How to look good in photos – a MAD’s Award tutorial

As the Mad Blog Awards 2013 draw mega close, I’m going to show you how Mummy might look on the big night. You’ve had the task of selecting my outfit, but now it’s actually Mummy’s turn in the spotlight. And bearing in mind the red carpet moment (although I seem to recall last year it was orange), I’ve been doing some research on how to look good in photos. Trust me, Mummy needs this advice…

This was her last year:

Actually Mummy at the Mad Blog Awards 2012 in Wish Want Wear - GG in River Island

Not bad, and the word most bandied around afterwards was “cleavage.” Apparently it is the wide-angled lens that made her look big-headed and large-chested, and not an over-inflated ego 😉 And clearly, rule one of how to look good in photos is Accessorize! If you’re worried you may not look perfect in the photos, take along a distraction – in this case a young child with a big grin, wearing leopard print did the trick. Anyway, on with the tips.

How to look good in photos:

1. Get the basics right before you set off.

Choose something glamorous, stylish, elegant – don’t wear an oversized Christmas tree decoration.

Lady Gaga demonstrates how not to look good in photos

Image Credit

2. Once you hit the red carpet, it’s too late to lose any more pounds, so forget the lunges.

Kim Kardashian is still doing pre-red carpet workouts

Kim Kardashian takes her workout to the wire.

3. Always wear a bra.

Always wear a bra if you want to look good in photos. Unless you're Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow may look good without a bra, but you won’t. Trust me on this.

4. Strike a pose:

All images courtesy of Xfinity:

Reader’s Digest has this to say about how to stand in front of the camera to look your best:

Turn your body three quarters of the way toward the camera, with one foot in front of the other and one shoulder closer to the photographer. When you face forward, your body tends to look wider.

We have an amazing photographer friend who has these tips: hold your arms slightly away from your body, so they don’t flatten against your body and look larger, and push your head slightly forward to minimise a double chin effect. Don’t overdo it though, or you will resemble a determined sapling in a hurricane.

Gwen Stefani takes the red carpet pose too far

She also says put one foot forward, with the weight on your back foot, and drop one hip, with a hand on the other. Be careful not to do the cross though, that will just make you look like you need the loo:

Rihanna needs the toilet

And if you have nice legs, show them off. But do leave a little to the imagination:

Beyonce leaves little to the imagination

5. Smile.

Look right at the camera lens and pretend it’s David Beckham (or whoever floats your boat). Apparently the trick to getting a natural smile rather than a fixed grimace is to close your eyes, then open them slowly just before the photographer shoots. (I’ll apologise now to the other guests as we hold them up perfecting the look). And never wear red lipstick unless a) you’ve been told a million times how good you look in it, and b) you’re prepared to keep it tidy all night. Yes, even after the gin.

How to look good in photos - steer clear of red lipstick

Images courtesy of TinyPic, Socialite Life & Makeup Overdose.

Right then, I’m all set, see you there with your best foot forward and your shoulders back 😉

Oh, I forgot, you wanted to see how my Mum is going to look. Well, she’s nervously awaiting a delivery from dress hire people tomorrow which will decide the dress. Clearly my Mum looks less like a model, and slightly more cheerful, but one of these dresses will fit her, and the other one may not. If you’re still panicking over what to wear, you can even call them tomorrow to have a dress delivered to you that same day, with a back-up size and choice free of charge.

Beautiful dresses to hire from Wish Want Wear

*Disclosure: Wish Want Wear are supplying Mummy’s dress free of charge so that we can review their services.

31 thoughts on “How to look good in photos – a MAD’s Award tutorial”

  1. I’m feeling the pressure here with all of this dressing up talk. I’d better have a rummage in my wardrobe and see what I can dredge up.

    Reply
  2. I almoat imagined a flash of lady garden after you mentioned How does your garden grow… sorry Actually Grandna…
    You are going to look amazing, I am well jel of the lucky lady who gets to spend the night with you 😉 Lets smash Whittles seating plan and sit together this year…. x

    Reply
  3. I love all those faux pas- you’ll look lovely in either of those / anything – we know that, don’t we? 😉 xx

    Reply
  4. Oh wow, how AM I going to remember all that? Hips back, knees forward, head down, tongue out.. No? Safe to say all the pics of me will be rubbish, especially the blurry ones after bedtime (9pm). Thanks for this, I really needed it!!

    Reply
  5. Brilliant post, very funny. I love both those dresses, you’d look fab in either. Slightly disappointed you’re not wearing the silver one *tuts*

    Reply
  6. I want to see how you look too! That pic of Gwen Stefani made me laugh – looks like someone went a bit overboard, hehe! I might give Wish Want Wear a try – I hadn’t heard of them until I read this – I’ve rented once from http://www.girlmeetsdress.com/blog/offers-competitions/places-to-go-this-valentines-night/ but that’s about it.

    Reply

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