#reluctant model

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

Romain Malfliet (Belgian, 1910-2006) Female Nude, n.d.

[themancorialist]

Victoria Street, Manchester.

[the-ram-67]

Model in Muscular Superman Costume

If it’s the first of October, Halloween is on its way...

[ackeeandsaltfishjournal]

The Reluctant Model: Standing Straight

Standing straight sounds like a pretty simple thing to do, but as I've mentioned before, we all get bad habits and leaning forwards or backwards is definitely something I've noticed a lot of people do.

I think people do this either to give themselves some space between them and the person they're talking to; I read somewhere that leaning slightly forward when in conversation makes you look more interested in the other person.

In photos, however, leaning back makes the person look like they're trying to get away from the viewer - it's a less confident, more nervous stance. Leaning forwards can look more exaggerated and therefore more aggressive; depending on the shot, the forehead and shoulders will also appear larger. So how can you train yourself to stand straight for pictures?

I may have mentioned that I do a lot of Pilates, so this definitely helps me and I'll pass on a few tips:

Make sure you can feel your body weight feels evenly-distributed in your feet. If you feel more pressure on your toes or your heels, it's likely you're leaning forwards or backwards.

Think of someone pulling a piece of string from your head, straight from the ceiling or sky. An odd request, but it will do two things - (a) encourage you to look straight ahead towards the camera lens and (b) because you aren't looking down, you're less likely to let your body weight follow your eye level and lean forwards.

Pull the abs in slightly. I say this in NO WAY to indicate anyone has a flabby stomach! Doing this pulls in your core muscles - the ones you need to contract when you lift heavy goods or play certain sports. It's the same as imagining wearing a corset or tight belt, which also restricts leaning.

The most important thing to remember is that standing straight does not mean the Sergeant Major pose! You are not standing to attention :) Corporate portraits are about being confident, looking approachable and relaxed, so a stiff, regimented stance does not reflect any of these qualities. The above tips will help your body look a little taller, more straight and keep your eye level from wandering.

Oh, and every time I give these tips, especially the abs one, people breathe in and don't breathe out. Exhaling's good! You can exhale and give your abs a squeeze too (Pilates tip again!).