From Alexa Chung to the Olsens, the 14 Camera Poses You Need to Know

Nicole Kliest
By
last updated
in How-to

We’ve covered in depth the myriad of ways to take a great photo. From avoiding a low angle to standing up straight, the tips and tricks to looking top-notch on camera are ready for the taking. But there's always more to learn, right? That's why we turned to our favorite celebrities for some posing inspiration.

Women in the limelight spend a lot of time posing for photographs, so naturally, they're very well versed in the tricks of the trade. When it comes to women who seemingly never take a bad photo, we looked a bit closer and realized they have a small set of poses they always turn to. Enter: today’s slideshow. We gathered 14 celebrity poses for you to practice and perfect for your next event. Trust us—your Instagram feed will thank you. 

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The Sidekick
(Image credit: Victor Boyko/Getty Images)

WHO: Chiara Ferragni

HOW: Play it cool and cross one foot over the other. 

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The Double-Down
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret)

WHO: Alessandra Ambrosio

HOW: Hands on hips, feet hip-length apart.

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The Tendu
(Image credit: Ian Gavan/Getty Images )

WHO: Taylor Swift

HOW: Pretend you are in ballet class and point your foot forward with one hand firmly on your hip.

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The Foot Massager
(Image credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images for Topshop)

WHO: Alexa Chung

HOW: Cross at your ankles, and flatten the outer edge of your foot onto the ground.

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The Point and Stretch
(Image credit: John Lamparski/WireImage)

WHO: Eva Chen

HOW: Shift your weight to one side, but instead of a severe hip pop, point your toe out as far as you can in the opposite direction.

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The One-Leg Wonder
(Image credit: Monica Schipper/Getty Images)

WHO: Olivia Palermo

HOW: No muss, no fuss—just stick your right leg slightly more forward than the left.

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The Symmetrical Saint
(Image credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Gabriela Cadena)

WHO: Blake Lively

HOW: Face the corner with a hand on your hip and the same foot forward.

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The Coy Cutie
(Image credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

WHO: Emma Stone

HOW: Stand with your arms at your side and feet almost touching, and slightly shift your rib cage to the left or right.

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The Curvature
(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Clara Lionel Foundation)

WHO: Rihanna

HOW: Pose from the side to show off your curves, of course.

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The Lean-Back
(Image credit: Mike Marsland/WireImage)

WHO: Victoria Beckham

HOW: Face the camera at a three-quarter angle, lean back, and snap!

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The Demure Duo
(Image credit: Robin Marchant/Getty Images)

WHO: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

HOW: Posing with your bestie? Forget slinging your arms around each other’s shoulders. Stand tall and face inward toward each other. Don’t forget to say “prunes”!

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The Straight Squeeze
(Image credit: Donato Sardella/Getty Images for FORWARD by Elyse Walker)

WHO: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

HOW: Cross your legs, but keep them and your arms straight to elongate your body.

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The One-Hand Hip
(Image credit: Andrew H. Walker/WireImage)

WHO: Karlie Kloss

HOW: Ever so slightly shift your weight to the left, and casually place your hand on your hip.

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The Look-at-Me
(Image credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

WHO: Beyoncé 

HOW: Slightly bend your elbows and place both hands palm down onto your upper thighs. 

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated by Emily Greenberg.

Nicole Kliest
Nicole Kliest
Freelance Contributor

Nicole Kliest is a freelance writer and editor based in New York City who focuses on fashion, travel, food, wine, and pretty much anything else that's amusing to write about. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a bachelor's in journalism and creative writing, she started her career back in 2010 as Who What Wear's photo editor and throughout the last decade has contributed to publications including Fashionista, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, The Zoe Report, PopSugar, Fodor's Travel, and several others. She also copywrites and has worked with clients such as Frame, Sea, 3x1, Intelligentsia, and others to develop brand voices through storytelling and creative marketing. She's very passionate about the ways we can improve our sustainability efforts in the fashion industry as well as cultivating content that's diverse and inclusive of all people. When she's not checking out the latest restaurant opening in her West Village neighborhood or riding her bicycle along the West Side Highway, she can be found scheming her next trip somewhere around the world. (Up next is Vienna.)