Many of us do all the research and know all the right settings to take the best photos, but then when it’s time to get in front of the camera and get the shot, we tend to get stuck and not know what to do. You see all of these photos all over Instagram where people are rocking cute poses for photos, but you can’t seem to think of any for yourself.
There are a variety of different cute poses that you can add to your collection, so that after you’ve handed over the camera, you get in front of it with confidence and strike the greatest pose.
As an influencer who is constantly in front of the camera to get photos for my blog post and Instagram posts, I had to gather a bunch of pose ideas so that when it gets to editing, I don’t scrap them all because of the way that I look. But I was right there with you at one point, frozen as to how to pose for pictures. I just eventually started trying new things and found some poses that worked.
In this post, I’ll be sharing some ides for cute poses for pictures that you can add to your collection. These easy Instagram pose ideas are ones that will make you stand out in your next photoshoot.
Tips for Taking Photos USING YORU CUTE POSE IDEAS
Before you dive down into these Instagram pose ideas, you may be thinking of what you should to do to prepare for your photoshoot, so I want to provide some tips for how to get ready for your photoshoot and put your cute poses to use.
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SCOUT THE LOCATION
Scout out your location before heading directly there. There have been quite a few times that I have looked up a location online that I thought would be great for a photoshoot to then get there and find out that it either doesn’t look exactly how pictured or there are tons of people there and taking photos without people in the background is almost impossible. -
CONSIDER THE TIME OF DAY
For outdoor photos, you’ll want to aim for early in the morning when the sun is just rising or later in the evening during ‘golden hour’ which is right before sunset. If you’re looking to do inside photos, think of where the windows are and what time of day natural light will be optimal. -
PRACTICE YOUR POSES IN THE MIRROR
If you are planning on trying out some new poses, first practice each Instagram pose in the mirror and practice them with the outfits that you’re planning on wearing. This will help you to get an idea of how the outfit look while in the pose, whether the pose is actually for you, and it’ll lead you to feeling more confident in front of the camera because you know what you’re doing. -
SAVE SOME EXAMPLES
Save some examples of what type of photos you are looking to get and show them to your photographer. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or professional photographer, providing examples can often help so that the vision that you have is actually captured.
P.S. Looking for an indoor location to shoot? Try Home Studio List! They are like Airbnb for photoshoots. You can find a number of houses that you can rent for a set amount of time in your city and also scout some of them on social media from the owner’s own social media pages.
CUTE POSE IDEAS FOR PHOTOS
1. Sitting POSES
Depending on the setting of your photoshoot, sitting poses can be great ones to go-to. Whether you are sitting directly on the ground, on a chair, or slightly sitting on a ledge or table, you can make it work. There are a variety of different types of sitting poses that you can do, but it all comes down to how much you’re sitting and where you are sitting. This is also a great pose for a couple’s pose because you can have your partner sit, and you can lean back or vice versa.
FOR THE POSE: When you sit, try sit naturally as you would any other time. Don’t think too much about what to do with your legs as that’s when it starts to get awkward. Instead let them fall where they naturally would if you weren’t posing for a photo. Maybe you have both legs tucked under you as your are sitting on the ground, or maybe one leg is out forward or in a triangle arch to create dimension – either way, do what works for you. For you hands, try playing with your hair, crossing your arms, or playing with props (we will talk about those more below).
2. Leaning POSES
Another posing idea that works great with your surroundings, and is super easy, is the leaning post. This cute pose idea allow for a little interaction with the surrounding area while also adding a relaxing element to the photo. Ledges are the perfect places to this type of pose because they are meant to be leaned on. You can lean with your back or depending on if you can get the camera person in front of you, you can lean forward towards the camera.
FOR THE POSE: When leaning, relax your arms or lean into them and look around at your surroundings. This is the perfect pose to look away from the camera as if you’re just in the area relaxing and someone happened to snap a photo.
3. Play WITH YOUR HAIR
This is definitely one of the poses for pictures that I typically go-to. Many of us naturally play with our hair when we don’t know quite what to do with our hands. And if it’s a little windy outside, we also naturally try to move our hands out of our face which just makes the pose look a lot more natural. Whether you’re playing with your hair staring directly at the camera or looking away, it’s a natural photo pose to add to your collection of pose ideas.
FOR THE POSE: A great place to play with your hair no matter where you are looking is either at your hairline or near your ear. You can also play with other parts of your hair as it feels natural. In some cases, I’ll use both hands and play with the end of my hair as if I’m holding it. But when playing with your hair with one hand, use a swooping motion as if you’re moving the hair out of your face, even if you actually aren’t.
4. Walking TOWARD OR AWAY FROM CAMERA
Using motion is something that the camera loves and it makes for cute poses for photography. A great one to use on a regular basis is walking towards the camera or walking away. For photos where you are trying to show off an outfit, this helps to show the movement of the look while also allowing you to just naturally move. And for travel photos, walking towards or away from the camera shows the natural element of walking around the area. This pose idea is super popular on streets and crosswalks – especially in the city – but it works pretty much anywhere.
FOR THE POSE: Have your camera person stay at a singular point and you walk toward or away from the camera a few times. Take into account the amount of empty space that you want in your photos to estimate the distance of where you’re farthest point should be. And as you are walking, walk in somewhat of a zig-zag pattern with your legs – it’ll create depth and a very cute pose in your photos.
5. Side POSE
Never feel like you always have to stay facing the camera. The side photo is a cute pose idea for any type of photo because it shows off the shape of your body while also creating a “oh, there you are” kind of look. It’s an intriguing and inviting pose that I absolutely love. When I have people asking Instagram pose ideas, this side pose is definitely one that I recommend. This is also a great couple pose because you can come close to the camera and be holding hands with the photographer, even if that person isn’t your partner, and create that iconic cute Instagram photo that you often see couple’s doing when they travel.
FOR THE POSE: This pose works great in motion. Start by slightly facing away from the camera and then slowly start turning to face the camera and stay to the side. This will add motion to your outfit as you are turning, and create a natural side look. Try turning your body at your ankles or only turning the top portion of your body to create different side angle poses.
6. Crossing ARMS
When you’re stuck on what to do with your arms, try to the crossing your arms photoshoot pose. It’s a super simple pose that feels natural, because many of us typically cross our arms when we are feeling uncomfortable or out of place. For this pose, you can cross one arm and play with your hair or props with the other or cross both arms and hug yourself.
FOR THE POSE: Make sure to open up your stance while crossing your arms. You can then push a dynamic pose for photos that will be super edgy or, if you’re smiling, a very cute and inviting picture. In relation so some of the other photoshoot poses, this one can come off super edgy or super standoff-ish, so make sure to create some aspect of welcoming with your stare.
7. Hands ON HIPS
An easy pose idea for Instagram photos is the hands on the hip or hips. This is one of those other poses that are great if you don’t know what to do with your hands. But just because it says hands on the hips, doesn’t mean you actually have to put your hands right on your hips. For a pro tip for this pose for photos, you can place your hands a little higher above your hips to lengthen your legs. Unlike many Instagram poses, this pose creates an illusion that lengthens your legs but doesn’t shorten your torso, which then makes you look taller.
FOR THE POSE: Try putting a variety in where you place your hands on or near your hips and how you place them. I like to switch from having my hands in front to then placing them in the back. In these photos, you can see I have my hands on my back which opens up my chest area and also doesn’t obstruct from showing off the outfit.
8. Twirling / Movement OF OUTFIT
You have a dress or skirt that allows for a little movement? Then give us a twirl! This cute pose for photos is a fun pose that also adds movement and a dynamic element to photos. Don’t worry about having to look directly at the camera and try not to think too much about it. You want to make sure that you look effortless and natural while you twirl.
FOR THE POSE: If you’re not holding onto the dress or skirt while you twirl, let your hands float naturally outward while you twirl. Also, smile or giggle while you are twirling to make it look like you’re just having so much fun. Twirling is a fun, cute pose, so make sure it looks that way.
9. Face Toward THE LIGHT
You might have heard this before from photographers. They tell you to find the light. If you’re in an area where the sun is setting or there is light peeking through one area, add the facing toward the light pose to one of the other pose ideas to add an additionally element. The glow on your face will create such an amazing look and you’ll fall in love with the photos.
FOR THE POSE: If you don’t mind facing the flight with your eyes open, look slightly off towards in and try not to squint too much. If the light is too intense, close your eyes and soften your face to make it look like you are basking in the sunrays and taking in its radiance.
10. Looking BACK
You’ll see this pose a lot in travel photos. Typically, the pose is used when walking away from the camera and you look back for a coy glance with a slight “follow me” look. But walking away from the camera is not the only way to use this cute pose. Use it in different angles and look back as if there is something that you’re looking for. The only angle that you would want to avoid for this pose is when the camera is straight in front of you. You don’t want the photo to be the side profile and mostly your neck.
FOR THE POSE: Tilt your chin towards the camera when looking backward at it to open up your face. Try to avoid hiding your face in your shoulder by dropping your shoulder slightly. Another way to also make this pose idea of Instagram work for you is to reach backwards and have the camera person hold your hand and put it out of focus or leave your hand reaching.
11. The LAUGH
We tend to strike serious faces or give small smiles when we pose, but another easy pose that doesn’t have you thinking to much about your hands or body is the laughing pose. When standing in front of the camera, just start laughing and see what your body does. Your body will turn and go naturally where it may and you’ll end up with a super cute photo.
FOR THE POSE: When doing this cute pose, you’ll actually want to laugh out loud. Don’t do the silent laugh because it will look forced, but you don’t need someone to actually make you laugh. Just make the noise of laughing and move your body around. Trust me, it makes a difference.
12. Play With PROPS
The use of props in photos is a great way to add extra elements to your photos that you may have not had in others. This does require some planning ahead if you’re heading to a particular location that you want to shoot, but if you’re on the go, just use whatever props that you have around you that feels natural.
FOR THE POSE: Consider the location and the season for what props will naturally fit. You wouldn’t be using a scarf as a prop in the summertime, because that doesn’t fit at all. Then with the prop, play with it as it is means to be played with.
PROP IDEAS:
- Flowers
- Small Food Items (ice cream, candy, etc.)
- Jacket
- Accessories (hat, sunglasses, bag, etc.)
- Items in the Environment (sand on the beach, leaves in the forest, shopping cart at a store, etc.)
- Book/Newspaper
- Cups / Glasses
13. Throw Your ARMS UP
A super cute pose idea for Instagram photos is throwing your arms up in the air. It’s a fun pose that is easy to do no matter what the season is. And if you have something around you, you can even add an extra element and throw something while you’re throwing you arms up, or have a prop in hand that you’re holding out like sunglasses or a hat.
FOR THE POSE: If you’re not sure what to do with your fingers when you throw your arms up, give a peace sign. This pose with the peace sign is a popular one when you’re facing away from the camera and going towards something. It just makes it look like you’re off on an adventure to go and find new experiences.
14. Dining POSES
You’ve headed out somewhere, you have on a cute outfit or the food in front of you looks amazing, and you think to yourself “how can I capture this photo?”. Well, dining poses are great to show off the food and also show off what you may be wearing.
FOR THE POSE: Interact with what is in front of you. The easiest thing to do is to hold the drink that has been served to you. For me, if I have a cocktail, I’ll hold the glass in one hand, but if I have a tea or coffee, I’ll hold the cup with two. Also, as you are preparing for this type of pose, consider these things:
- Don’t eat your food or drink too much of your beverage. It’s hard to reorganize or hide bitten parts in your photo.
- Try to find a drink and food that is Instagram-worthy, but also one that you’ll actually enjoy. No one wants to pay for a meal or drink that won’t be consumed. Plus, that’s wasteful.
- If you’re planning on taking photos, try to get yourself as close to the windows as possible for the natural light. If there’s patio seating, opt for that so that you are avoiding the fluorescent glow of the lights that will cast on you and the food.
SHARE CUTE POSING IDEAS ON PINTEREST
