10 Tricks to Look Best in Your Crossdressing Photos

You know, when I feel like I’ve done a particularly good job of dressing, I love to take some photos of myself. Some of us might feel quite bold from time to time and schedule a professional photo session with a photographer at our studio. In some bigger cities, some transformation services offer a full male-to-female makeover and professional photoshoot. I’ve taken advantage of this once or twice, and I can say that the results were well worth it.

In past articles, we’ve discussed how to best prepare for a photoshoot. What sort of make-up should you have; What lighting might be best; should you have props available, etc. It’s always a good idea to be prepared to take some photos; there is more to it than that.

Even the most well-prepared photo session will be for nothing if we aren’t familiar with proper modeling techniques. When I did my photo sessions, I just asked for as many photos as possible, and it’s amazing how such small differences in position can upgrade a photo.

I’ve got this tendency to do a half-smile, slouch a bit, and look downward instead of straight ahead. I WAS STUNNED when I saw how badly these little things affected a photo. One photo would be near perfect, but I would look awkward or surprised in the next. It is so important to get your pose, your expression and the angle of the photo correct to make sure you look amazing with each and every click of the camera.

Keep reading and learn about different ways to strike sexy and alluring poses. We’ll also cover how best to use a few different props in your photos. We’ll discuss three styles of photos, the most common in today’s Instagammable world: selfies, the mirror selfie, and a full body shot. I’m sure that once you’ve taken on some of our tips, your photos will be better than ever before!

● The best close-up selfies

Selfies have become ubiquitous in today’s world. It’s only logical that we would like to take our own beautiful selfies. Believe it or not, it isn’t as simple as holding up your phone and pushing the shutter button.

1. Consider the optimal lighting

The first thing to consider is lighting. A constant source of light is far superior to relying on your camera’s flash. A flash is only for a moment and it’s a very bright blast of light. You’re not going to be able to preview how this burst of light makes your make up look and if it highlights any imperfections. Moreover, flashes carry a risk of having red eyes, not a good look for a sexy photo. This is why a constant source of light is much better. Sunlight is your best option; if you’ve got a place where you feel comfortable being outdoors while en femme, put it to use.

In the alternative, an indoor location with a consistent light source can be just as good. There are a few things to remember about the type and position of the light source in this situation. Lighting from above could create some unanticipated shadows.

Too bright, and you risk bleaching out all of the careful work you’ve done making yourself over.

The best option is to use a desk or floor lamp to illuminate your face from a similar height. There are lots of choices for these; especially now that video calls and remote work has become more prevalent.

2. Find your best side or angle

The next thing to consider is the angle you hold your camera. Different angles will work differently depending on the make-up style you’ve chosen. Experiment and take a few test shots with your phone. I think you’ll begin to notice a few things.

A straight-on shot looking directly into a camera that’s right in front of you will rarely produce the best results. You could try a bunch of different angles and positions, but I think you’ll find that the best photos are taken from above.

Try holding your phone or positioning the camera a few inches above your eyes; this height will make your face appear a bit slimmer and show off your eyes. It’ll be up to you to determine which is the ‘good side’ of your face.

3. The best way to touch your face

Sometimes gently touching your face can create quite an alluring look. There are a few things to be mindful of; how much of your hand do you want in the photo, what kind of position should you hold it in, and have you done your nails? These are just some things to keep in mind. Personally, I’m a little reluctant to pose with my hands close to my face in a girly selfie because my suntanned hands don’t match my paler makeup. It wasn’t until I did a professional photo session that I was convinced otherwise.

Leaf through a copy of any fashion magazine and look at the ads. Use these to model your own hand positions for your photos. You don’t want strong poses like ‘the Thinker’, but more delicate ones.

Try playing with your hair a bit; twirl some around a finger or two.

Run your finger along your bottom lip.

Maybe try placing the tips of your fingers on your jawline. All of these poses will add a dose of femininity to your selfie. You might notice that in each one of these poses, your hand would be positioned in the lower half of your face. This is my only rule of thumb, but you can experiment.

4. Upgrade your mirror selfies

Mirror selfies are nearly as common as normal selfies nowadays. You might have even spotted someone taking their own in a public bathroom at a bar or restaurant. There are a few differences between a mirror selfie and a normal selfie.

First of all, the mirror selfie will probably be more expensive than a normal one. It’ll be from your waist or belt line and up. This is a chance to try some different angles. Also, you’ll be able to get some cleavage in the photo or maybe just showcase some of your outfits. Most obviously, you will be using the forward-facing camera on your phone and, therefore, probably a higher-quality lens. It also means that your phone and your hand will likely be in the picture because of the wider framing you’ll need to use.

5. Different ideas for props or tools

This wider, more expansive framing is an opportunity to discuss props. First of all, the phone itself is a prop. You can buy a nice cover for your phone to match your nails or eye shadow. I’ve even seen some mirror selfies where someone has used the flash to create a light flare to fill some empty space in the corner of the photo. More likely, the props you’ll use are simple accessories like earrings or bracelets.

I think bracelets are very useful for a functional reason; they can cover the hair on my arms. Sometimes the sleeves on a dress aren’t quite as long as I need them to be, so a nice wide bracelet can hold them in place and hide what needs to be hidden.

If you’ve tilted your head to the side a bit, a small darker space is created between the side of your face and where your hair falls. A pair of dangly or hoop earrings easily fills this space.

Other props you might not have considered are flowers, glasses or cutlery.

Using flowers is an idea. I’ve seen many friends take selfies with a Daisy or a Black-Eyed Susan over an eye. It’s not my favorite look but give it a go. You might want to adjust your makeup accordingly.

I’m more of a fan of eye and wine glasses to add something to your selfie.

You can run the ends of your glasses along your lip or pull them down to the tip of your nose to create that sexy librarian look.

A quarter-full wine glass can give your mirror selfie a ‘girls’ night out’ vibe, especially if you’re on a girl’s night out!

● Taking the best-looking whole-body shots

This is probably the most complicated photo to take, if only because you must plan how it will be done. If you’re going to use your phone, you’ve got to position it right, set a timer and run to get into position. This is all a reason to use a proper SLR camera for these photos. You will also need a tripod to hold your camera, or the best idea, a friend to take your photo. You’ll also need to consider everything we’ve already discussed, lighting, angles and props.

6. Figure out how to pose for the camera

Taking pictures and looking sexy in a full-body shot isn’t easy. Many people think fashion models have an easy job; one photo session was enough to persuade me otherwise.

The biggest lesson I took away from my professional photo session was this: If your pose feels comfortable at the moment, it probably doesn’t look good in the photo. Posing directly opposite the camera isn’t going to be a good look. Try taking a few photos where you relax and just look at the camera; you’ll likely see that your feminine figure isn’t accentuated. Depending on your outfit, your bust won’t be too visible, your arms hanging to either side will drown out your hips, and your shoulders will likely be much wider than your stance.

7. Find your best standing pose

The first area to discuss is positioning yourself in front of the camera to get a good base pose.

To begin, remember to turn slightly and face the camera at an angle, however slight. Turning just a bit will let the camera capture even a bit of your womanly curves. Take small steps forward and backwards if you want; the slight movements let the photographer capture your curvy figure. Put all your weight on one foot, then the other while slightly away from the camera and looking toward it.

These actions will give you some ideas about how you look the sexiest and how to work the camera. Also, and this cannot be stressed enough, take a break from posing from time to time and review the photos that have been taken. The more aware you are of how your movement and poses look on camera, the better.

Once you know your best base poses, we can look at how to vary them by changing the positions of your arms and legs. Positioning your arms and legs is key to accentuating your curves and being flattering on camera. Think about it this way; you want to make the wider parts of a female body appear wider, and the smaller parts appear smaller, like your waist. Try placing a hand on the top of your hips, one at a time and then both. Turn and face the camera. This will make your waist look smaller and your hips wider.

You could try some others too; loosely cross your arms across your body under your breasts, as if you were hugging your boobs. Lean forward a bit and push out your butt. Keep your knees together but let one of your legs flare outward and let the tips of your toes on one foot touch the ground. Wear heels to show off your legs.

Try one where your back is to the camera, but you’re turning above the waist and at the neck to look back toward it.

8. Seated poses for your photo session

You can also pose easily while sitting. Similar principles apply, but you’ve got to be conscious that your hips won’t be as visible in these positions. You’ve got to do more with less here, and the small movements of your feet and hands will be quite noticeable.

Keep your knees together and slide your feet under the couch or chair when sitting. Play with your hair like you would in a mirror selfie. I like to change up where I am looking occasionally, sometimes at the camera, sometimes away from it.

I also like to have some photos with my eyes closed taken from slightly above to show off eye makeup and long lashes.

9. Sexy poses when lying down

Taking pictures on a bed or couch can also have alluring results. The first thing to consider is whether or not your outfit will look good when you move to a horizontal position. If you wear loose clothes, you might want to skip the lying-down poses. They’ll work better with a form-hugging dress or, for those of you that are very daring, some sexy lingerie or nightie.

There are a few things to consider beyond what sort of outfit to wear. You’ll need to choose your framing and the angle of the camera. Again, having the camera directly opposite you is not a good idea. Moreover, consider how much of your body is going to appear in the shot; having your feet or a hand-cut off because the framing isn’t right can appear more unnatural and will detract more from this type of photo than it would in, for example, a mirror selfie. These images can also have more empty space than others, so be mindful of how you fill it.

Regarding poses, some of the same rules apply as before. Keep yourself at an angle when facing the camera, and be mindful of your hands and arms. There is a lot more freedom to use your legs in these shots cause you’re not, well, standing on them. I would try to keep your legs together as much as possible; crossing your legs is fine, and bending at the knees is also ok.

One very sexy pose is to keep your knees together and bend the leg facing the camera at the knee back towards your butt. Depending on the camera angle, you can reach back and grab your heel; this works best when you keep your high heels on.

10. Avoid a visible ‘double-chin’

Lastly, something that can get all of us down is a double chin. They make us look older and fatter. It’s something that isn’t easily covered by makeup or a collar. Essentially, it is just a matter of tightening up some loose skin. There are two basic ways of eliminating a double chin in photos.

First, when looking at the camera, extend your chin outward. This might feel a bit like you’re a turtle poking its head from a shell. It’s uncomfortable and won’t feel very natural, but it’s worth it for the picture. You’ll want to avoid this technique if you take photos from the side.

The other way is to try to lengthen your neck a bit. Just try to keep your head pitched up as if you had a ponytail being pulled up from behind you. With either technique, you want to avoid being photographed from a lower angle; you want to position yourself so the camera has to point slightly downward to get you in the frame.

Taking photos as your female self is often one of the most satisfying parts of crossdressing. Being able to see how others see us when dressed can give us a lot of satisfaction and a real sense of pride. It’s also a good way to reflect on our own body language, fashion choices and makeup skills. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple selfie or a professional photo shoot; looking our best will also make us feel our best.

By following our simple tips to make yourself appear sexier and more alluring in photos, I’m sure you’re feminine self will gain loads of confidence and pride!