December 11, 2008
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‘That’s Just Not Me’
Recently, a Bride declined to book us based on one photo. Yep, it’s true, after looking at only one shot, she said to her planner, “That girl in the picture with her hand on her hip, that’s just not me”. What?! “So you’re the girl who wants her arms to look fat?”, I’d have asked, if I’d been at the meeting. But I wasn’t, and the planner couldn’t even respond to her statement because she didn’t know the reasoning behind the pose. But since this girl tripped over the topic, and I don’t want you to trip and fall into the land of ham hock arms behind her, I’ll pass on this simple lesson. It comes from – hang on – classic pin-up girls. That’s right, these girls weren’t always 110 lb Uma Thurman-esque amazons either, and most never even walked into a gym, but, whatever their size, they knew exactly how to keep their arms (and other parts) looking fit for the camera. Now before you scoff, try this yourself: Stand sideways to a mirror with your (sleeveless) arms at your sides, then slowly slide your hand up toward your hip and watch your arms get leaner. Now, with your hand still on your hip, push your shoulder slightly forward. Nice, right? What you’re doing is a simple first position pose that non-models can use to make their arms look trim for the lens. Regardless of your size, the wrong pose can make your arms and everything else just look bad. Of course you don’t need to know all of these “tricks of the trade”, that’s our job, and we know a lot of them, and not just for arms. They’re easy for you, and they’ll make you look great. So trust us, put your hand on your hip; it doesn’t say who you are, it says – to the unforgiving lens – “I’d like nice-looking arms please”. The camera will oblige and your arms will appear in all their angular splendor, illusion or not.
