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6 Secrets To Make You Look Beautiful In Photos
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6 Secrets To Make You Look Beautiful In Photos

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So you want to look great in your photos, but after years of taking grim, mug-shot passport photos, you’ve forgotten how to smile. Fear not! Ohio-based photographer Jodee Ball recommends these six tips to transform your photos from police-station photo-lineups into stylish, magazine covers.

First, strike a carefree pose. Shake that guilt out of your shoulders! Second, turn your body three quarters away from the camera; this will make you harder to identify if you are in a police-lineup. Third, lower-yours hands. You’re not being held-up, after all. Fourth, lower your shoulders and fifth, bend your knee. Finally, tilt your head slightly, and voila, you’re a model!

More info: jpballphotography.com (h/t: designyoutrust)

Strike a carefree pose

Turn your body away from the camera by about three quarters

Be careful with your hands

Lower your shoulders

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Bend your knee

Tilt your head slightly

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geoffwhite58 avatar
aga0412 avatar
Luspea
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There should be the same facial expression on both photos to really show the difference

marcofragomeni avatar
MarcoFragomeni
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"..after years of taking grim, mug-shot passport photos, you’ve forgotten how to smile.." of course facial expression is involved

Load More Replies...
nanna_880 avatar
Nanna
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be honest, especially the last one, it looked better without the tilted head. It depends a lot in the persons figure/face how to pose. And also how you place the light/flash. As well as what mood you want in the picture. But I think a lot of the poses are stanard stock-photo poses. On the last picture, tilting her head makes her nose look bigger. But that could be fixed with a different angle from the flash/light.

tarun avatar
Tarun
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well so I needn't hide away from a camera after all

cynhlove avatar
ArvinDuan
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But if a man tales these poses, it wouldn't be that great.

jen_9 avatar
JenniferDziura
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh... The poses on the left are the ones where she looks direct, assertive, and confident. The ones on the right are the ones with askance, submissive poses. Wanna look honestly a little basic? Do the stuff on the right.

laury-mdragon avatar
LauryM.
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm kinda curious as to what the tutorial would look like if the model was a man.

Load More Replies...
kristinbarreto avatar
KristinBarretoRodgers
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Strike a carefree pose...looks like you're trying to fart, in a carefree way!

chessy_matiga avatar
BiancaFrancescaMatig-a
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think anybody needs this.. Every person is different, so you can't have everyone to do the same and expect the same results! You are supposed to have fun while taking pictures not worrying about the angles! Just have fun! You are keeping a memory after all! :D

1m1 avatar
elijah77a
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I tried was ugly :D woman are beautiful in all picture :D

diana_saballos avatar
Diana Saballos
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll either never remember these tips, or won't execute them well, thus never be photogenic *le sigh* ????????

sally-12 avatar
SallyGillies
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very enlightening. I usually try to get out of having my picture taken but now I'll get my husband to take some with the "new" me! thanks for posting.

laury-mdragon avatar
LauryM.
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"..after years of taking grim, mug-shot passport photos, you’ve forgotten how to smile.." Years...? Most Americans don't even have a passport (36% in 2012). Unless you frequently lose it, you'll have spent about 12 seconds every five years not smiling for a picture. I can guarantee that you'll have spent a lot more time smiling awkwardly for any other picture, so forgetting how to smile because of passport pictures...? Wth.

melmagicspell avatar
melmagicspell
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think its very good and always worth trying out. They are rules which can be adhered to and then broken. But is it not just for women. Narrowing the body and accentuating the eyes is good for a woman but for a man is it not that he should look larger on the shoulders still high cheekbones but a balanced jaw. A square on pose but relaxed etc? When you see them down a catwalk the guys walk like gorillas and the women walk crossing their feet over so like they only have one leg. I think this subject could be taken a lot further as everyone is taking photos now.

ann_m_rosa avatar
AnnRos'a
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what all the best Stylist will do, when their celeb clients are getting photographed! Also whenever you are taking a straight shot photo of someone always have the person slightly stretch their neck out- takes years off their neck in the photo! Tricks of the trade!!! The photo is 2 dimensional, so you'll never notice unless you told someone.

tomsaaristo_1 avatar
TomSaaristo
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Much easier: smile then push your lower jaw forward slightly and lower your eyelids slightly. I was being photographed by my niece with her mother (my sister) and she took 2 photos ... and I remembered those 2 simple tips before the second shot and my niece said "The second one is better, but I don't know why"

tammy-metzgerlawrenz avatar
Tammy
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I found the lines drawn on the before and afters extremely helpful. Maybe I will be able to make good use of this information. Well done.

luyendao avatar
LuyenDao
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great tips, but some vandal drew black lines on every photo lol!

luyendao avatar
LuyenDao
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love the photos, but who drew all those black lines on her!

gerda-vanderschaft avatar
Noctua
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The ones with the hand by the face makes it visible that she has used a lot of make-up. Still, good advice from the photografer.

terri-gold-3 avatar
TerriGold
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The information is wrong: One: turn the body 1/4 away from the camera, not 3/4. You'd be looking backwards if you followed the post's suggestion. Two: Women should lean their upper body toward the camera slightly. Three: The writer is confused about what to do with hands. The post is ridiculous.

copper-fractions avatar
TinyDynamine
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or stop being so bothered about it? Who says these 'secrets' are the truth? It's only opinion but this is all about keeping women in the box of being obsessed about their looks. Thumbs down.

savdat02 avatar
Savdat02
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And make sure you have a nice face cause without that every picture looks c**p

hndsdog1 avatar
JonKahrs
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OK, the author of this article, Dainius should have taken his own advice. That little Panda doesn't take his own advice....

geoffwhite58 avatar
aga0412 avatar
Luspea
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There should be the same facial expression on both photos to really show the difference

marcofragomeni avatar
MarcoFragomeni
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"..after years of taking grim, mug-shot passport photos, you’ve forgotten how to smile.." of course facial expression is involved

Load More Replies...
nanna_880 avatar
Nanna
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be honest, especially the last one, it looked better without the tilted head. It depends a lot in the persons figure/face how to pose. And also how you place the light/flash. As well as what mood you want in the picture. But I think a lot of the poses are stanard stock-photo poses. On the last picture, tilting her head makes her nose look bigger. But that could be fixed with a different angle from the flash/light.

tarun avatar
Tarun
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well so I needn't hide away from a camera after all

cynhlove avatar
ArvinDuan
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But if a man tales these poses, it wouldn't be that great.

jen_9 avatar
JenniferDziura
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh... The poses on the left are the ones where she looks direct, assertive, and confident. The ones on the right are the ones with askance, submissive poses. Wanna look honestly a little basic? Do the stuff on the right.

laury-mdragon avatar
LauryM.
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm kinda curious as to what the tutorial would look like if the model was a man.

Load More Replies...
kristinbarreto avatar
KristinBarretoRodgers
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Strike a carefree pose...looks like you're trying to fart, in a carefree way!

chessy_matiga avatar
BiancaFrancescaMatig-a
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think anybody needs this.. Every person is different, so you can't have everyone to do the same and expect the same results! You are supposed to have fun while taking pictures not worrying about the angles! Just have fun! You are keeping a memory after all! :D

1m1 avatar
elijah77a
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I tried was ugly :D woman are beautiful in all picture :D

diana_saballos avatar
Diana Saballos
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll either never remember these tips, or won't execute them well, thus never be photogenic *le sigh* ????????

sally-12 avatar
SallyGillies
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very enlightening. I usually try to get out of having my picture taken but now I'll get my husband to take some with the "new" me! thanks for posting.

laury-mdragon avatar
LauryM.
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"..after years of taking grim, mug-shot passport photos, you’ve forgotten how to smile.." Years...? Most Americans don't even have a passport (36% in 2012). Unless you frequently lose it, you'll have spent about 12 seconds every five years not smiling for a picture. I can guarantee that you'll have spent a lot more time smiling awkwardly for any other picture, so forgetting how to smile because of passport pictures...? Wth.

melmagicspell avatar
melmagicspell
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think its very good and always worth trying out. They are rules which can be adhered to and then broken. But is it not just for women. Narrowing the body and accentuating the eyes is good for a woman but for a man is it not that he should look larger on the shoulders still high cheekbones but a balanced jaw. A square on pose but relaxed etc? When you see them down a catwalk the guys walk like gorillas and the women walk crossing their feet over so like they only have one leg. I think this subject could be taken a lot further as everyone is taking photos now.

ann_m_rosa avatar
AnnRos'a
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's what all the best Stylist will do, when their celeb clients are getting photographed! Also whenever you are taking a straight shot photo of someone always have the person slightly stretch their neck out- takes years off their neck in the photo! Tricks of the trade!!! The photo is 2 dimensional, so you'll never notice unless you told someone.

tomsaaristo_1 avatar
TomSaaristo
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Much easier: smile then push your lower jaw forward slightly and lower your eyelids slightly. I was being photographed by my niece with her mother (my sister) and she took 2 photos ... and I remembered those 2 simple tips before the second shot and my niece said "The second one is better, but I don't know why"

tammy-metzgerlawrenz avatar
Tammy
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I found the lines drawn on the before and afters extremely helpful. Maybe I will be able to make good use of this information. Well done.

luyendao avatar
LuyenDao
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great tips, but some vandal drew black lines on every photo lol!

luyendao avatar
LuyenDao
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love the photos, but who drew all those black lines on her!

gerda-vanderschaft avatar
Noctua
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The ones with the hand by the face makes it visible that she has used a lot of make-up. Still, good advice from the photografer.

terri-gold-3 avatar
TerriGold
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The information is wrong: One: turn the body 1/4 away from the camera, not 3/4. You'd be looking backwards if you followed the post's suggestion. Two: Women should lean their upper body toward the camera slightly. Three: The writer is confused about what to do with hands. The post is ridiculous.

copper-fractions avatar
TinyDynamine
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or stop being so bothered about it? Who says these 'secrets' are the truth? It's only opinion but this is all about keeping women in the box of being obsessed about their looks. Thumbs down.

savdat02 avatar
Savdat02
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And make sure you have a nice face cause without that every picture looks c**p

hndsdog1 avatar
JonKahrs
Community Member
8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OK, the author of this article, Dainius should have taken his own advice. That little Panda doesn't take his own advice....

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