With wedding and prom season here (can you believe it is here already?), you might be interested in some great tips I received from Michelle Cascio. Michelle is a photographer with an expertise in modeling and helps models get a leg up with the agencies. I asked her two questions that I was interested in hearing her answers to, and I hope her answers will be helpful to you too!

What are 5 beauty/style related things that people can do to prepare when they know they are going to have their picture taken and want to look their best (whether candid or studio)?

1. Clothing: Reds, Blues, and Greens look the best on film. Remember, that’s not Pink or Teal, but solid primary colors.
2. Smile in, not up. If you take your smile and bring it straight back it will prevent you from getting that spray of wrinkles around the eyes. The smiles with only the top teeth showing tend to be the most flattering.
3. Dress for your waist so that clothes come in at the waist. Your waist is your most important figure feature. I see loads of people trying to,”hide” extra pounds with layers of clothing and in doing so they actually add extra pounds visually.
4. Next time you are checking out those magazines, look at the models and mimic their pose.
5. Shoulders back, face forward and chin slightly down. This simple step will help you lose the dreaded double chin and if your shoulders are back, your arms look thinner.

How about the 5 biggest mistakes that people make when preparing?

1. Know your face. If you have a crooked smile see which side is higher and practice pulling the opposite side to compensate. Let’s say one of your eyes are bigger than the other, try to squint it slightly to compensate or angle your head a little. Spend some time in the mirror.
2. Don’t stand wide at the camera. I see people stand with their waist toward the camera… Unless you are a size 0 or 2… Don’t do it. If you point one hip toward the camera you will loose inches from your waist.
3. Don’t cut yourself off. If you know you are going to have a picture taken, don’t wear things that are going to make you look short and wide. Capri pants are notorious for making women’s figures look undesirable.
4. No mug shot please. Sometimes people get so scared of getting their picture you can actually see them thinking,”get it over with already”. Relax, think to yourself, this time I’m going to look like I do when I’m primping in the mirror. Practice smiling with your eyes to convey life and inner happiness.
5. Don’t be stiff. Try giving yourself some angles. Put your thumb in your pocket. Shift your weight from one foot to the other. If you’re standing, cross one foot over the other. All of these little tricks add dimension and interest to your picture.

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