20 Cute and Easy Photo Poses for Women

If you’re like me, you love taking lots of pictures during your travels to remember them! But have you ever looked back and thought that you literally look the same in all of them and felt you could use some variety?!

You might have one good go-to pose or you may even revert to the classic “stare at the camera while perfectly straight” pose – no need to feel ashamed, we ALL did it and probably still do it on occasion.

Posing in front of a camera is not something that comes naturally to many of us and honestly doing it while you travel is even worse because on most occasions there will be other people around, which can make you feel self-conscious. So it can be kinda hard to come up with new photo poses that look good on the spot.

If that’s the case for you, don’t worry – I’ve got you covered! In this blog post, I’m sharing 20 cute and easy photo poses that you can use on any occasion, but are especially good for travel.

So whether feel like you don’t know how to act in front of a camera or you’re just looking for some new ideas, these poses will help make your photos look amazing.

01. The “walking” pose

This is one of my favorite poses for pictures because it’s easy to do and it looks really good and natural. Not only that but even though it’s basically the same pose, it almost always looks a bit different.

Depending on your camera settings, you can actually walk (towards, away perpendicular from the camera – your choice) or simply pretend to. Sometimes I also like to do a bit of rocking front and back.

Depending on when the camera catches the moment, you might need to do a few extra takes to really nail the look. Or you can use the Burst option on your phone: it works great for moving scenes. Besides capturing the whole action usually means that you’re almost guaranteed a few good pics.

Cameras also have this option, but they usually take fewer photos than a phone. You also need to make sure you buy a fast-writing memory card for your camera to be able to save the Burst fast and those can be a bit expensive.

02. The “twirling” pose

The problem with the twirling pose is that it doesn’t work with any kind of dress, though it does look amazing with the right one.

For a good effect, you need a dress that has more material in the skirt part, so an A-line would work for example. You might also want to opt for light fabrics like chiffon since they will be carried by the wind more easily than heavier ones. But this is definitely not mandatory to get a good twirling picture.

Having said this, the pose itself is really simple: you simply twirl, letting your dress or skirt do all the talking. Use the Burst mode on your phone to make sure you capture every little movement.

03. The “back toward the camera” pose

This is another great pose that I use often for pictures because I don’t need to pay attention to my facial expression. All you have to do is turn your back toward the camera. Easy right?

You can also combine this pose with some of the others for a better effect. For example, placing your hands on your hat or keeping them in your pockets would work really well with it.

04. The “looking away” pose

When you look directly at the camera it often makes the whole pose feel unnatural and tense. So look away instead! Slightly to the right or left can do wonders and give a candid feel to the photo. Honestly, for me, it was a game changer when I started to avoid looking directly into the camera lenses.

TIP: This is another pose that works great in combination with many of the others listed here, so have fun with it.

05. The “hand on hat” pose

This is hands down my favorite pose for summer! This is mainly because I feel like it looks the best when you’re wearing a straw hat. But it also works great with fedoras, which you may wear during fall or even winter.

The pose is easy to remember and do: simply put one hand (or both) on your hat. You can then look up, away, or even turn your back to the camera completely. In fact, it looks the best when your back faces the lens since the focus will be on your hat. So make sure you choose a cute hat for this pose :).

06. The “holding something” pose

Figuring out what to do with your hands can be one of the hardest things when posing. In fact, I still struggle with it sometimes as well. So adding a prop can be a great way to keep your hands occupied and it looks great in pictures.

Here are a few ideas on what you can use as props:

• accessories: bag, sunglasses, jacket, hat
• coffee cup
• flowers
• ice cream cone
• newspaper, map, book
• fan
• seasonal props: umbrella, coconut, snow, autumn leaves, a mug of mulled wine

When adding a prop, try to take into consideration the season and/or the location to make sure it looks natural. For example, ice cream is something you would usually eat in summer, while in fall it would make sense to carry around an umbrella.

Or if you’re in Italy, having a slice of pizza on the go is something you might do.

07. The “sitting down” pose

This one is self-explanatory: you simply sit down on a bench, chair, edge, swing, etc. When I do this pose, I sometimes like to put one leg over the other one as I feel it gives a sleeker look.

You can then keep your hands on your lap or put them on the object you are sitting on. It is a very simple pose and it looks good.

08. The “leaning” pose

For this pose, you simply need to find something to lean against or on. It can be a wall (bonus points if it has a mural on it), a door frame, a railing, a tree, or even a window sill.

This pose almost always looks great since it gives a relaxed vibe and we want that in your pictures.

09. The “flip your dress” pose

For this pose, you’ll need to be wearing a flowy dress or a skirt in order to have something to ‘flip’. Grab its side and throw it fast in the air (preferably sideways). Counting 1, 2, and 3 before you make the movement helps in getting you and the photographer synchronized.

It can take a bit of practice at first to get that perfect “it’s windy” look and not look totally obvious that it was you who flipped the dress up in the air, but I promise it’s worth it.

As with other poses that involve actions, using the Burst mode on your phone is an easy way to make sure you catch every movement of the fabric.

The ideal shot is when you let go of the skirt/dress and it catches wind, but depending on the weight of the material this moment usually lasts only a split second. So your photographer needs to be fast to take a good pic.

10. The “hands in pockets” pose

Pockets are a great way to keep your hands busy, so if your clothes have them, then make sure to use them! You also look more relaxed when you keep your hands in your pockets and that always looks good on camera.

11. The “flex the knee” pose

When you stand in the middle of an empty space it can be difficult to figure out how to pose. A small trick not to look tense is to flex one of your knees. This pose looks especially good from behind since it makes it seem like you are waiting for or you are watching something.

TIP: If you are not wearing heels, you can ‘fake’ it by standing on your toes. This will make your legs look longer.

12. The “hold your dress” pose

This pose resembles the “flip the dress” one, the difference being that you don’t actually let go of the material. Try to add a bit of movement to the fabric by swaying left and right.

13. The “look in the distance” pose

This pose looks better from behind, but it’s also a neat idea if it’s really sunny outside and you can’t really keep your eyes wide open as a result. You essentially put your palm above your eyes as if you’re trying to see something far in the distance.

14. The “hands in the air” pose

This pose works really well when you are located somewhere high like on the top of a mountain, on a viewing platform, etc. The reason for this is that it gives a feeling of freedom and joy.

15. The “I hide something in my hands” pose

Okay, this is a terrible name for a pose, but I really don’t know how else to describe it. You basically raise your hands together at your waistline and hold them as if you are trying to hide something in them.

The reason why I like this pose and find myself using it, again and again, is the fact that it creates angles, which look really nice in photos.

16. The “laying down” pose

For this pose, you sit down on the ground, rock, or ledge and you flex your legs making sure that one of your knees is higher than the other (TIP: It looks way better when the leg facing the camera is lower than the other one).

While posing, make sure your back is straight because it’s really easy to slouch in this position. As for your hands, you can either put one on your legs and one on the surface you are sitting on or keep both of them on it.

17. The “fixing my hair” pose

The idea behind this pose is essentially the same one as for the “holding my hat” pose, it’s just that you don’t have a hat to hold onto. So instead, you pretend to fix your hair. I usually like to do this pose a lot when I’m wearing a ponytail.

18. The “side view” pose

This pose adds a bit of variety since the goal is to position yourself perpendicular to the camera. You can then add elements from other poses like walking from one side to the other, holding something, etc. You can also sit still and turn only your head towards the camera.

19. The “look back” pose

For this pose, you need to angle your body sideways and turn your head toward the camera. It should look like you were suddenly surprised by the person behind you snapping a pic. Add a smile, for a playful look.

20. The “hiding” pose

This pose requires a prop like a hat, a fan, or a bucket of flowers that you’ll use to hide part of your face (more often than not the mouth part). Use the opportunity to smile with your eyes.

Tips on how to look better in photos

Try to create angles. Photography is all about angles, so try to remember that when posing: maybe hold your knee a bit flexed, put a leg in front of the other, or place a hand on your hip. While it may feel awkward in real life, it will look good in pictures.

Don’t look directly at the camera. I already touched on this, but try to avoid staring directly at the camera. It often looks unnatural and can make you feel really self-conscious and tense, which will show in the photo.

Stand on your toes to look taller. The usual obvious choice to make yourself look taller is of course wearing heels, but let’s face it, even women who frequently wear them might still opt out when traveling. So a neat trick to elongate your legs and make you look taller when you are not wearing heels is to simply stand on your toes.

TIP: Try to put one leg in front of the other to hide a bit the fact that you are standing on your toes.

Now if you are naturally tall, you might not need to do this, but for us, short girls, I do feel like this tip is gold.

Use the burst mode. This tip I already mentioned several times in this blog post, but it is that good! Especially when traveling in a busy place, where a few seconds can make the difference between a cute solo picture and having a crowd in the background.

And yes, it’s totally normal for tourist places to be full of people, but who wants that to show in their holiday pictures? Of course, we will grab any opportunity to get a nice solo pic in the location we are currently in.

Besides, you also want to be courteous to others in crowded places. It’s not nice to hog a popular spot for 30+ minutes to get a good shot and have others wait for you (though if it’s empty then do your thing as long as you want). But doing a few Bursts gets you dozens of pics to choose from and only takes a few minutes at best.

But Burst mode has its downside as well: it’s fastest on phones, but more often than not it will only save the photos in JPEG format which means you are a bit more restricted in terms of post-editing, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay.

Practice at home, in the mirror. Since when you pose for photos, you can’t actually see what the camera sees, it’s a good idea to practice your poses at home, in front of a full-sized mirror. This way you’ll be able to see what the poses actually look like and decide which are the most flattering and it will also help you remember them.

Combine poses. Most of the poses I listed here can be combined and you could easily see that in the pictures that I gave as examples, so make sure you have fun with it.

Wrap up

Posing for pictures may seem a little awkward at first, but don’t worry! With these easy and cute photo poses and tips, you’ll be a pro in no time. So why don’t you try out some of these poses the next time you’re taking pictures? I bet you’ll love the results!

Happy posing~

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