Grace Woodward shares her tips for looking good on holiday
Holiday photographs are something that will stay with us forever, so obviously we want to look good in them.
A fifth of women say the photos they log on to Facebook to see are pictures of friends and family on holiday; more than snaps of mates on a night out. And when it comes to browsing our own online albums, we are twice as likely to look back at holiday pictures as anything else.
This is partly down to the fact one in five say they want to share more photos because they think they look better than usual, thanks to having a tan and appearing relaxed, and 18% admit it’s because they want to show off and make others envious.
To ensure you look your best in your holiday photos, stylist to the stars Grace Woodward, best known for her help to X Factor hopefuls, offers some top tips:
Remember, looking good in your photos is possible for everyone with a little practice and knowing what look works for you. Don’t be afraid to do some rehearsing pre-holiday.
Make use of all the features on compact cameras that help you look your best – for example, the Smart Portrait System on models like the COOLPIX S3500 will avoid taking pictures when you’re blinking and will apply skin softening to your portraits.
Start by considering your age, body shape, personality and what impression you want to give in your summer holiday pictures. Then don’t be afraid to look in the mirror and see what type of ‘pose’ suits you best – i.e. which side you photograph better from; whether you look better photographed from above, below, or face on; whether you prefer yourself smiling or not smiling, and so on.
You should also factor in what colours suit you best and a little attention to personal styling and grooming will definitely produce better results.
As a mirror reverses your reflection and are normally indoors with overhead hard lighting (like in your bathroom) they don’t give a true impression of what you will actually look like in everyday photo situations. So, if you are serious about looking good in your holiday photos, my top tip is to get a close friend or partner to take some shots of you on a quality, easy to use camera in a variety of poses, then work out what suits you best.
When you're lying down (e.g. on the beach) try to stretch out slightly – this will be the most flattering pose. Arms behind the head is also very flattering, for both men and women. Avoid curling up your body.
In a group shot, groups of two or three work best. If you can, position yourself on the outside of a shot with your best side towards the camera and either your hand in your pocket or arms folded. If you are in the centre, don’t stand straight but turn your body towards the camera with one foot very slightly in front of the other. Avoid clenching your fists or group hugging.
On holiday, make sure your compact camera is fully charged and keep it in your hand ready to take a picture. If you like to travel light, opt for something like the COOLPIX S01, which is smaller than a credit card but packs a decent zoom.
Shoot the best possible quality setting you can – you will want to keep your photos as holiday souvenirs so you want as high resolution as possible, so you can make quality enlargements later or print your memories into a photo book if you want to.
Make the most of the HD video available on many of the Nikon COOLPIX cameras, and record the sounds and atmosphere of a holiday, as well as the view.
Tagged in Beauty Tips fashion Grace Woodward