a blogger and photographer, I always have to deal with taking pictures and in being in front of a camera. Sure, I like it. But it has been quite a journey here. I didn’t start by wanting to be in front of a camera. I hated it. But I had to get out of my comfort zone in order to do what I liked best: blogging.

Get out of your comfort zone.

It sounds scary but I am here to guide you. In this post, I will be sharing my 5 tricks to be natural in front of the camera that brought me from being super shy and uncomfortable to feeling magical after the fashion shoot.

And start feeling magical…✩

How to Pose Naturally in photographs for fashion shoots or any shoot is one of the most difficult things to achieve in the blogosphere world. I mean, we don’t like fake-looking images. We want natural expressions and beautiful contexts.

How do we get it without a professional photographer and all by ourselves? Easy, I have been through this from both sides of the game (photographer & blogger) so I came up with this guide and a list of photography ideas that solve my problems most of the time.

I am going to talk about 5 tricks that will completely change the way you think of photoshoots or yourself. Yes, I will cover:

1. Inspiration
2. Ask your friends for help
3. Confidence
4. How to Pose Naturally
5. Do It Yourself

Are you ready to be more confident?

1.Inspiration

We all look up to other bloggers. To this extent, I have found that saving and having a look at my favourite bloggers’ pictures give me a big help in achieving my desired photographs. I usually have a folder on my computer with all the saved images, really easy.

Save Reference Images and Decide who is going to be the Creative Director of the Shoot

When you are at a low budget, you are passionate and you are just starting out. The best option is to be you. Count on yourself, decide the poses you want and give the photographer some examples to reference. Of course, then the photographer can express his/her style but at least you both know where to start.

By photographer, I mean everyone who is capable and likes taking photographs. Yes, because let’s get directly to point number two: we don’t always have a professional fashion photographer in our pockets, so…

2.Ask your Friends for Help

Ask your friend, bf, mum, family member or basically anyone you can force to help you. They can all become great alternatives to hiring professional photographers.

EXTRA TIP

If you know some student photographers in your area that could be a double win-win – think about it!

Anyway, my Italian hometown is not very full of photographers for bloggers plus I had zero budget when I started so I had to reinvent myself. Phase 1 was actually taking the photos myself (little hint: it’s point number 5!) with the automatic shutter release.

Phase 2 was much more rewarding and funny. I simply did what most of you would have done: ask a friend. The only difference is that I asked so many and I have created a little list of the different types of friends. Photography-related.

• The Picky Friend, who takes ages to shoot because he wants the greatest picture on earth when you keep repeating ‘it’s a digital camera, you can take more you know’;
• the opposite, The Clicking Friend, the one that presses the release button continuously: when you are moving, when you are changing an outfit or when you’re talking. And you end up having some really hilarious pictures and a memory card full in 5sec;
• The Clumsy Friend, who doesn’t know how to take pictures or keep the camera still;
• The Photographer Friend, who knows more than you on the subject and wants to let everybody know BUT blogging photography is different and you don’t know how to explain it to him anymore

All of them are great, I couldn’t stop thanking my friends, but I have recently found that giving some similar images of what I want or showing them with the phone, helps immensely.

They know what framing you want, whether it is a full-body or some details, therefore they can get creative and have fun. So I suggest you print out a few of your fav pictures to show to your friends as examples of what you need. It will save so much time.

More from this Photography series

5 ways to take blogging photos without a DSRL / Blogging Photography: Photoshop 101 / Blogging Photography: iPhone + VSCO / Blogging Photography: Shooting Outdoors

3.Confidence

Let’s talk confidence, which is something I missed on my first shoots as a blogger. This changed when I saw how empowering for my confidence was seeing myself on the images taken. It totally felt magical.

One of the hardest part for me was trying to overcome my fear of being photographed in front of other people, meaning the town centre or any street. I am an introvert by nature and I don’t love people staring and here in Italy, people do that stare of ‘what the hell are you doing?‘ all the time.

Introvert by nature.

Tips to be More Confident as a Model

It has taken time but I can say that it no longer bothers me.  Taking great fashion pictures requires a good location whether it is in a city centre or in the middle of the woods, the possibility to run into people is really high, except if you live in a castle or you own a national park… Anyway, a few things that I found will help feel confident in from of the camera are:

• be with more than one friend: use the excuse of eating an ice cream later or a waffle. When you are more than three, people tend to consider you as a group doing something so they just go their way. Plus you have some more people around you to distract you. Distraction also means feeling natural and getting natural pictures.
• find spots in town a little bit hidden. Maybe a car parking with nice graffiti, a narrow street where cars can’t pass or a corner in the park not full of kids. Instead of getting right in Piccadilly Circus you know, maybe a residential Notting Hill road would do for you.
• start with a little conversation. when actually shooting, just talk or dance or do something funny to break the ice and then the pictures will come out naturally.

In case, you have scheduled a shooting in a proper indoor photo studio I got you covered. This was something that early this year still was problematic for me. Of course, I tried to find some escape tricks and boom! The results were pretty amazing.

Discover how to overcome the fear of photo studio with me.

4.How to Pose Naturally

Firstly it is different for everyone and very personal. For instance, I love profiles, I don’t really like to smile and my favourite pose is looking down. But I also have other suggestions for when you don’t feel good with your make-up, you have puffy eyes or simply it is one of those days when everything goes wrong.

Getting the most relaxed, blogger-alike poses requires practice. Luckily I have ready 5 tricks to help you start this journey with a bonus! Learn my tips on how to pose naturally in front of the camera.

The 5 Trick To Pose Naturally in Front of a Camera

1. Wear sunnies. Even if it is cloudy, if don’t feel comfortable looking straight into camera, this could be a great solution;
2. Look down. Again, if you don’t like looking directly at the camera (for instance, I don’t like those pictures) look at some point of the ground on your side in order to have a 3/4 profile.
3. Jump. Sometimes you can select the quick 10 pictures, jump and have flying images. It’s funny and nowadays all bloggers on Instagram are doing it. I tried as well in these images – did I succeed?
4. Use Props. Use an ice-cream, an old camera, a bag, just your hands, mixed it up. Having some props, even just flowers, will help feel more confident because the attention will be on the object. In this way, you are free of your burden of being photohgraphed and will pose naturally.
5. Do It Yourself. The most extremist tip ever, but if you still don’t feel comfortable asking for help, the DIY tip that will come next will be your Holy Grail.

In the images, you see in this post I am jumping, having fun in a simple location, a side street near my house with a lovely door. I dressed up in this dark boho style with palazzo pants and a black top.

What I am Wearing: Femme Luxe* Top / LV Bag / Topshop Boots / Rayban Sunnies / I Am trousers

The black top is from Femme Luxe and it is so easy to wear either for a fancy night out then for a casual afternoon strolling around the city centre. The knitwear is soft and light perfect for the middle seasons.

Also from them, remember to check more knitted lounge wear sets or the alternative of ribbed lounge wear sets to find similar tops like the one I am wearing.

5.Do It Yourself

This is how I started. Me and my camera in my backyard. I was living in the UK, no one around to ask for help that precise day, so I did it myself. Even now the photographs I took are some of my favourites. See for yourself: 1. The prom Dress / 2. The Decadent Look / 3. The Bucket Bag.

How to take photographs by yourself

Use your location or a tripod and select the auto release button on your camera and start playing. There is not going to be anyone around, you are in full control and you can be as much crazy as you like.

You learn so much about what you like, what you don’t. Decide your favourite poses by checking the photos immediately and deleting the ones you don’t like without anybody else staring at them.

Doesn’t this sound like a dream?

Give it a try. It helps you know your photography taste and it prepares you when you will feel ready to ask for help to level up your game.

Until then you can start listening to my advice and make the most out of my free resources for bloggers and photographers.

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Let me know if this post may be handy for your photography game. But most importantly what kind of photographers are your friends? Picky one? I am very curious!!

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