What to do with your hands in photos: 12 simple ideas

Why do hands look awkward in photos?

Hands are awkward because they have nothing to do. In life they hold, point, touch and move all the time. In a photo they are frozen, and a frozen hand reads as tension. The fix is not a perfect position. It is a task: hold something, touch something, rest on something.

Camera angle matters too. A hand held toward the lens looks huge, because the closer part of the body gets bigger. The Wikipedia page on perspective distortion explains the effect. Keep hands at the same distance from the lens as the body.

What are twelve easy hand ideas?

Try these in order, and keep what feels natural.

• One thumb hooked in a pocket, the other hand loose.
• One hand resting on the hip, thumb behind.
• A hand in the hair, elbow slightly down.
• Both hands around a cup or a mug.
• A hand on a bag strap or a backpack strap.
• A hand adjusting sunglasses or a hat brim.
• Hands clasped lightly behind the back.
• One hand on a collar or a jacket edge.
• A hand resting on a railing or a wall.
• Arms crossed loosely, with fingers visible.
• A hand on the other person's shoulder.
• A hand holding a phone, a book or a ticket.

How does Posepass handle hands?

Every drawn figure in Posepass has a named hand position, such as pocket, hip, cup, strap, hair, rail or knee. The cues for the person posing include give your hands something to hold, soft hands with no fists and plant your feet, move only your arms. The poses are in the pose library, and the figure on each pose page shows exactly where the hands go.

Examples: Hands in pockets, Hair touch walk, Cup in both hands, Bag strap, Cuff fix and Hold the hat.

What should I avoid?

Four hand habits spoil frames.

• Fists. They signal tension, so keep fingers loose.
• Fingers spread flat on the thigh or the hip, which looks stiff.
• Arms pressed straight against the body.
• A hand held out toward the lens, which grows large and hides the face.

What do I do with my hands in a group photo?

Put a hand on the shoulder or waist of the person next to you, or let them hang loose with a slight bend at the elbow. In a row, check that everyone's hands are visible and not stacked on one another. In a seated group, rest hands on the knees or hold a cup. See group photo poses for layouts that keep hands in view.

What do I do with my hands in a couple photo?

Hold hands, rest one on the other's arm or place a hand at the back of the shoulder. Keep the grip soft. The walk poses work well, since holding hands comes from walking. In Posepass, Hand in hand walk and Arm around the shoulder show these positions. More ideas are in photo poses for couples.

What if I am in a selfie?

The free hand needs a place too. Hold a coffee, a jacket or a bag strap. In a mirror selfie, hold the phone at chest height and let the other hand fall loose or hold the phone with both hands. Posepass has Mirror shot, which puts the phone at chest height with the lens in the corner of the mirror. For a landmark selfie, the Wide selfie pose uses the 0.5x lens.

How can the photographer help?

Tell the subject what to do with the hands as a task, not a correction. Say hold the cup with both hands, not stop looking stiff. Keep the hands inside the frame and at the same distance as the body. Take a burst, because hands move between frames, and one of five usually looks right.

The photographer should also check the frame for cut-off wrists. The shot check asks whether anything is cut at the joints, and wrists are on the list.

What about nervous hands?

Breathe out and shake them out before the shot. Hold something with weight, like a mug or a bag. The body relaxes when the hands do. Walking helps too, since arms swing without thinking.

Take a deliberate silly frame first, and the pressure drops.

A hand checklist before the shutter

Look at the hands before the photographer taps. Fingers soft, no fists, nothing pressed flat to the body, nothing reaching toward the lens. Then breathe out and go. The same list works on a phone screen after the shot, and a standing pose is the best place to practice.

What are good hand ideas for a portrait or profile photo?

In a close portrait the hands are often out of the frame, so use them to shape the shoulders. Rest a hand on the opposite arm or let one touch your collar. If a hand is in view, keep it on the chin or the cheek with fingers relaxed and no pressure. A thumb tucked under the chin looks stiff, and a light touch looks easy. The photographer should use 2x from about arm's length.

How do I practice natural hands?

Pick three positions that feel easy, such as a pocket, a cup and a strap, and rehearse them in front of a mirror or with the phone on a shelf and the timer running. Take ten frames and look at which hand shape works with your build and your clothes. Keep those three as your defaults, and use the rest as variations. Posepass gives every pose a drawn hand position, so you can check a pose in the pose library before you try it.

What do hands look like on a wide lens?

On the 0.5x lens, a hand near the edge or toward the camera can stretch. Keep hands close to the body and inside the central area of the frame. If a pose asks you to reach toward the phone, use the 1x lens instead. A little distance between you and the phone keeps hands in proportion.