Ms.Yin and Ms.Yang’s Top Tips for Nailing Those Instagram Poses

There’s no shame in looking good on the ‘gram, mama! Fashion experts Ms.Yin and Ms. Yang are here to show you how to nail all the perfect Instagram Poses

I’m certainly no model! These are words muttered by Ms.Yang on many an occasion. On the other hand, Ms.Yin most definitely is a bona fide, actual model who’s walked the catwalk and built a very successful modelling career in New York.

So, when the opportunity arose in Singapore for a tester photoshoot with both of us taking it in turns to model and photograph, I (yes that’s me, Ms.Yang) was somewhat nervous what with having no modelling or photography skills whatsoever. With shaky hands and my go-to teapot modelling pose I got through the shoot, but what fun we had, dodging security guards at Chijmes, switching looks by changing in the public toilets, and irritating waitstaff on their cigarette breaks by strutting our stuff in prime smoking spots, but the best bit was sharing our fashion finds with each other. Oh the squeals of delight for a showstopping pair of earrings, or the loud praise for a suitably embellished, flowing maxi – that’s what we enjoyed the most…just chatting about fashion.

But what exactly have I learnt from Ms.Yin about working in front of the camera? Here are our top 5 tips for nailing those insta-shots.

The walking shot is one of the best and fastest ways to create that natural look. “One foot directly in front of the other keeping a dead straight line” Ms.Yin hollered at me. Sounds easy, I thought, but it’s actually often more difficult than it looks especially in spindly heels and the more you concentrate the more you wobble!

Why it works: elongates the body especially if you step forward onto the balls of your feet so you’re almost on tiptoes and this also flexes your legs creating leaner legs. Adding movement to the shot makes the pose more interesting. Another trick is to rock back and forth from one foot to the other which also helps to create fluid movement in the clothes. Skirts swishing, dresses twirling, hair swinging all add movement to the shot and again add interest.

It’s very unusual to be a one-shot wonder. Prep your photographer (especially if it’s an insta-hubby)…tell him/her to click away as you strike a series of different poses, even making slight body adjustments can change a shot from the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Try and be natural…walking, rocking from foot-to-foot, hands up, laughing, jumping. Also, have the sound turned on if using your phone so you can hear the clicking between shots and and know when to switch pose. Don’t know what to do with your hands? Grab yourself a prop: a drink, a bag or if you have pockets use them! Or hold onto something…a door or play with your hair, fix an earring, mop your brow (very practical in Singapore) these will all help solve the hand dilemma.

Shoot from the ground or a crouch – this makes your legs look longer and makes you look taller. Given Ms.Yin is 6 feet tall in flats this made me laugh when she told me to lie down on the floor and click away. I replied “What, you want to look taller?!” For one of our shoots down at Marina Bay Sands area I was literally lying on the floor taking photos, much to the distress of a couple of tourists who came over to check that I hadn’t had a seizure and keeled over!

Work those angles – whether it’s one hand on the hip like a teapot (which angles and slims the arm) or two hands on hips (which helps define and cinch in the waist).

Or, tilt your body 45 degrees (as opposed to standing straight on in front of the camera). Another one of my favourite tricks is to hide half your body behind a pillar / corner of a building and then – presto! – you’re instantly slimmed down! Crossing your legs works well for shots in jeans and shorts as again this helps to elongate the legs.

Ms.Yin and I are huge fans of the fake laugh. Ms.Yin has perfected it so that she can chortle away in silence, whereas I still have to guffaw loudly wherever we might be to get the effortless I’m-having-such-a-fabulous-time-even-though-I’m-standing-in-30+ degrees-sweating-and-wilting-and-sweating-again effect.

Whatever you do, just have fun with it and remember practice really does make picture perfect! The more you pose the more natural it becomes. And if it all goes wrong don’t forget…#smileuroninstagram !