Taking a great photo as a midsize and plus-size person isn’t about shrinking yourself, hiding your body, or trying to look like someone else. It’s about learning how to work with different angles and movements (while channeling confidence) so that you can capture your best self. While conversations around posing for curvy bodies have been about making it look smaller, we prefer a more empowering approach: to pose in a way that celebrates your shape, shows off your style, and helps you feel more comfortable being photographed, whether it’s for an OOTD pic, selfies, professional headshots, or social media content.

Begin with posture

Stand tall—roll your shoulders back, lengthen your neck, and imagine that a string is gently pulling up your head. This will totally change your energy in a shot. Try not to be stiff, but to stay open and relaxed, keeping shoulders soft and avoiding locking knees. Elongating your look will also make your silhouette more defined while still being natural.

Create shapes with angles

While you can face the camera straight-on, it’s better to take on a more dynamic pose. For instance, turn your body to the side. Angle one shoulder toward the camera while keeping the hips slightly turned. You can also place one foot slightly in front of the other, creating a gentle line through the legs and making for a more intentional pose. Finally, you may want to try shifting weight onto your back leg and allowing the front knee to softly bend, which is another way to give the photo movement.

Creating angles in this way will show off those beautiful curves rather than flattening them!

Use your hands with purpose

Don’t freeze up and let your hands awkwardly stand by your side. Give them something to do! Place one hand on your hip, hold your sunglasses, and gently touch your hair. You can also lightly hold the edge of a jacket. Doing these small gestures might feel weird, but in reality, they make a photo more natural. Use your hands to draw attention to a fabulous outfit, holding the lapel of a blazer, highlighting a bag, or touching the waistband of your jeans. This will add more personality to a shot.

Don’t press your arms tightly against your body; leaving a bit of space makes for cleaner lines and a more relaxed pose.