This post was originally sponsored by Zappos. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Posing for pictures used to make me feel awkward too. I never knew what to do with my arms, where to put my hands, or how to make a pose feel natural instead of forced.
After spending years in front of the camera, I eventually realized I come back to the same handful of poses again and again. They’re simple, easy to adjust, and work in everything from travel photos to casual shoots around the city.
Everyone’s body is different, so there isn’t one pose that is going to work exactly the same for everyone. The best thing you can do is use these as starting points, then make small adjustments until the pose feels like you.
It also helps to work with your surroundings instead of treating the background as an afterthought. A slight change in camera height, body angle, or movement can completely change how a photo feels.
If you want more movement-heavy ideas after this, I also have a separate guide to 10 Dynamic Photography Posing Ideas to Try.
Here are 10 of my favorite easy poses to try the next time you’re in front of the camera.
1. Look Back at the Camera
This is one of the easiest poses to use when you want the background to be a bigger part of the photo. Turn your body away from the camera, then look back over your shoulder.
I especially like this pose when I’m somewhere scenic or wearing something with an interesting back. You can look directly at the camera, glance slightly past it, or smile for a softer variation.
2. Place a Hand on Your Hip
This is an easy pose to fall back on when you don’t know what to do with your hands.
I usually place one hand slightly above my hip with my fingers pointing down, then angle my body a little instead of standing completely square to the camera. You can also extend one leg out to create a longer line through the body and make the pose feel less stiff.
3. Put a Hand Behind Your Ear
Pretending to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear can feel a little silly while you’re doing it, but it often looks surprisingly natural in photos.
Keeping your hand near your face also gives your hand something to do instead of letting it hang awkwardly. Try looking down, smiling, or glancing away from the camera.
Another variation is to bring your hand toward your forehead as if you’re shielding your eyes from the sun. It’s a small change, but it creates a completely different shape in the frame.
4. Spin or Twirl
This has been one of my go-to poses for years, especially when I’m wearing a flowy skirt or dress.
Instead of holding one frozen pose, spin through the movement and let the photographer capture the in-between frames. Those usually feel more natural and have much more energy.
Photo tip: Use burst or continuous shooting so you have multiple frames to choose from. If you want to freeze most of the movement, around 1/500 sec is a useful starting point, although the exact shutter speed will depend on your movement, lens, and available light. A slower shutter speed can work well if you intentionally want some motion blur.
5. Stand on Tiptoes and Lean Back
This one takes a little more balance, but it can create a really fun shape in the frame.
Stand on your toes, shift your weight slightly back, and let your arms fall wherever they feel natural. I like using this pose when I want to show off an outfit because it adds movement without needing to walk or jump.
The original photos in this section were part of my Zappos collaboration and feature the Merrell Jungle Moc. I liked pairing them with outfits outside of a hiking context because the slip-on shape made them easy to style casually too.
6. Jump in the Air
A jump pose can look playful without needing much setup.
Before jumping, think about where you want your arms and legs to go so you’re not trying to figure everything out mid-air. Then use burst mode and take several tries. The frame right before or after the highest point of the jump can sometimes look better than the exact peak.
7. Kick Up a Leg
This is another easy way to add movement without committing to a full jump.
Walk slowly toward the camera or shift your weight onto one foot, then kick the other leg back or out to the side. It works especially well when you’re already moving through the scene instead of starting from a completely static pose.
You can also exaggerate it by leaning back a little as you kick, but only go as far as feels comfortable and balanced.
8. Crouch or Sit Down
Changing your height is one of the easiest ways to make a set of photos feel less repetitive.
Try crouching or sitting, then have the photographer experiment with camera height instead of taking every photo from standing eye level. A slightly lower camera angle can make the subject feel more prominent in the frame, while a higher angle can show more of the setting around you.
9. Sit on the Ground
Sitting directly on the ground works especially well when the ground itself is part of the scene, like fall leaves, a trail overlook, colorful pavement, or a scenic viewpoint.
Try extending both legs for a more playful look, or bend one knee and rest an arm on it for something more relaxed. You can also lean back on one hand to create more space through your torso.
10. Sit on Stairs
Stairs naturally create leading lines, which makes them a great place to sit for a photo.
You can lean back for a relaxed pose or sit more upright and look directly at the camera. Try placing one foot or knee slightly higher than the other so your legs don’t form one flat line across the frame.
The stairs can do a lot of the compositional work for you, so small changes in body angle are often enough to make the photo feel different.
Final thoughts
The biggest thing I’ve learned about posing is that it gets easier the more you do it. You don’t need dozens of complicated poses memorized. Having a few reliable ones in your back pocket makes it much easier to relax, move, and adjust once the camera comes out.
Start with whichever two or three poses above feel most natural to you, then experiment from there.
The Merrell Jungle Moc featured throughout the original shoot is still sold by Merrell and Zappos. If you’re interested in the shoes, you can check current colors and details through the link below — and confirm current shipping and return terms on Zappos before you buy.
Do you have a go-to pose I didn’t include here? I’d still love to hear it in the comments.
