5 Tricks to Appear Slimmer in Photographs

Most of us are familiar with the pang of horror when a Facebook notification pops up - "You've been tagged in a photo!" - or your family get out that photo album that you can't stand.  Whether you're self-conscious about your weight in general or not, it's common to think that you look fat or bigger than usual in photographs. The average person receives only one piece of advice about being photographed ("Smile!") so most of us fail to realize that there are simple ways to appear slimmer in photos. Use these five tips and your friends (and followers) will be asking if you've lost weight in no time at all!

Push Your Chin Down and Out

Many people make the mistake of shrinking back, tucking their chins in when the camera appears.  This simply makes your face appear rounder and gives you a double chin, so do the opposite! Keeping your neck straight, push your chin out, away from your neck, to create a smoother jawline and then tilt your face down a little so that the eye is drawn down your face. This tip will take ten pounds off your face in seconds.

Tilt Your Head

If you want to make yourself appear even slimmer, make sure to tilt your head slightly to the side.  Most face shapes look better from a slight angle so turn your head a little to the right, or towards another person in the photo, before it's taken. As long as you keep your chin out and tilted down, you'll catch your best angles this way.

Put Your Good Foot Forward

Okay, not your good foot, just one of your legs! Press your thighs together and point one leg out in front of the other to drop camera weight immediately. Having one leg forward makes you appear only as wide as one leg, whereas with your feet spread apart you'll look a lot bigger than anyone slimmer in the picture with you. This optical illusion works every time whether you're wearing pants, shorts, or a skirt.

Bite Your Cheeks When You Smile

Gently bite the inside of your cheeks to slim down your face and make your cheekbones appear more prominent, instantly streamlining your profile. You can do this while smiling with your mouth closed, pouting, or giving a cheeky grin, so as long as you aren't obsessed with getting your teeth out for the camera this pose will work wonders for you.  You can't control everything about a photo but you can use these tips in any photograph to make yourself look thinner. Once you've mastered them, you'll be looking like a supermodel the next time someone busts out a camera! Happy Holidays everyone!!

Hold Your Hands On Your Waist

Put one hand on your waist to draw the eye to the slimmest part of your body. Some people avoid this pose as they think it looks too sassy or feminine but try it out in the mirror and you'll see that it can look casual and natural too. 

If you have a prop in your hand, like a drink or a folder, then you can use this to draw attention to your waist instead.  This creates a triangle between your upper arms and your waist.  This triangle gives you the illusion of having a smaller waist.  This works great if you are wearing a dress or a blouse that doesn't fit tight at the waist. 


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Meet the author


Tracy Heschong-McCrackin

Tracy Heschong-McCrackin is an award-winning writer and photographer, who has had her work recognized across the country. Several of her images have been Editor Favorites at NatGeoYourShot. 

She started her photography studio 20 years ago and specialized in portraits, landscapes and commercial photography. Tracy draws much of her inspiration from her travels. She has a passion for investigating off the beaten path locations, cultures and individuals. It is those moments of exploration that her creativity is ignited and much of her artwork is born. She is an Artist, Photographer, Designer and Blogger. Her Gallery can be found at: www.tracymccrackin.com.  You can also follow her on social media by clicking any of the links below: