What to do with your hands/arms during a personal branding photoshoot

5 Jan

A question that I often get asked during a photoshoot is "what should I do with my hands/arms?". Below are my fave tips.

A trick to making it look and feel natural is to imagine that you're in a familiar setting e.g sitting on a sofa in your living room or leaning on a wall outside your favourite cafe and see how your hands naturally fall into place.

A general rule of thumb is to bend arms to create dynamic shapes and form a slimmer body line. So slightly placing one arm on the hip (yep, just like the models do) works a treat.

Don't be afraid to experiment with hands. For example putting hands through your hair can create really interesting shapes. Try relaxing hands on your lap for a warm feel or fold them over the chest to create a bold, authority stance.

Here’s a few more examples for inspiration.

Use a chair as a prop and experiment with casually placing one arm over the top
Sit in front of a table and rest your hands along the surface of the table
Use a table as a prop and rest one hand on your chin
Lean up against a wall and cross arms in front of your body (remember to relax your fingers and avoid the claws!)
Sit on a chair with legs crossed. Overlap arms across your body and lean slightly forward (see image below)

For more fresh ideas before your photoshoot, do a little research by flicking through a fashion magazine or watching the red carpet entrances. Notice how the stars are posing for photographs. They are professionally trained on what looks flattering for their body shape and outfit choice.

The key is to relax and have fun with it! There’s no right or wrong way, have a play and see what feels comfortable for you. For some more examples view our portfolio.