Making Your Quinceanera a Picture-Perfect Party

By:  Karen Sullen

You've just attended a great event, and now the pictures are back.  How exciting!  Yet you're looking at the pictures with shock and disgust, as your awkward moments are caught on film and memorialized for everyone to see.  You may even question, "Why was I standing like that?  Why didn't someone tell me that my slip was showing?"  There you are standing in a strange position that makes you look disproportionate or you're smiling so hard that your eyes seem to disappear.  Either way, you end up with a not-so-flattering photo.  It happens to the best of us.  Everyone has had a bad-picture day, but your quinceanera should not be one of them.  You've taken the time to make sure that you look marvelous.  So let your pictures show it!  Here are some simple tips from models and photographers to help make sure your photos are picture perfect.

Tip #1:  Don't press your arms against your body.

It has been said that the television camera adds 10 pounds to an actor's frame.  While photos don't add quite 10 pounds, even slim arms will appear heavy in pictures.  Holding your arms straight may also make you appear stiff.  Try placing your hand on your hip to open up your frame and define the shape of your arm and body in a more flattering way.

Tip #2:  Know your smile.

Take some time to "practice" your smile, and see what works best for you.  Ask yourself these questions:  Do I look better smiling with or without teeth showing?  Do I prefer the playfulness of an open-mouth smile with my teeth separated from my bottom lip?  Is my natural smile too broad, causing my cheeks to swell and overwhelm my eyes?  Do I like the angle of my face looking straight ahead into the camera or looking slightly away?  While these factors won't help you when impromptu shots are taken, they are helpful for posed photos.

Tip #3:  Shift your weight.

Putting more weight on one leg than the other will keep you from looking too stiff in your standing photos.

Tip #4:  Good posture means good photos.

You don't have to be standing in every photo, but be sure to maintain good posture, especially when sitting.  Otherwise, your appearance will come across as though you are slouching.  It's also good to lean forward into the camera.  When standing, you can minimize the size of your hips and waist by angling your hips slightly away from the camera and gently turning your shoulders square into the camera.

Tip #5:  Apply some tongue pressure.

Surprisingly, pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth will help make the area under your chin firm up and your neck look longer.  Who knew?

Keep your photos interesting by varying your poses.  Standing, sitting and dancing all make great memories of your event.  No matter how the camera catches you, with these tips you'll be ready.

This article was brought to you by MyQuinceFavors.com, an online retail company specializing in unique quinceanera favors and accessories. We are also dedicated to providing informative articles on quinceaneras, quinceanera planning and other topics of interest to the Hispanic community.