Picture Perfect

Here’s another guest post from our friend Samara, our fashion consultant and photo diva.  She has some great tips for you to show your best self at all the upcoming holiday parties, and beyond! 

 

 

No one really wants to be that girl, who refuses to take a photo and hides her face while at a party. It's the season, you're going to be in pictures, and let’s face it, you deserve to show off the progress you've been working so hard for!

So, prepare yourself....go out knowing you're going to have your picture taken! Do your hair, make up and something you feel great and beautiful in!
 

·         Hair-I'm a fan of clean fresh hair! Blow dry that hair away from your scalp & make sure you don’t gunk it up with all kinds of product, it will just make it look greasy.  If you do have 2/3 day old hair and it's becoming a little too shiny - do a slick pony, the bun is very "in" right now, or even the looped high pony can look great!

·         Make-up-don't forget some sort of lipstick! But at the same time don't do dramatic eyes and a dark/bright lipstick – pick one or the other. Makeup is there to enhance your features, not hide them.  Also, pick a foundation that matches your skin even when it's fair...you can always use bronzer!

·         Outfit-be proud of that new body. Remember that clothes that are hanging off of you don't do you any favors, just like ones that are too tight don't either.

·         Also, a good rule to follow is, "only show 1" so, if you are wearing something really short, showing your fabulous legs off...it's good to leave some to the imagination and not have a plunging neckline or a bunch of cleavage showing and vice versa!

Okay picture time!
People sometimes say, you're so photogenic!  I just laugh at them and say I don't post the bad ones of me.  That’s true, but I also have practiced! No, really. Get in front of the mirror. Now, hair done or not, make up done or not, just do it....and recognize the beauty staring back at you!

·         Next smile, figure out if you like it more with teeth or without.

·         Practice keeping your head level. This prevents the double chin and the chin out too much problems.

·         Check out your eyes when you smile. I have to think about opening mine when I take photos because when I smile, sometimes my eyes get too squinty. (But no one looks good with deer in headlights eyes either!)

·         Try tilting your head to one side or the other (just a bit) or turning to try your profiles! (Personally for me, I like the half profile half front pic!)

·         Stand up tall, lengthen your spine, (this stretches your tummy vertically, so it feels good to tighten it too!)

·         Shoulders back & chest up! No, I don't want you to have a sway back and stick your booty out too, just have really good posture!

·         Lengthen your neck, stretch it out and this sounds crazy, tricky and ridiculous...but I like to push my collar bones out to show too.

·         Work your body! Angle it, tilt your hip, bevel your foot and knee (never leave your legs apart!), pageant pose, put one foot rested on the toe behind the other....look natural! (Unless of course everyone is doing the same exact pose!)

·         My friends all know....and everyone on Facebook too....I put my hand on my hip.  It’s not just because I can be bossy, but it also is more flattering to my upper arm. 

 

And....my favorite...have the pictures (if possible) taken from a little higher than normal! Yes, I've heard that the best photos are taken at eye level...but I SWEAR I look the skinniest when the picture is taken from a really tall person...or the person taking the picture raises the camera where they can still see the screen. Yes, I have asked if they can take the picture from a little higher, and YES...people all laugh...but it's even more hilarious when they see the screen and say – ‘oh it does work’ & then they tell me how they got laughed at later when they were having a picture taken & the cycle continues! 

So go to the mirror & smile...go out to all the Holiday Parties & have a great time - even when the pictures are taken!  I'd love to hear how this little project goes (or just how ridiculous I sound).  So please post comments!