3 Posing Tips for People Who Hate Posing

(from a Portrait Photographer with a Dance Background)

Almost every session starts the same way.

Someone walks in, looks at me, and says one of two things:

"I never know what to do with my hands."

Or: "I'm just not photogenic."

And every time, I want to say the same thing back: that's not a you problem. That's a direction problem.

Being in front of a camera feels strange when nobody's guiding you — and most people have never been properly guided. So they freeze, they overthink, and they end up with photos that look exactly how they felt: uncomfortable.

Here's what I've learned after years of photographing people at Pasky Studio in Toronto: the best portraits don't come from perfect posing. They come from movement, ease, and having something specific to do with your body. That's where my dance background changed everything for me.

Movement was my first language before photography was. And what dance taught me — about body awareness, about how small adjustments shift the entire feeling of an image — is something I bring into every single session.

These are the three techniques I use most, and the ones that make the biggest difference for people who swear they're not good at this.

1. Angles over positions

Standing square to the camera is almost never the answer. It flattens you, it stiffens you, and it makes even the most relaxed person look like they're waiting for a bus.

The fix is simple: shift your weight. Turn slightly to one side. Let one shoulder drop a little lower than the other. These are tiny adjustments, the kind you wouldn't even notice in real life but in a photo they create depth, dimension, and something that looks effortless.

In dance, nothing is ever truly static. There's always a subtle angle, a natural curve, a hint of where the body is going next. That aliveness is what makes a portrait feel like a moment rather than a record.

2. Keep Moving Between Shots

The frames I love most from any session are rarely the "okay, hold it" ones.

They're the in-between moments. Someone laughing at something I said. Adjusting their jacket. Looking away and then back. Exhaling.

That's why I always ask people to keep moving, walk a few steps, shift their weight, roll their shoulders, play with their hands. Not because the movement itself ends up in the photo, but because movement releases the tension that kills a portrait.

I run sessions a lot like improv. There are no wrong moves. We're just exploring until something feels right and when it does, the camera catches it.

3. Prompts instead of poses

"Just look natural" is possibly the least useful direction a photographer can give.

What does natural even mean when someone's standing in a studio with a lens pointed at their face?

This is something I took directly from my screendance film training: the idea that you give people something to do, not something to be. Instead of asking for an expression, I offer a small scenario:

"Look over your shoulder, like you just heard someone call your name from across the street."

"Take a slow breath in and let it out."

"You just ran into an old friend you haven't seen in two years. That feeling, go."

These prompts give people somewhere to put their focus that isn't how do I look right now? And when that mental loop quiets down, something real comes through.

Why This Matters

The thing I care most about, whether I'm shooting a brand session, a creative portrait, or a quick headshot update, is this:

I want you to see yourself the way other people already do.

Not a polished version. Not a performed version. The actual you, in a moment that feels true.

That's what these techniques are for. Not to manufacture a look, but to get out of your own way long enough for the camera to catch something real.

If you've been putting off updated portraits because you're dreading the awkwardness, I promise it doesn't have to feel that way.

Ready to find out what you actually look like?

At Pasky Studio, every session is built around making you feel safe, comfortable, and genuinely yourself, whether you're coming in for brand photos, creative portraits, or headshots.

👉 Book your session or free consultation here and let's make portraits you'll actually want to use.