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Tips to Posing for your Senior Portrait Session: Hands

Whether she is uncomfortable or not, her hands reveal an awkwardness/tension

I can’t tell you how many times I am asked “What should I do with my hands? ” Being photographed makes us hyper focused on parts of our bodies we rarely think about in daily life. Similar to a Poker Tell, our hands can betray us in stressful or awkward situations.

Do any of these betrayals happen to you:

  • Sweaty palms

  • We start to crack our knuckles

  • We pick at the skin around our nails

  • Create claws with fingers

  • Squeeze fingers together

You’re not alone, I have been there. Years ago, I was submitting, what I thought was a beautiful 3/4 headshot to casting directors, until one day during an audition I was asked “Why does your wrist look like that in your photo?” Yeah. Not great.

As a result of this experience, totally traumatic for my 22 year old self, I am hypervigilant during your session to remind you to relax your hands!

Check out these examples:

TOP: Relaxed Bottom: Not so much

TOP: Relaxed Bottom: Nope!

TOP + BOTTOM: Both Winners

Feel educated?! Great…more on the way.