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About
Pose library

Poses that look unposed

Seventeen poses for anyone: standing, seated, headshots, selfies, couples and groups. Each one takes three small steps. Save your favourites to use when the camera comes out.

Browse the posesFind your best angle first
A man in a black suit standing with his weight on one leg
Before you begin

Four things every pose shares

i.

Angle, never flat

Turn the body away from the lens, then bring the face back.

ii.

Forward and down

Forehead a touch towards the camera, chin a fraction lower.

iii.

Hands with a job

A pocket, a lapel, a cup, a knee. Never left hanging.

iv.

Exhale

Breathe out just before the shutter, and the tension goes.

The library

Choose your pose

Every pose works for men and women. Saved poses stay on this device and appear in your profile.

Illustration: The weight shift
Standing

The weight shift

Best for: Any full-length photo

  1. Put your weight on your back leg.
  2. Soften the front knee and let the hip settle.
  3. Let your shoulders drop, then exhale.

Avoid: Standing square with your weight even on both feet. It reads stiff, like a line-up.

Illustration: Hands in pockets
Standing

Hands in pockets

Best for: Coats, jackets and relaxed portraits

  1. Slide in your thumbs or fingertips only.
  2. Let the elbows ease away from your sides.
  3. Keep the shoulders down and back.

Avoid: Burying the whole hand. The jacket bunches and your arms disappear.

Illustration: The lean
Standing

The lean

Best for: Full-length photos with a wall, door or railing

  1. Rest one shoulder lightly against the wall.
  2. Step your feet a little away from it.
  3. Cross the ankles or soften one knee.

Avoid: Leaning your whole back flat against the wall. It looks like you're propping it up.

Illustration: The three-quarter turn
Standing

The three-quarter turn

Best for: Portraits, profiles and events

  1. Turn your body 30 to 45 degrees from the lens.
  2. Bring your face back to the camera.
  3. Give one hand a job: collar, lapel or jaw.

Avoid: Facing the camera square-on. It widens the frame and flattens the face.

Illustration: The walk
Standing

The walk

Best for: Candid and outdoor photos

  1. Walk slowly towards or across the camera.
  2. Let your arms swing naturally.
  3. Look ahead, not at the lens, and repeat a few times.

Avoid: Walking at normal speed. Slow it right down so the photographer can catch a clean stride.

Illustration: Hand on hip
Standing

Hand on hip

Best for: Outfit photos and confident portraits

  1. Rest one hand lightly on your hip or belt.
  2. Open the elbow slightly behind you.
  3. Shift your weight to the opposite leg.

Avoid: Pressing the hand in hard or squaring the elbow out sideways. Light and relaxed reads as assured.

Illustration: Perched forward
Seated

Perched forward

Best for: Seated portraits and interviews

  1. Sit near the front edge of the seat.
  2. Lean slightly forward from the hips.
  3. Rest the forearms on your knees, hands loose.

Avoid: Sinking back into the seat. It shortens the body and softens the jawline.

Illustration: The crossed leg
Seated

The crossed leg

Best for: Chairs, sofas and relaxed portraits

  1. Sit tall, slightly angled to the camera.
  2. Cross the leg nearest the camera over the other.
  3. Rest one hand on your knee or in your lap.

Avoid: Pointing the knee straight at the lens. Angle it away to keep the line long.

Illustration: The floor sit
Seated

The floor sit

Best for: Beaches, parks and steps

  1. Sit with one knee raised and the other leg relaxed.
  2. Wrap your arms loosely around the raised knee.
  3. Lean slightly towards the camera.

Avoid: Hunching forward over your knees. Keep the back long.

Illustration: Forward and down
Headshots & selfies

Forward and down

Best for: Headshots and profile photos

  1. Angle your shoulders away from the camera.
  2. Ease your forehead slightly towards the lens.
  3. Lower the chin a fraction. The jawline defines itself.

Avoid: Pulling the chin back. It creates a double chin on anyone.

Illustration: Hand to jaw
Headshots & selfies

Hand to jaw

Best for: Close portraits and creative headshots

  1. Bring one hand up near the jaw or chin.
  2. Barely touch: no pressure on the face.
  3. Show the side of the hand, not the palm or back.

Avoid: Resting your weight on the hand. It pushes the face out of shape.

Illustration: The selfie
Headshots & selfies

The selfie

Best for: Phone photos and video calls

  1. Hold the phone a little above eye level.
  2. Face the light, with a window in front of you.
  3. Turn slightly and use the rear camera with a timer if you can.

Avoid: Shooting from below. It's the least flattering angle there is.

Illustration: The table lean
Headshots & selfies

The table lean

Best for: Restaurants, desks and dinners

  1. Rest your forearms on the table.
  2. Lean in slightly from the hips.
  3. Lightly fold the hands, relaxed, not clasped.

Avoid: Elbows wide and shoulders up. Keep everything a little closer to the body.

Illustration: Angled in
Couples & groups

Angled in

Best for: Couples, friends and events

  1. Both turn slightly towards each other.
  2. Overlap the inner shoulders a little.
  3. Inner arms around each other's back, outer hands relaxed.

Avoid: Standing side by side with a gap. Closeness reads as warmth.

Illustration: Walking together
Couples & groups

Walking together

Best for: Candid couple and family photos

  1. Hold hands or link arms.
  2. Walk slowly, a half-step apart.
  3. Look at each other, not the camera.

Avoid: Matching steps exactly. A slight offset looks natural.

Illustration: The stagger
Couples & groups

The stagger

Best for: Groups of three or more

  1. Vary the heights: some standing, some leaning or seated.
  2. Angle the outer people towards the centre.
  3. Fill the gaps so faces form loose triangles.

Avoid: One straight line of people. It looks like a team photo.

Illustration: One seated, one standing
Couples & groups

One seated, one standing

Best for: Couples and pairs of different heights

  1. One sits forward on a stool or low wall.
  2. The other stands close, angled in.
  3. A hand on the shoulder links the two.

Avoid: Leaving space between you. Close the gap so the photo feels connected.

Illustrations show the shape of each pose. Mirror any of them to suit your best side.

Next

Which side is your best?

Every pose works better from your good side. The Best Angle Studio helps you find it with ten guided photos that never leave your device.

Open the Best Angle StudioMore on being photographed