11 Tips to Look Slimmer in Photos

Some people shy away from photographs to avoid showing aspects of their body that they're not happy with. However, by applying a few tricks, it's possible to get images that make you feel confident.

Posing in front of a camera doesn’t have to be traumatic. Some people hide from photographs because of insecurities about their appearance, especially their weight. If you’re one of these people, it’s time to lose your fear of the lens and implement a few simple strategies that will help you look slimmer in photos.

Many times, the result of the images isn’t due to the actual physical characteristics of the person, but to the settings of the device. Clothing, poses, and context also influence the shot. In this article, we’ll teach you how to prevent certain details that generate unwanted effects in photographs.

Why do people look less thin in some photos?

You don’t magically gain weight when you have your picture taken. Sometimes, enlarged images are due to the margin between you and the camera.

The effect is a product of focal length. According to Nikon®, it refers to the angle of view – i.e., how much of the scene will be captured and the magnification, affecting how large the individual elements will look.

These camera experts note that the shorter the focal length, the smaller the angle of view and the greater the magnification.

Regarding this same point, an article in Cine Premiere magazine states that varying the distance between the subject and the camera yields significant results in the final portrait. They add that the closer the equipment is, the less substantial the distance between physical features.

Follow these tips to look slimmer in photos

Being photogenic is the least important thing to make a photo look pretty. The secret is to master your poses and play with the context. There are a few tricks that can help you look better in front of the lens; we’ll reveal them below.

1. Couple the frame according to your height

If you’re tall and want to look a little shorter, sitting down makes the image look cropped, so you won’t show the full length of your body, and this plays in your favor.

In case the photo is standing, the lens has to be positioned at the waist so that the frame covers your height. And if you’re posing in a group, position yourself at the back, as far away from the camera as possible.

On the other hand, when you want more height to be noticed, it’s best to add a frame of reference. In this case, stand next to a shorter person.

2. Don’t use angles from below

If you want to look slimmer and slimmer in your photos, make sure the lens goes slightly above the eye line; otherwise, your face will look bigger than it really is. It’s the same recommendation in the case of selfies: never take a photo looking down.

3. Give your hair volume to look slimmer in photos

Try a loose, wavy, or curly hairstyle. Adding volume to your hair balances the shape of your head and face, giving the impression of balance.

4. Take care that the sunlight doesn’t hit you directly

When taking pictures outdoors, try to take them shortly before sunset so that you avoid the brightest light of the day. However, if the photos are taken during those specific hours, it’s advisable to stand with your back to the sun so as not to close your eyes.

If the rays interfere with your gaze, you squint your eyes to avoid glare. The consequence is that your jaw and cheeks will appear wider.

5. Put your hands on your hips to look slimmer

Bringing your hands to your hips slims your arms. This pose is known as the arm jug pose, and when executed well, it guarantees a flattering photo.

Spread your legs a little apart and keep your balance with one or both arms on your hips. Stay upright, but look for the spine and pelvis to drive the musculature into a state of relaxation. The effect masks abdominal sagging.

6. Regulate the light to look slimmer in photos

Use a dim background, preferably outdoors. The lights shouldn’t be strong. This benefits the face by concealing wrinkles without resorting to a very strong make-up style.

Also, you should ask the photographer to take the image in color and then show you a black and white version. That way, you can select the one you like best.

7. Combine tight and loose-fitting clothes

Proportioning your clothes is a way to slim your body. Full-fitting combinations focus the eye on the areas you want to camouflage.

Similarly, wearing only loose-fitting pieces gives the feeling of volume. For example, you could wear tight t-shirts with baggy pants.

8. Try to find a good location

This recommendation goes for group photos. You can be better positioned in the center and turned slightly to one side. From the front, you show your full width.

9. Cross your ankles

For seated photos, it works to cross your ankles and not your whole leg. This is especially true if you’re wearing a skirt or dress. This pose is perfect for showing just a little bit of leg and looking slim.

Try it: cross your leg completely at the knees, and you will see the difference in the photo. This pose really highlights your thighs, especially if you’re wearing a mini skirt.

10. Raise your chin

Raising your chin and keeping it outward helps to show off a slim face. You have to raise your head so that the lower part of the face protrudes and the neck simulates greater extension.

11. Be active

Transmitting dynamism in the photos helps to hide the details that you may like to hide. To do this, the role of the photographer is important, since he or she must execute special methods, such as lowering the shutter speed of the camera, regulating the amount of light, and ensuring the stability of the device when capturing the shot.

Should you use filters to look slimmer in photos?

The decision to use photographic filters is a very personal one. Some people use them to look the way they like, while others allude to exaggerated and unrealistic modifications.

In fact, there’s a medical term known as Snapchat dysmorphia, explained in the journal Nursing as a phenomenon whose basis is to ask plastic surgeons for changes similar to the application’s filters.

Regardless of these opinions, to look good in photos, what’s indisputably needed is confidence. Insecurity is easily transmitted in pictures.