Does understanding how to take a sexy picture feel daunting to you? Read on for a photographer’s tips to help you take that coveted shot.
Sexy photos are everywhere. From Facebook, Instagram, Tinder, and Snapchat, there’s a whole ocean of images out there featuring disembodied cleavages, crotches, butts, and other appealing body parts. For the average person who lacks the body of a Kardashian and the money to pay for their own photographer, here are the tips you need on how to take a sexy picture.
How to take a sexy picture: 11 useful tips
“But all you need is self-confidence to feel sexy!” others say. Big mistake. While it is true that you need confidence in order to feel sexy, it is not an assurance that you’re safe from posting a seemingly “sexy” photo that you regret soon after. In fact, what you need is a good set of aesthetic and technical skills to back up your confidence in order to take better and sexier photos sure to make the whole Internet drool.
#1 Keep in mind: Naked is not automatically “sexy.” A common misconception among many is that a nude photo is equal to a sexy photo. Posting a straight nude is like recklessly going all out in a poker game. It get its intended effect at first, but it’s perceived sexiness diminishes later on as there’s nothing left for your audience to see. As you later discover, implied nudity is sexier because it teases and makes your viewers want more. [Read: 15 tantalizing ways to be a seductive tease]
#2 Don’t be afraid to look for ideas on the Internet. After all, the professionals do it too. Getting ideas before posing and snapping a photo allows you more room for preparation and inspires your creativity in defining how your own body translates into something sexy. If you want to know how to take a sexy picture, the Internet provides a whole resource of sexy photo poses for you to imitate, modify, and improve. [Read: How to use sexy talk and make your lover melt with desire]
#3 Practice taking selfies until you find your most flattering angle. After doing your research and selecting several poses, put them to the test by practicing those poses with test shots.
Pose and snap away until you find your best and most flattering angle. This way, you get a feel and look of the process and output. Allowing you to narrow down your selection of sexy poses to the ones that suit you best.
#4 Experiment with different facial expressions. Puckering up and doing the “duckface” in every photo is honestly not as attractive as it may seem. In fact, it turns others off. And when you get stuck with an awkward facial expression, it only serves as a distraction to the viewer and endangers the appeal of your sexy photo.
Don’t focus on one overly-used facial expression when snapping your sexy photos. Feel free to go crazy and experiment with a variety of different ones. Choose facial expressions that fit your sexy character. You can go with your natural smile, restrain the mood with a naughty inviting grin, or make them go crazy with the creative use of your tongue. [Read: How to be sexy and own your unique self]
#5 Dress-up. As mentioned, naked is not always sexy. Sometimes, if you want to know how to take a sexy picture, all it takes is a well-chosen dress that flatters your body to drive anyone who sees your photo crazy. Not only that, dressing up gives room for many possibilities for sexy photos. Be it an old, oversized shirt slipping off your shoulders to an evening gown hugging your boobs, use your outfit of the day as an inspiration for a sexy photo.
#6 Don’t be too shy to use props. Using props add spice to a sexy photo by giving it a playful appeal. Think of Miley Cyrus’ creative use of a police baton or Kim Kardashian’s champagne bottle gimmick.
Just like an outfit, props give way to a lot of creative options for your sexy photo. Common household items such as an apron worn over your naked body, plush toys to cover up your best bits, or ice cream melting over your chest elevates your sexy photo to a new level. [Read: Surprise your man with a naughty boudoir photo]
#7 Tease instead of revealing. As professional photographers say: the less you reveal, the sexier and titillating your photo will be. Decisively composing your photo to imply nakedness has a greater impact than a photo showing nudity itself.
There are many ways to apply this idea. A shirt pulled down to grant others a peek of the edge of the areola, obvious hints of perky nipples through a shirt, or a bath towel about to slip off are just a few familiar examples. [Read: What is boudoir photography? How to tease your man with tasteful nudes]
#8 Mind the light. Photography captures images with light. Making lighting an essential aspect in taking sexy photos. Good lighting emphasizes your best skin and facial features while poor lighting brings the appeal of the image down.
In creative photography, natural light is the main preference since it registers a soft glow that flatters the skin tone. Artificial lighting such as your camera or smartphone’s flash works too, but if you really want to get the best results, always go for natural light through a window. [Read: 12 details for taking a sexy selfie]
#9 Compose carefully. Composition is the way a photographer places the subject into the frame to guide the viewer’s eyes in looking at the photo. Bad composition ruins the image quality even if the subject is visually appealing.
Composition is important in taking sexy photos. On the other hand, a properly composed photo has the ability to trick the viewer’s eyes in a way that the subject appears more appealing than it actually is.
Some useful composition tips:
**Taking a photo from a high angle makes your body look smaller as it places your body’s length along the photo’s vanishing point. This also emphasizes the thing closest to the camera: your cleavage, pecs, or face.
**In the same way, placing yourself in the dead center of the frame makes you look slimmer. The edges of the camera lens have a little distortion that stretches the image so putting the subject in the center takes it away from distortion.
**Use the proper frame orientation. Portrait orientation for close-up selfies, while landscape orientation for full body photos.
#10 Look directly at the camera. Looking directly at the camera lens is like directly looking at your viewer. It adds sexiness by implying an interaction between the subject and the viewer. [Read: How to look better naked by using 15 real life tips]
#11 Don’t rely too much on filters and post-processing. A common mortal sin committed by the sexy selfie-posting mob is the liberal use of filters and other photo editing apps to “enhance” their photo. Using too much of these defeats the purpose of taking a sexy photo. And it only serves to make the photo look unnatural.
Superior sexy photos are those taken with proper lighting, creative poses, and superb composition.
[Read: How to take the best sexy pictures while looking great]
Want to learn how to take a sexy picture that brings on the likes, followers, and flirty inbox messages? The answer is skills! Be more creative and confident in taking sexy photos and bring a breath of fresh air from the usual.