Tips for Taking (Painless) Outfit Photos

Can I let you guys in on a little secret? I really, really hate having my picture taken. More often than not, I'll be really feeling myself and decide to take blog pictures... only to be horribly disappointed when I see what I actually look like. It wasn't until recently that I started getting the hang of posing for pictures. (It being a necessary evil for fashion blogging and all.) Since I know I can't be the only one struggling here, I've got some tips.

Find a cool background to complement your ensemble. This keeps your photos visually interesting and as a bonus, shows some major love to your hometown. I've gotten so many comments and questions about the cool locations in my photos which is great because Philly has an amazing mural arts program that a lot of people don't really know about. (Like the beloved Steve Powers piece for Kurt Vile or this Keith Haring mural.) Does you live near an adorable town center? How about a favorite coffee shop? Find a way to make it local and close to your heart.

Know your angles. This comes with some trial and error. Start by standing in a way that feels natural. Take a photo then look at it. (Does not work if you're using film.) See if there's anything you can tweak such as your posture, hand placement, facial expression, etc. Fix it, take another photo, and see if it looks better. Keep it simple... you don't want to overdo it and you're not shooting some editorial piece for Vogue. You're just wearing some clothes.

Make it dynamic. Your photos will look dull if you're just standing there the whole time. Pepper in a few of you walking, leaning on a wall, putting your sunglasses on-- anything to show some motion and add a little variety.

Don't forget the details! Accessories can make or break the outfit-- don't forget to show them a little love! Just like I mentioned above about adding different dynamics, detail shots can help break up the monotony of pose after pose. It's also good because smaller accessories (like my rings in the photo above!) will get completely lost in full-body or portrait shots.

Bring along a friend. This one speaks for itself. (Friend does not have to be a dog.)

xo,

e.m.