Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started

Looking for glamour photography poses that’ll give stunning results?

In this article, I’m going to share 21 glamour pose ideas. You’ll find a pose or two for every model – and you can also have fun tweaking the ideas to fit your subject’s interests.

Now, some of the ideas below are nude poses – after all, posing for nudes is a part of glamour photography. But if nudes don’t interest you, that’s completely okay; feel free to skip past.

So without further ado, let me share the poses you can use for your glamour portraits, starting with:

1. Lying down sideways

This is a good starting pose for intimate glamour shots. It works well in different settings and with different surfaces; for instance, your model might lie on a bed, on the ground, in the grass, or on a sandy beach.

Make sure you get a nice head turn, and pay careful attention to the position of your model’s hands.

2. Lying down at an angle

This is a variation on the previous glamour pose, and one that works well with all body types.

Simply ask your model to lie on the ground with their far elbow propping up their head and shoulders. Make sure they angle themselves toward the camera so that their feet are farther from the camera than their head.

3. Lying parallel to the camera with the legs up

This is a lovely pose with a more playful result. Ask the model to keep her upper body lifted, with her head tilted toward the camera and directed slightly down.

Make sure your model’s legs are up – and make sure her toes are pointed over her back.

And for the best results, shoot from a low angle.

4. Lying in a triangle

This is a glamour photography classic – and it’s pretty hard to pull off.

Ask your model to lie down, body parallel to the camera. Then have her lift her upper body using a single arm.

You’ll need to check a few items:

• The supporting hand must be turned away from the body
• The head should be turned toward the camera
• The non-supporting hand should remain visible
• The feet should be stretched

5. Body down, shoulders up

This is another challenging one – it’s not easy for the model, and it’s not so easy for the photographer, either!

To shoot this pose successfully, you’ll need to ask your model to lie parallel to the camera, their upper body pushed off the ground with their elbow. (Feel free to experiment with the positioning of the non-supporting arm.)

You’ll also need to check all body parts, including the head, hips, and legs.

6. Lying back

This is a beautiful pose for outdoor shooting.

Simply ask your model to lie down, curve their back, and stretch their feet. It works great on grass, on a beach, or in a chair.

The model’s body should be parallel to the camera, or the feet should be slightly farther away than the head.

7. Lying down, back to the camera

Here’s a beautiful glamour pose for a model lying on her stomach.

The upper body should be slightly lifted, and the model should look back over her shoulder. Ask her to stretch out her legs.

This works well with all body types. Move gradually around the model while testing out different camera angles and positions.

8. Sitting with the back arched

This is a simple pose to emphasize a feminine shape. It also works well as a silhouette against a bright background (though you’ll need to get low to the ground to create the silhouette effect).

Ask your model to sit with their legs tucked and back arched. Then have them lift their elbows.

9. The sitting nude

For those doing nude photography, here’s a simple pose:

Ask your model to face the camera, then cross one leg over the other and drape an arm over the top knee.

If you’re after additional nude poses, try some variations; you can change the hand, leg, and head positioning for great results.

10. Sitting with the back to camera

This semi-nude pose is easy and gentle. The model should sit with both legs tucked. Their back should be angled slightly toward the camera, with their head looking over their shoulder.

11. Sitting parallel to the camera, knee up

This is another easy pose, one that works well in both indoor and outdoor settings.

(For a different result, try creating a silhouette against a bright background.)

Have your model sit parallel to the camera, legs out and knees bent. Ask them to raise an arm (though feel free to experiment with arm and hand positioning here).

12. Sitting and facing the camera

If done properly, this pose turns out amazing. But you’ll need to get the limb positioning exactly right – otherwise, you risk ending up with an awkward, imbalanced shot.

So ask your model to lie down and face the camera at an angle. Then have them partially sit up while keeping their legs stretched out.

This pose works well with all body types. Note that you should shoot from a slightly elevated angle.

13. Crouching parallel to the camera

Now for a challenging pose:

Ask your model to crouch with their knees up. Leg positioning is a decisive factor here, so you’ve got to get it right.

High heels are a must. You can experiment with different feet positioning, but I recommend keeping the toe of one shoe separate from the heel of the next.

14. Facing away from the camera with a head turn

If you’re after a simple and dignified nude photography pose, try this:

Ask your model to turn away from the camera, but with their head tilted back over their shoulder. Ask them to put one arm up and to wrap the other arm around their stomach.

Make sure the model’s face is not partly covered by their hand or shoulder. For a particularly romantic mood, the model can look down toward her body.

Also, her raised elbow should be pointing away from the camera.

15. Looking over the shoulder

This one’s a nude pose for less experienced models.

Ask your model to turn away from the camera, but keep their head tilted back over the shoulder.

Remember that glamour and nude photography don’t exclude props, so don’t be afraid to add a piece of cloth (a sheet or an item of clothing works well); the model can hold this against their body.

16. Leaning forward against a wall

If you’re looking for some nice wall poses, start here:

With your model leaning forward against the wall, elbows out. Her body should be angled toward the wall.

Note that you can adjust her elbow and hand positioning for additional options.

17. Leaning back against the wall

Here’s another easy wall pose:

Ask your model to lean back against the wall, head tilted toward the camera and arm up. For a more dynamic pose, they might bend one knee slightly (with the back foot resting against the wall or a ledge).

Again, endless variation and shooting angles are possible!

18. Against a wall, back to camera

For this one, have your model face away from the camera.

Ask her to shift her weight to one leg for a more dynamic pose. She can lean against the wall, or you can have her step off to the side (though feel free to keep the wall as a compositional element).

19. Facing the camera (full body)

Here’s another pose with many variations.

First, ask your model to face the camera. Then ask her to curve her body in an S shape, twist her hips, and raise her arms.

Ask her to experiment with different head positions (and you might experiment with leg positions, as well).

20. Angled body and flowing sheets

Sheets and clothing work great as props. For this glamour photography pose, ask your model to angle their body toward the camera. Have her wrap a sheet around her stomach then throw it to the side.

(Especially marvelous shots can be made in windy weather!)

21. Facing away with a sheet

I’ve already suggested several poses with your model’s back to the camera.

But if you want to create something unique, try taking your model to an open field – such as a farm field, a wildflower meadow, or even a desert landscape.

I highly recommend you bring a sheet or piece of clothing; your model can wrap it around her legs for plenty of interesting shots.

Glamour photography poses: final words

Hopefully, you now have plenty of glamour and nude poses to try during your next photoshoot!

But I’d like to emphasize:

Each of these initial sample poses is only a starting point. Every pose on this list has endless variations. You can ask your model to try different facial expressions, head turns, hand and leg placements, and body turns. A slight modification can make for a completely different (and potentially better!) pose.

Also, always remember to shoot from different angles (up and down, right and left). Try changing your distance from the subject. Try different crops and compositions.

Because in the end, posing is trial and error. The more variations you shoot, the better your results!

And if you enjoyed this article, check out our ebook, Portraits: Striking the Pose, which shares tips, tricks, and secrets for beautiful portrait poses.

Kaspars Grinvalds is a photographer working and living in Riga, Latvia. He is the author of Posing App, where you can find even more poses and posing ideas!