A while ago I posted about how to lose ten pounds in one photo and the response was huge.  I have wanted to make a follow-up post for some time.  Since it’s New Years Day today, and people are starting on their New Year’s resolutions, I figured today was a perfect day to post about how you can look ten pounds lighter in a photo–even if it might take a few more weeks to actually drop the weight.  I shared these tips last spring and since then friends and family have shown me their photos and happily explain how much skinner they look than so-and-so. Darn so-and-so! Why must there always be that one person that makes you feel even worse about your body image?  I can guarantee that looking better than them in a photo is a high that’s totally worth it!  I especially feel that a bride should feel skinny and sexy on her wedding day.  I think there’s good logic behind making bridesmaids’ dresses ugly.  I would suggest a velvet top and a satin bottom, the velvet absorbed light making it look smaller and satin reflects light making it look bigger.   Okay, maybe now I’m just being mean!  Here are a few tips on how to make the camera make you lose those ten pounds instead of gain it.  So next time somebody pulls out their camera you can strut your stuff instead of running in the opposite direction.

I would like to thank my lovely bride for letting me post these pics.  I have done zero Photoshop retouching to make the bride look bigger or smaller in any of these photos.

Photo A:In the first photo her arm looks larger than it really is. The arm is also hiding her natural waist fooling the eye into thinking her waist extends wider than it really does.

Photo B:By creating a window of light between her waist and arm she allows the camera to see how tiny she really is.  The arm is also slightly flexed making it smaller.  By lifting her arm up it helps her posture and brings her shoulder blades together making her shoulders less broad in the photo.

Photo A:As a bride you will hold your bouquet for a lot of your photos.  While it is beautiful don’t let it get in the way of you being beautiful.  It will be a tendency for you to want to stick your arms to your sides and hold your bouquet up right under your chest.  This can block our view of your little waist and lets our minds imagine that there is more of it hidden behind your arms.  And pushing your arms against your sides pushes that little bit of arm skin up and makes your arms look bigger too.

Photo B:Relaxing your arms and moving outwards makes them appear smaller.  Lowering your bouquet lets your beautiful waistline be seen in the photo.  Now we can see the flowers and your sexy curves!

Photo A:While I do think every bride should have a straight-on portrait, it can be more flattering to have it take slightly to the side to show off her nice high check bones.  Taking a photo straight-on can hide pretty check bones and make her face look slightly more broad.

Photo B:By turning her face to the side she does show a more feminine curve to her face.

Photo A:It’s simple perspective–things closer to the camera look bigger.  If you put your weight on your front leg it will look bigger.

Photo B:By moving her weight to her back leg it it moves her hip and butt farther back in the photo.  Being farther from the camera helps to elongate and slim her silhouette.

Photo A:Shooting from below the bride can be less flattering.  While your photographer may always be kneeling down to get the building behind you in the photo, make sure they get some shots that are taken above you as well.

Photo B:Here is another example of perspective.  The body appears smaller because it is farther from the camera than the head.  Shooting from above can not only slim your body, it can also give you a very coy look that is classically beautiful for a bride.

That wraps it up for now, to see more tips you can see the original entry here.

P.S. This was an awesome shoot we did in a greenhouse and we rocked it–so more photos to come!

I am a Utah wedding photographer and this is my wedding photography blog.  Here are great shots from St. George.