You Don’t Need to Know How to Pose — But a Little Preparation Goes a Long Way

One of the things I hear pretty regularly before a photoshoot is:

“I have no idea how to pose.”

That's okay. You aren't expected to show up knowing exactly what to do.

During your session, I'll help guide you through posing, where to look, what to do with your hands, how to move, and the little adjustments that can make a big difference in a photograph.

But there's also plenty you can do before your shoot to come in more prepared.

Think of it this way: you don't need to know how to pose before your photoshoot, but understanding yourself a little better gives us a head start.

You can already know how an outfit moves. You can have an idea of which expressions feel natural. You can know what you want your photos to feel like and where your comfort zone is.

Then, instead of starting from zero, we can build on that together.

Here are 10 things you can practice, test, or think about before your photoshoot to help take your session to the next level.

1. Spend Some Time in Front of a Mirror

Yes, actually practice.

Put on some music if it helps and spend a few minutes moving around in front of a mirror.

Turn your shoulders. Shift your weight. Sit. Stand. Lean. Walk toward the mirror. Turn away and look back.

But don't stop with your body.

Try different expressions too.

Smile. Don't smile. Try a softer smile. Look away and back. Relax your mouth. Try something more serious. Move your hair around.

You aren't trying to memorize five perfect poses.

You're learning how different movements and expressions feel.

That matters because once we're shooting, I might ask you to drop a shoulder, shift your weight, turn your chin slightly, or change your expression. Those directions become easier when you've already spent a little time becoming aware of how your body moves.

And you're probably going to find some things you like along the way.

2. Test-Drive Your Outfit

Don't wait until you're getting ready for your session to discover how your outfit actually moves.

Put it on beforehand.

And don't just stand in front of the mirror and decide whether it looks good.

Move in it.

Sit down.

Walk.

Raise your arms.

Cross your legs.

Bend over.

Squat.

Turn.

Lean.

If it's something you might actually do during your shoot, try it at home first.

You don't want to wait until you're on set to discover that you can't squat in an outfit, a strap falls every time you move, a skirt rides up farther than you expected, or something feels like it's going to tear if you bend the wrong way.

This is especially important with tighter clothing, dresses, lingerie, swimwear, heels, costumes, or anything you're wearing for the first time.

An outfit can look incredible standing still and be completely impractical once we start posing.

Find that out beforehand.

3. While You're Testing the Outfit, Think About Your Hands

Hands are one of those things nobody thinks about until a camera comes out.

Then suddenly it's:

“What do I do with my hands?”

Your wardrobe can actually answer some of that question for you.

Does your outfit have pockets?

A jacket?

Straps?

Belt loops?

Sleeves?

A collar?

Can you adjust something?

Can you run a hand through your hair?

Can you hold the edge of a jacket or dress?

Try some of those things while you're testing your outfit.

You don't need to memorize where your hands are supposed to go. I'll help with that during the session.

You're simply looking for natural things your hands can interact with.

And if you're realizing there's really nothing?

That might be where a prop becomes useful.

4. Test Your Props, Too

Props can be great.

They can give your hands something to do, help tell a story, reinforce a concept, or completely change the feel of a photograph.

But a prop should add something to the image.

So if you're thinking about bringing one, practice with it.

Hold it.

Move with it.

Sit with it.

See what your hands naturally do.

Then ask yourself:

Is this helping me—or am I spending all my attention worrying about the prop?

Sometimes a prop gives someone exactly what they need to loosen up.

Other times it becomes the only thing they're thinking about.

And sometimes we only need it for a few photographs before getting rid of it completely.

Bring things that contribute to the idea.

Don't feel like you need a prop just because you don't know what else to do.

5. Build an Inspiration Folder — But Figure Out Why You Like the Photos

Save some inspiration before your shoot.

Instagram. Pinterest. Screenshots. My portfolio. Wherever you find it.

But don't just save 30 photographs and send them over.

Take another look through them and ask yourself:

Why do I like this?

Maybe it's the pose.

Maybe it's the lighting.

Maybe it's the outfit.

Maybe it's the expression.

Maybe it's the location.

Maybe it's the color.

Or maybe you can't point to one specific thing—you just like how the photograph feels.

That's useful too.

The goal isn't to recreate someone else's photograph exactly.

I want to understand what you're drawn to so we can take those ingredients and create something that fits you.

6. Practice Movement, Not Just Poses

When you're practicing, don't think entirely in terms of:

Pose. Stop. Photo. Next pose.

Practice moving between things.

Walk.

Turn.

Look away.

Look back.

Move your hair.

Adjust your jacket.

Shift your weight.

Take your hand from your pocket to your hair.

Sit down and stand back up.

Sometimes the photograph happens in the pose.

Sometimes it happens in the half-second between two poses.

Getting comfortable moving can help your session feel less like you're trying to hold yourself perfectly still while someone points a camera at you.

It also gives us more opportunities to catch something natural that neither of us necessarily planned.

7. Think About How You Want Your Photos to Feel

Before worrying about exactly how you're going to stand, think about the photographs you actually want.

What do you want them to feel like?

Confident?

Fun?

Soft?

Sexy?

Professional?

Casual?

Playful?

Elegant?

Dark and dramatic?

Bright and colorful?

Maybe you want something that feels exactly like you normally do.

Or maybe the whole reason you're booking a photoshoot is because you want to explore a completely different side of yourself.

Both are valid.

You don't need to have a complete concept figured out.

Even being able to tell me, “I want these to feel confident and a little dramatic,” gives us somewhere to start.

8. Know Your Comfort Zone — Including Your Hard and Soft Lines

Spend a little time thinking about your comfort zone before your shoot.

And this doesn't only apply to boudoir or how much skin you're comfortable showing.

Think about wardrobe.

Poses.

Locations.

Getting wet.

Getting dirty.

Sitting on the ground.

Climbing onto something.

Physical limitations.

How adventurous you want to get with an idea.

Anything that could affect what we create.

It can help to separate those things into hard lines and soft lines.

Know Your Hard Lines

Hard lines are things you already know you don't want to do.

Maybe there's an outfit you aren't comfortable wearing.

Maybe there's a certain amount of skin you don't want showing.

Maybe you don't want a particular pose, concept, location, or type of photograph.

Communicate that.

Knowing your boundaries beforehand can actually help you feel more confident during the session.

You don't have to keep wondering where the shoot might go because we've already established where it won't go.

Think About Your Soft Lines, Too

Soft lines are different.

These are things you're curious about but aren't completely sure about yet.

Maybe you brought a bolder outfit and want to see how you feel.

Maybe there's a pose that's a little outside your normal comfort zone.

Maybe you saved an inspiration photo and thought:

“I don't know if I can pull that off, but I'd like to try.”

Tell me that too.

A photoshoot should be fluid.

Sometimes something outside your normal comfort zone feels completely natural once you're actually shooting.

Other times we try it and you decide:

Nope. Not for me.

Then we move on.

A soft line can become a hard line at any time.

Boundaries Don't Limit Creativity

Knowing your boundaries doesn't mean we need to plan every second of the shoot.

It's almost the opposite.

When we know the hard lines, we know the space we have to create inside.

And when we know the soft lines, we know where there might be room to experiment if you're comfortable and the session naturally moves in that direction.

Come in knowing what you won't do.

Think about what you might want to try.

Communicate both.

Then give yourself room to see where the session goes.

9. Use Your Phone to See What the Camera Sees

The mirror is great for practicing how movements feel.

Your phone can show you something different.

Prop it up somewhere and take a few photos—or even better, record a video while you move through some of the things you've been practicing.

Walk.

Turn.

Move your hands.

Change expressions.

Try your outfit.

Then watch it back.

You might notice that something that felt awkward actually looked great.

Or something that felt dramatic barely registered on camera.

This isn't about picking yourself apart.

Don't zoom in and start looking for everything you think is wrong with you.

You're looking at the big picture.

How does the outfit move?

Which expressions feel like you?

Do you like more movement or something more posed?

What do you naturally do with your hands?

You're building awareness—not looking for flaws.

10. Prepare — Then Be Willing to Throw the Plan Away

This might be the most important part.

Do all of this.

Practice.

Test your outfits.

Bring inspiration.

Think about props.

Know your boundaries.

Figure out what you want your photographs to feel like.

Then come to your session willing to experiment.

Because we're probably going to try something neither of us planned.

Something we thought would work might not.

Something we try on a whim might become your favorite photograph from the entire session.

That's part of the process.

Preparation isn't about arriving with 10 poses memorized that you have to recreate perfectly.

It's about giving us more to work with.

Preparation + Direction

You don't need modeling experience to have a great photoshoot.

And you definitely don't need to memorize 50 poses before you walk through the door.

That's not what preparation is about.

It's about coming into your session knowing yourself a little better.

You know how your outfit moves.

You've experimented with your expressions.

You've thought about your hands.

You know what inspires you.

You know your boundaries.

You have an idea of what you want the photographs to feel like.

Then I'll help you take all of that and turn it into photographs.

I'll still help with posing.

I'll still watch your hands, angles and expressions.

I'll suggest movements and make adjustments.

I'll tell you where to look when you need it.

And if something isn't working, we'll change it.

You aren't expected to direct your own photoshoot.

But when you combine a little preparation on your end with direction and experience behind the camera, we can spend less of your session figuring out where to start—and more of it creating.

So practice in the mirror.

Test-drive the outfit.

Save some inspiration.

Know your boundaries.

Bring your ideas.

And then give yourself permission to see where the shoot takes us.