The Photogenic Secrets Celebs Use—Plus an Expert on Why They Work

We're always looking for new ways to look more photogenic in our Instagram photos. We've tried squinching and tested out secrets from street style stars, but our favorite celebs have some tricks up their sleeves, too—especially when it comes to their signature poses. 

But why do A-listers like Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Chrissy Teigen, Alexa Chung, and Taylor Swift stick to certain poses? Well, we tapped Getty Images photographer Mike Coppola—who photographs celebrities daily and is an expert on which poses look best—to explain why these specific angles work best in pictures. The best part? These looks will work great in your photos, too. 

Keep scrolling to check out the poses that you can re-create to make yourself look better the next time you're snapped. 

"This pose is great because it shows off that “S” curve. Believe it or not, you don’t have to be a curvy woman to create the illusion of curves, which is what you look for in a great pose. The head turned over the shoulder look shows the curves of the body and puts your best assets forward. Literally. This pose is ideal for showing off the back of the body, an amazing backless dress, or a jacket with some great detail. This is also an excellent pose for avoiding the dreaded double chin. How to do it? Depending on your flexibility, face the back wall; modified: face ten o’clock. Put one foot slightly forward and the other foot back. Turn towards your back foot and twist from the waist to face center (facing the camera). You can let your arm hang down or put it on your hip. Either arm position works for this pose. Once turned to face center, dip the shoulder that you lead the turn with slightly down and tilt your chin slightly up so you are looking dead on to the camera."

On Hadid: Mikhael Kale set and jacket; Christian Louboutin heels.

On Hadid: Michael Kors jumpsuit.

On Hadid: Prabal Gurung suit.

"This is a power pose. Angelina Jolie did this same pose with her iconic red carpet moment at 2012 Oscars. This pose commands attention and is one to master if you are wearing a dress with a slit. When you position your leg pivoted out of the slit, you draw attention to the leg which creates a beautiful line to the face. Unless you are Kendall, I would make a few modifications to get the most out of this pose: Put your hand or hands on your hips to help minimize your waist. Kendall can get away with keeping her arms by her side because she is so long and lean, but this arm positioning won’t look best on everyone. Keeping your arms close to the body typically makes your waist look wider than you actually are. The goal is to create some sort of negative space between your torso and your arms. This will help to define your waist. I would also recommend doing this post at a 90-degree angle, so you’re not square on to the camera, illuminating the boxed look."

On Jenner: Zimmermann top and skirt; Tom Ford heels.

On Jenner: Bella Dahl dress; Givenchy boots.

On Jenner: Balmain x H&M dress; Balmain boots.

"I am a big fan of this classic red carpet pose. Any time you take your arms away from your body, you are creating a space that makes you look thinner. The line of her arm leads your eye to look at her face and creates the 'S' curve along the side of her body. You can also pivot in this pose—which can take you straight into the over the shoulder look. Her weight is on her back foot and front leg is bent. By doing this, your hips are farther away from the camera which will make them look smaller. The key to mastering this pose is to always put your weight on your back foot. Your front foot should be pointed toward the photographer. You can also lean slightly forward (push your butt back) and keep your head up to eliminate the double chin. You can do this pose with both hands on your hips, as well."

On Teigen: Balmain jumpsuit.

On Teigen: Zuhair Murad dress.

On Teigen: Anthony Vaccarello skirt.

"Taylor definitely knows what she is doing on the red carpet, and I love this pose. She creates the perfect 'S' curve—from her knee to her chest, and she is not a curvy girl. Her weight is on the back foot, front leg is slightly bent, which allows you to dip your front forward, creating a slight flirt with the camera and elongating your neck. Make sure the camera is eye level or above and always point at least one of your feet toward the camera. I would edit her positioning slightly so she dosen't look like she is missing an arm. A simple fix is to rotate the body one way or the other so both arms are visible to the camera. This is a great pose for when you are taking group photos. It keeps your body angled, and slims the body and looks really natural."

On Swift: Balmain jumpsuit.

On Swift: Roberto Cavalli Atelier dress.

On Swift: Kaufmanfranco dress.

"If you are wearing a long dress, crossing your feet one over the other gives shape to a shapeless dress. Alexa is also known for wearing flats and shorter dresses. By crossing your feet, especially if you are wearing shoes that show the top skin of your foot, you are creating the illusion of longer legs, even if you are wearing flats. Again, it’s important to put your weight on the back foot and always add a slight angle so you aren’t square on to the camera. The arms to the side works for her because she is very thin—not ideal for everyone. This arm pose also works better if you are wearing an outfit that is fitted in the waist. If the dress is loose, I would recommend a hand on hip to define the waistline."

On Chung: Christopher Kane dress; Jimmy Choo pumps.

On Chung: Alessandra Rich dress.

On Chung: Chanel bag; Carven shoes.

What's your favorite pose? Will you test it out in your next photo? Let us know in the comments below! And if you're feeling inspired to enhance your upcoming Instagram snap even more, shop these gorgeous blouses to kick your Insta-style up a notch.