If you are preparing for your first photoshoot or just want to appear more beautiful and graceful on your apparatus, here are 5 tips to get stunning photos:
1. Fruit picker hands. Yes, your teacher always tells you to point your toes, but hands are super important too! They focus the attention of the beholder. So, whichever part of your body you are touching with your hands, the eyes will be directed there.
Also, remember that rigid or broken wrists can ruin your beautiful pose. The secret is to practice “ballerina hands.”Imagine to delicately pick a fruit or hold something fragile between your thumb and middle finger. Keep your arms slightly bent instead of straight and rigid. Try it and notice the difference!
2. Relax your face. It's hard not to show the effort when we are upside down, spinning or doing something difficult but your face has to be effortless. There’s no point of doing a difficult trick if your face looks like you’re eating lemons. Try not to grimace and show tension on your facial expression. Relax your eyes (or keep them closed if you prefer), forehead and mouth.
3. Look towards the light. A photographer will guide you where to look. But if you have a friend or family member taking a picture, then they probably won't know how to guide you. As a general rule, keep your face towards the main source of light. If you can hold the position for a bit , look in to different directions to see which one looks better. Usually, looking straight in to the camera looks a bit unnatural and forced. I prefer to have my models look right above or to the side of the camera. Also, consider that some dramatic or intimate poses look better with the eyes closed or looking down.
4. Getting the right angle is essential! You might be doing an amazing pose but if it is photographed from the wrong angle it could look unflattering or unappealing. The photographer may move around you, but he/she may be limited by the environment or desired background. In this case, it is up to you to properly position yourself. Sometimes it may be difficult to control exactly where to face but there are two options:
A. You can use an assistant to adjust you and/or the apparatus in the right position to capture the perfect shot.
B. You can hold the position while spinning until the photographer gets the right angle. This methods makes the photos look amazing because they are captured in motion, but it may require a few attempts to get the right shot. If you are taking a photo by yourself, you can take a video while spinning and later take a screenshot at the right angle.
I personally like to use both methods during my photoshoots.
5. Wear a daring outfit. Instead of wearing your usual training outfit, try something completely different, like a floaty dress, a long skirt or a creative costume. Of course, you would have to adapt what you do on the apparatus to the range of movement/grip that you have with your specific outfit, but the result is amazing. Especially, if you have a fan or someone to help you move the dress/skirt. Also, have fun with different styles of make-up and props! There are so many props you can use to make your photos stand out: balloons, fog machine, colorful lights, flowers, themed objects to match your outfit, etc.
I hope you found these tips useful. If you need more inspiration you can look at my PORTFOLIO
