Cute Midsize Poses for the stressed traveller
When you’re travelling, it can get stressful trying to think up midsize posing ideas when you are wanting to take a photo and capture that perfect moment. This is especially true if it is a crowded spot or you don’t feel confident taking photos. But you don’t have to be a professional model or a size 0 to look good in photos, it is all about having confidence and knowing what works for you and what doesn’t. As they say – knowledge is power.
The key to a good photo is good lighting, angles, and a natural pose. In this post, I’m going to focus on the latter, and I have 5 midsize posing ideas that are going to get you feeling confident in front of the lens, no experience necessary.
What makes a great photo?
Without going too much into it, basically your brain likes looking at things that it finds visually interesting. Using composition techniques like the rule of thirds will help enhance your photos even further. You will want to position yourself in the centre of the photo if you are going to be the main subject. If you are interacting with a subject, you probably want the subject to be in the middle of your photo. If you’re interested in learning more about photography, I have some creative guides for you (I may have left the classroom but I certainly never left teaching lol).
What you will find here: Midsize posing ideas
I’ve put together 5 super easy, foolproof poses for midsize girls like us to use when you are having your photo taken. The goal of this is enhancing your photos, by using physical space and composition. If you’re like me and carry the majority of weight in your stomach and have the posture of Gollum, sitting down for a photo is probably not the most comfortable because there are too many things you have to worry about. Therefore, these are all standing up poses. I recommend taking photos during the golden hour. That is early morning light (just after sunrise) or evening light (just before sunset). You’ll find the 5 midsize poses below:
1. The leg cross (the ‘sober test’)
If you learn anything about posing, this is the most important out of the midsize poses you need to know. You can use this pose in conjunction with the others in this list. Think of it as the foundation for all your future poses!
How to achieve this pose
1. Cross your leg over in front of the other.
2. Keep the weight of the leg in front on the ball of your foot.
3. Try to keep the heel from just touching the ground.
Optional: move to the ball of your foot on the back leg too, as this will elongate both legs. Ask your cameraman to take multiple shots as you move your weight between the front foot and the back foot as the photos are taken. This will give a sense of movement and make the photo look more candid.
Remember, keep your heels close to the ground or else it just looks like you’re walking on your tippy toes.
2. Double hands on hips (the ‘supervisor’)
This sounds lame but this is a great pose for midsize girls like me who are used to hunching over a laptop screen because it helps you keep good posture. It also helps create a silhouette if you don’t have a shapely waist (like me, again!). This is not to be confused with the ‘let me speak to your manager’ pose, popular with Karens and sorority girls around the year 2010.
How to achieve this pose
When standing sideways to the camera:
1. Put both hands just above your hips with the palm facing inwards to your skin and your fingers on your back.
2. Pull your elbows towards each other, like they have a magnet forcing them to be parallel to each other.
Optional: You can use just one arm instead of two, just make sure it is the arm that is furthest from the camera.
When standing front on:
1. Put both hands just above your hips with the palm facing inwards to your skin and your fingers on your back.
2. Pull your elbows outwards, like they’re trying to run away from you in both directions.
This will push your chest up, giving you a triangular shape with your arms and ensuring your posture looks fab.
3. Take off sunglasses (the ‘I have something Serious to say’)
This mid size pose is great if you want to look like you’re doing something and is more of a candid shot.
How to achieve this pose
1. Hold your sunglasses with your hand that is furthest away from the camera.
2. Pull your sunglasses down slightly, looking over the top of them at something in the distance.
3. Don’t look at the camera, I repeat, don’t look at the camera!
4. Hold dress corners (the ‘princess’)
I use this one all the time because it is an awesome option to create space in a photo which creates interest to the eye. It is also a goodie to show off your cute dress, duh!
How to achieve this pose
1. Let your hands fall to your side.
2. Grab towards the end of your skirt (where the hem is).
3. Hold it as far out as you can.
Optional: ask your cameraman to take multiple shots, and let go of your skirt. This is another great way to create movement in your shot. You can also pair this with The Sober Test (pose 1).
5. Spin (the ‘going-in-circles’)
Again, I use this a lot when I’m wearing a dress to get movement in my photo. This isn’t a spin in a full circle as it is harder to keep balance that way. Basically, you’re going to cross one foot in front and then behind the other.
How to achieve this pose
1. Face the camera.
2. Choose which foot will be your ‘main foot’. This one stays mostly still.
3. Cross your ‘other foot’ in front of your ‘main foot’.
4. Let your arms fall to your side, and grab your dress.
5. Move your ‘other foot’ swiftly around and behind your ‘main foot’, crossing over it. When you do this, you want to twist your wait along with your ‘other foot’ but keep your ‘main foot’ still.
Optional: Do the same movement in reverse, until your other foot crosses in front of your main foot. Keep going back and forth, and it will be easier to capture movement.
VERDICT
What is the most flattering stance for photos?
It really depends on what you mean by flattering. If you are looking to enhance your photos, create visual interest, and express yourself creatively, these are all awesome go-to poses for midsize girls that will help you feel more comfortable and capable being in front of the camera. The most flattering stance for a photo is always going to be the pose that makes you feel confident. I hope these midsize posing ideas helped you!
Did this article about mid size poses speak to you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on these midsize posing ideas! If you’re on Instagram, you can find me over here: @apicturesquelife so feel free to reach out or use #apicturesquelife and I’d be happy to connect! Feel free to share your own mid size poses, too!