How To Look Good In Pictures: 16 Genius Tips For Perfect Photos

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I used to genuinely dread pictures. Like someone would pull out their phone and it is not possible that I would not be the first person to run out of frame, yikes! Not even joking ya. And then I would see those pictures later the dozen insecurities hit and I have full faith that this is not only me, is it? Not supposed to be.

And do you know the worst part? Me standing right next to someone who is just naturally photogenic. I would always always jealous. You know exactly the kind of person I am talking about.

Why do some people get a perfect shot in just one click? I mean one click. I always wondered!

For a long time, I genuinely believed with a full heart that I was just not a photogenic person. But no, being photogenic is not some gift you are either born with or not.

I put together every single thing I have figured out over time here in my blog. They are all here and they all actually work at least for me. Stick through because there is a lot of good stuff ahead! I’m excited, aren’t you?

And oh, before I forget. Just to be assure I want to tell you that- You can look a 1000 times better in real life and still look blah in pictures. That does not mean anything is wrong with you. Okay, let’s get into it!

How to Look Good in Pictures

1. Practice In Front Of The Mirror

Standing alone in your room doing poses in front of a mirror sounds dumb to many, but trust me, I know. Actually this is the most useful thing I have tried. You can also do it if you also want to figure out how to look good in pictures.

I practice sometimes before the shoot in front of a mirror, which genuinely helps got down my insecurities and what best than this that I already know the best possible angles and expressions before my shoot and that really smoothen down the process.

And I actually know what you have to do in front of the camera, isn’t it cool? I do this every time so I can recreate it instead of just crossing my fingers and hoping, lol!

Also, please have fun with it! The best photos always come from people who are genuinely relaxed and do silly things. So don’t be shy trying weird things, always always have fun with it.

2. Loosen Your Body Up

Don’t just practice your pose in front of the camera, but actually implement it at the right time. The number one thing that makes someone look awkward in photos, even is there is perfect lighting and a great angle ahead is always a stiff confusing body.

What I do before every photo is take a deep breath. Seriously I mean a big breath in and then let it out slowly. This makes my body relax. And it is one hundred percent shown in the photo.

Also, standing with your weight equally on both feet looks sometime really flat and static. So, for it, shift your weight onto one hip, bend one knee a tiny bit, and it looks really cool in pictures.

Keep in mind that a relaxed happy body is definitely an answer to how to look good in pictures.

3. Lighting Can Make or Break Your Photo

If there is one single thing from this whole post that I want you to remember, it is this. Lighting matters more than everything else. More than your pose, more than your outfit, more than your makeup, more than your angle, anything left? probably not, I think so.

Lighting is the foundation of every good photo and without it nothing else looks like it matters.

My golden rule is always to face the light source. If you are shooting outdoors, stand where the sun is in front of you, it should be behind the camera, not behind you. When the light is behind you, you end up getting shadows on your face which looks probably too dark and bad or the photo looks either too dark or the background gets completely blown out. Neither one is good.

Harsh direct midday sunlight is also genuinely difficult to shoot in because it creates sharp, unflattering shadows on your face, under your nose, under your chin, in the hollows under your eyes, that can make you look like ghost.

If you are shooting in the middle of a bright day then find a open shade like under a big tree. The light there is softer and much more diffused and so much more flattering than direct sun.

For Indoors- face a window. A big window with natural daylight coming through it is one of the best setups you can have for portraits.

And if you can schedule a shoot for golden hour, the one hour right before sunset please do it. That warm, slightly soft, golden light makes everyone look stunning, and I am absolutely the fan of it.

4. Choose Your Background Thoughtfully

The background is indeed the most impactful thing, it can make or break your picture.

All I think is a very busy cluttered background doesn’t give justice to the beauty that you deserve, hahaha, true? Add a good background that that one which adds charm to your photo and finding that background is a really essential part.

And please before any clicks, quickly scan the frame to check that if there are no strangers or any trash lying in the corner, so that you don’t get annoyed after clicking so many good pictures! You know what I mean.

5. Smile With Your Eyes, Not Just Your Mouth

Okay, this tip sounds like something from America’s Next Top Model, and it is lol! But Tyra Banks was onto something and it genuinely works amazingly.

Smizing, which is probably smiling with your eyes is all about making your eyes look warm, alive, and engaged rather than flat and confused. When you genuinely smile or laugh, your eyes naturally crinkle a little at the corners and become brighter and we want that look.

6. Watch Your Posture At All Times

Oh, I know you have probably heard this one a 1000 times. But I am saying it again because it is so so important and so many people including me forget about it the moment a camera comes out.

A hunched back posture in photos or even in real life looks so bad and your posture communicated a lot about your personality and gesture.

So keep your posture up and energetic especially in pictures, it not make you look taller but also improves your body shape.

7. Stop Making the Same Smile in Every Photo

Oh, I know you love that smile. And the fact that it is the easiest expression, right? And look smiling is great, I am definitely not saying stop smiling. But the same smile in each picture, ehh no. It gives the same impression in each picture which feels kind of boring when someone sees it.

So mix it up! A soft closed-mouth smile is so underrated and honestly looks really elegant in photos.

One trick I personally love and use all the time is slightly parting your lips just a tiny bit, not more to look like you are talking just barely open and at the same time soften your eyes a little. It gives a really natural candid look that looks so beautiful in photographs. Try it and thank me later.

And one more thing. Before the shot, think of something that actually makes you happy. Your dog, your favorite food, a funny memory. Sounds cheesy, but it is genuinely one of the best tips I have.

8. Find Your Better Side

Almost nobody has a perfectly symmetrical face and that is completely fine. Asymmetry is actually what makes faces interesting and unique from others. The only thought upon this one is that your one side of your face looks better in pictures than the other. And knowing which side it is will genuinely change your look in photos.

To find it take photos looking slightly left, slightly right and straight and compare them. There is probably one side that feels more like you. That is your better side. Now use it when you have the option!

9. Burst Mode is Your New Best Friend Forever

If you are still asking someone to take one photo at a time and staring at them with an awkward look like what to pose, stop right now. I SAID right now. Burst mode is going to change your life and I am saying this from my experience.

What you have to do is hold down the shutter button and let it take a whole stream of photos in a one go. Then you go through them and you definitely find some of the best ones. And somewhere in that burst you got your perfect shot.

10. Use Props To Fix The Eternal Hand Problem

For me the most difficult part in a shoot is knowing what to do with your hands. If you have had quite a few shoots under your belt you know that you run out of ideas. So it’s always nice to use some props to keep your hands busy otherwise your hands just hanging at your sides look stiff or maybe awkward.

A coffee cup is the most common one, but you can use a bag, play with your hair, an ice-cream is a good option, or even sunglasses. This helps the photos to be natural and dynamic.

Sunglasses are also great, either wearing them or holding them casually with a jacket draped over one arm, hehe, I’m running to try this for my next shoot, promise.

If you do not have any props available, try putting just your thumb or two fingers into a pocket, not the whole hand, because that looks strange. Or put one hand on your hip with your elbow angled back, which is a classic pose for a very good reason.

11. Your Hair Needs to Be Ready Too

Flat oily hair does not look good in pictures. Your hair should be prepared for a photo shoot as well. Some tips that can help your hair look good and bouncy include applying a serum to tame the frizziness of your hair after a hair wash and then using a spray on shine to add extra shine so it doesn’t look dull and boring in pictures.

Hair can totally make or break the game for you.

I personally feel that the hair wash the day before going out has the best output in the pictures, and every time it works for me. If you don’t have any time to wash your hairs then go for sleek hairstyles if they look good on you.

12. Shoot From Below for Full Body Shots

The angle from which you shoot can make a whole lot of difference to the pictures. If you are standing, try a below angle to look slimmer and taller. If you are sitting, a straight or a slightly higher angle with a tilted face can help define your jawline. Have fun with angles and see what works for you.

How to Look Good in Pictures With Makeup

Okay so here is the thing about makeup and photos. What you see in the mirror is not always what the camera sees. There are specific things that translate beautifully on camera and specific things that can work against you. Here is everything you need to know.

13. Blush Is Important

If there is just one makeup product that can add a drastic change in your pictures and you it is blush. Blush has some power that makes you look so beautiful on camera. It doesn’t make you washed out or faded.

I have blush blindness and I want to tell you that don’t go light with blush because that’s not gonna visible in pictures. Apply a slightly more generous amount than usual, so it would highlight in pictures

14. Cover Your Dark Circles With Concealer

If you have dark circles, which honestly most of us do, and there is zero shame in it, cover them for photos. The minimum you need is a little concealer dabbed under the inner and outer corners of each eye.

That alone covers the darkness, brightens the whole eye area.

I personally cannot take one photo without doing this step. My dark circles are stubborn, and the camera loves to really highlight them, so concealer is non-negotiable for me on photo days.

15. Try a Bright Lipstick for More Impact

Most of the lipstick shades look very perfect in real life but almost disappear in pictures, especially nude ones. If you want your lips to look more defined and present in photos, try going one or two shades brighter or deeper than your usual everyday lip color.

If you have smaller lips and want them to look a little fuller in pictures, you can try a bright lipstick color. But if you have already fuller lips and wants them to look a little smaller than they are, you can go for dark lipstick shade. Choose what will flatter you the most!

16. Fill and Define Your Brows

If you have light or empty eyebrows, then it may make your features less defined in the picture. Eyebrows are an important thing to make you look more structured in pictures and I usually do shade my eyebrows with brow pencil with the exact colour match to my natural eyebrows. And it definitely helps.