Photogenic Tips for Looking Thinner and More Beautiful in Pictures

"Make me look skinny". As a photographer, I hear that all the time at all types of photo shoots. I hear it from brides at their weddings, from girls doing a boudoir session and even during family picture sessions from grandma. Yes, I even say it when my husband takes snapshots of my daughter and me. Of course we all want to look our best. Photographs are reflections of us and are meant for others to see.

So, here are some tips and tricks to make sure you look like your best (and skinniest) self in snapshots. These tips should be helpful when you are left to pose yourself, hopefully any professional photographer taking your picture will know these things.

1. Watch your posture. Whether you are standing or sitting you should straighten up a bit. Try it right now while reading this, sit up taller, don't you feel more slender? Just remember to relax your shoulders; you don't want to appear tense.

2. Turn a little bit. Don't face the camera straight on. It isn't very flattering. In fact, that's why designers like such thin runway models. They are photographed straight on and need to appear thin at that angle. The rest of us have the luxury of turning a little bit. A 45-degree angle is just about perfect.

3. Find the light source. If the light is coming from a flash on the camera there isn't much you can do. However, if you are outdoors or somewhere where a flash isn't needed find where the main light source is coming from and turn toward it. Photographers call this "short lighting". It's the most flattering and will make your face appear narrower. The broad side of your face that is toward the camera (remember we turned you 45 degrees) will be in shadow and the front of your face will be lighter. It's an optical illusion.

4. Put your weight on your back foot. If you are standing put your weight on your back foot and bend the knee of your front foot slightly. It will slim your hips and make your legs appear longer. In fact, do this if you ever have to stand in front of other people. Miss America contestants do it.

5. Smile convincingly. Real smiles look differently than fake ones. If possible have the person taking the picture countdown before they shoot and smile just before they do. Smiles fade and start looking more fake the longer they are held.

6. Position yourself below the camera. It is best if the camera is just above eye level. This is the most flattering angle. You will be looking up just slightly which will improve your neck line and make your eyes more open.

7. Relax. We are the most critical of ourselves. No one is going to see the little flaws you may think you have. I remember seeing a picture of myself and a bunch of friends that I felt I looked horrible in. I mentioned this to one of my friends and she said, "I don't remember what you looked like in it, I was concentrating on how bad I thought I looked". And come to think of it, I couldn't remember how she looked... See, we were both being too busy over analyzing ourselves when no one else cared.

Using these tricks will help you become more photogenic, and yes, make you appear thinner.