Most bad prom photos are not about how anyone looks. They are about people standing like they are waiting for a bus. Arms pinned to their sides. Shoulders square to the camera. A smile held so long it has gone stiff.
Posing fixes that. Not dramatic, magazine posing. Small adjustments that make people look like themselves on a good day. Our page on prom photos covers where to shoot, the light and how to run a big group. This page is about what to do once you are standing in front of the camera.
Five basics that fix almost everything
- Turn a little. Angle your body about a quarter turn away from the camera, then turn your face back toward it. Square to the lens looks stiff and wide.
- Put your weight on your back foot. It relaxes your shoulders and creates a slight bend in the front knee, which reads as natural.
- Give your arms some space. A small gap between your arms and your body keeps sleeves and bodices from flattening out.
- Bring your chin forward and slightly down. It feels odd. It looks great, and it gets rid of the double-chin worry.
- Breathe out right before the shot. Holding your breath freezes your face.
What to do with your hands
Hands are where everyone gets stuck. The rule is to give them a job, and keep them soft rather than flat or clenched.
- One hand resting lightly on your hip, fingers relaxed and pointing slightly down.
- Holding your clutch low in front of you, with both hands.
- Lightly holding the skirt of your dress, as if you were about to lift it to walk.
- One hand in a pants pocket with the thumb out, the other loose at your side.
- Adjusting a cuff, a boutonniere or a jacket button.
- Resting on your partner's arm, shoulder or back.
Avoid fists, hands clasped at the belt like a church usher, and arms crossed tight, which can look defensive in a formal photo.
Solo poses
| Pose | How to do it | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| The classic three-quarter | Quarter turn, weight back, hand on hip, face to camera | Full-length outfit shots |
| Over the shoulder | Back mostly to the camera, look back over one shoulder | Open backs, low backs, bows and buttons |
| The walk | Walk slowly toward the camera, mid-step, looking slightly off to one side | Long skirts and trains, and people who freeze when still |
| The twirl | Spin once, let the skirt flare, take a burst | Full skirts and anything with movement |
| Seated | Sit on a step or chair edge, ankles crossed and angled to one side | A softer portrait, and tired feet |
| The jacket | Jacket buttoned standing, one hand on the lapel or in a pocket | Suits and tuxes |
Get one shot of the details while you are at it. Shoes, the corsage, cufflinks, the back of an updo. They take ten seconds and end up in a lot of albums.
Couple poses
The classic prom couple photo, two people standing side by side with arms around each other, is fine. It is also the one everyone has. Take it, then try a few of these.
- Angled in. Both turn slightly toward each other, closest shoulders touching, faces to the camera.
- One behind. One partner stands slightly behind the other, hands resting on their waist or arms.
- The corsage moment. One person pins or slides on the flower while the other watches. Real action photographs better than fake action, so actually do it.
- The walk. Holding hands, walking toward the camera, talking to each other rather than looking at the lens.
- Looking at each other. Faces turned in, mid-laugh. Ask your partner something ridiculous to get the laugh.
- Back to back. Arms crossed loosely, both looking at the camera. Works well for friends going together.
Not every pair is a romantic couple, and not every couple wants romantic poses. Friends going together can do the back-to-back, the walk or a goofy recreation of an old photo of the two of you. Skip anything that makes either person uncomfortable. That shows in the photo.
Height differences are easy to handle. The taller person can stand on a lower step, widen their stance or lean in. Or lean into the difference and keep it. Some of the best couple photos have one person tucked under the other's arm.
Group poses
Groups look best when they are not in a single straight line. A few ways to break it up:
- Stagger heights, tallest in the middle or back, and have people at the ends angle in toward the center.
- Use a staircase, porch steps or a bench to create rows.
- Pair people up in the line, so each couple or pair is angled toward each other.
- Try a V shape, with the point toward the camera and the arms of the V angled back.
- Do the walking shot, the whole group walking toward the camera, arm in arm.
- Take the funny one. Jumping, pointing at one person, a dramatic slow-motion turn.
Leave a little space between dresses so skirts are not crushed into each other. For big groups, take the full group shot early, while everyone is fresh. Then break into smaller groups. Have whoever is taking the photo count down out loud and fire a burst. With twelve people, someone always blinks.
Do not forget the families. One photo with each family, then the whole group with every parent behind it, is worth the minute it takes.
If you hate having your picture taken
A lot of people do. The camera makes them feel watched, and that feeling shows up as a tight smile and stiff shoulders. Nobody talks about this part of prom photos, so here is a plan.
Pick two or three poses you like and practice them in a mirror a few days before. Knowing exactly what to do takes away most of the panic. When it is your turn, use those and nothing else.
Give yourself something to do. Hold a clutch, adjust a cuff, hold your date's hand. Look at a person rather than the lens. Talk during the photo. Movement and conversation make your face relax in a way a held smile never will.
Ask the person behind the camera to take bursts and candids. Some of the best shots of people who hate photos happen the second after they think the photo is over.
Choose your spot in group photos. The middle is not required. A spot near the end, angled in, is just as much a part of the picture.
It is also fine to set limits. You can say yes to the group photo and the family photo and skip the fifteenth variation. You can ask friends to check with you before posting. Our page on prom etiquette covers photo-posting manners, and a good friend group will respect it.
And if your worry is about your body specifically, angles help less than comfort does. A dress or suit that fits well and feels like you will do more for your photos than any pose, and a stylist at one of the prom shops listed on this site can help you find it. Our pages on choosing a dress for your body and alterations can help with that.
A few photo-day habits
- Check the back of your outfit before the first photo. Tags, a twisted strap and a flipped collar all show.
- Smooth the skirt and step on nothing before each full-length shot.
- Relax your face between shots. Do not hold a smile for two minutes while someone finds their phone.
- Look at a few photos early. If something keeps going wrong, fix it then.
Then stop. The pictures you take once you are inside, in the photo booth or on the dance floor, often end up as favorites.