Stephanie Yeboah once avoided being in photos because her body type wasn’t common in fashion magazines. Today, she’s a model and author of Fattily Ever After: A Black Fat Girl’s Guide to Living Life Unapologetically. Yeboah uses unique angles and poses to stand out. “I’m always going to be fat,” she states. “I might as well serve looks.”
David Suh, a posing coach with over 4.5 million followers on TikTok, says being photogenic is a skill. He believes in connecting back to your body and using body language to communicate. Together, Suh and Yeboah offer tips to get comfortable in front of a camera.
1. Pick Three Words
Suh suggests choosing three words to express the vibe of your photos. Life Kit staff members Malaka Gharib and Marielle Segarra used “playful” and “fun” for their shoot. Look at portraits showing different emotions like power or vulnerability. Reflect on who you want to be and whether past experiences have limited you.
2. Find Your Balance
Posing effectively requires balance. Suh recommends exercises to find this balance. Start by standing straight with legs and knees locked. It’s not comfortable, but it centers you. Then, mimic casually waiting, resting on one foot and shifting weight. Relax your joints to look and feel more at ease.
3. Classic Poses
- Hand-on-hip pose: Cross your legs, placing your hand at the top of your butt to open your chest and lift your neck.
- Magazine model pose: Contort your body for movement, replicate symbols with unique shapes, and twist to add intrigue.
- Power pose: Stand with legs wide apart to demonstrate boldness.
- Catch-me-in-action pose: Consider dynamic moves like crouching, jumping, or leaning to capture action.
4. Facial Expressions
Suh emphasizes showing diverse angles in closeups. Tilt your head up, down, and side to side for different expressions. A lifted chin can show power, while tilting down may suggest sweetness. Yeboah mentions the “cool girl vibe” using a slight head tilt and gaze down the nose. Hands can enhance these poses, like cupping the face.
Yeboah encourages grinning with closed eyes for a joyful image. Focus on nearby objects to avoid looking directly at the camera, which can feel intimidating.
Practicing these tips might feel awkward at first, but Suh advises seeing posing as a trainable skill. Be patient and embrace creativity. If feeling unnatural, remind yourself you’re exploring new territory.
Send your successful photo to [email protected] and describe your experience. It might get featured on NPR.org or Life Kit’s newsletter.
Edited by Malaka Gharib. Visuals by Beck Harlan.
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