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Tuesday 16 December 2014

Photography Tips: How to pose in a wheelchair



One of the trickiest parts of taking a good ootd photo is posing. Add being plus size (ish) & in a wheelchair to that & it becomes a fine art. It's also something I have searched for advice on & have found absolutely nothing....so I thought I should probably share what little I've managed to work out ^^ Hopefully it'll be helpful to a few of you ^^

Okay so the basic premise of posing is to make your body look as good as possible, a.k.a. well proportioned, slim & without too many chins ^^ The best post I read on 'normal' posing is this one from wear & where &, honestly, it's where I learnt all the theory behind my tips.

Wheelchair Positioning



As far as posing in a wheelchair goes, getting the wheelchair looking right is pretty essential. There are an awful lot of angles from which wheelchairs look BAD! And when I'm saying bad I mean really bad. Trial & error has taught me that the best angle to take photos from is 45 degrees; the wheelchair is still visible so you don't look shrunken but the wheelchair is not so visible that it makes you look weird.


Head on is a pretty good as an angle too but be careful because unless the wheelchair is at least a little bit visible you'll end up just looking really short & kind of wide which is not flattering believe you me ^^

Posing



The most important part of posing is good posture: straight back, pulled back shoulders & an elongated neck. In the wheelchair it is also good to sit at an angle because otherwise you can look kind of L-shaped or....like a staircase you know? If you sit at an angle you elongate & look almost as tall as you would stood up ^^


One of the least flattering things about the way a person sits in a wheelchair is the way you look with your feet, one on each footplate. I wear a lot of skirts so it's extra unflattering...so I started putting both feet on one footplate & now I do it even when I'm not wearing a skirt. I just find that it looks a lot better in photos & full stop looks more feminine ^^


The final posing tip is this: keep space between your arms & your body otherwise it all merges & you end up looking double the width which does not look pretty. It doesn't have to be as much space as in the above picture, a little goes a long way, but any space help ^^

Extras



I'll go over camera angles another time so the last things I have to talk about are how to position your hands & how to arrange a skirt.
If you don't have anything to do with your hands they can end up looking marginally claw like so until you've gotten used to making your hands actually look casual you might want to use a prop or do something in the pictures like apply lipstick or sort your hair.

Skirts can be tricky, particularly if they are long or a soft fabric... Most clothes rely on gravity to hang right & on movement to look pretty but in a wheelchair neither is working to your advantage so positioning is how you level the playing field. The aim is to create movement like folds in the skirt & to stop the skirt from getting between your legs, emphasising your stomach or puffing up around the side of your body....it's easier said than done & like most of these things it's a matter of trial & error & finding a style that works for you.

19 comments:

  1. easy for u to say 'coz u so darn pretty :)

    great tips, girl.
    xx

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  2. This is all such great advice! By the way, I really love the photo where you're wearing the gold shoes. You look so dainty and elegant!

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    1. Thank you ^^
      When I re-found that picture one of the first things I did was dig the outfit back out ^^ It's crazy flattering :)

      Sally x

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  3. Fantastic post! I love that dress on you, you are so pretty! :)
    lipstickandlightening.blogspot.ie

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    1. Thank you ^^ And believe me it's all just good lighting & flattering poses, if you saw me the way I normally sit you wouldn't recognise me lol

      Sally xxx

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  4. Thanks for the tips! I have my fair share of ugly positioned chair photos!

    Hayleyeszti.com

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    1. Thank you ^^ I think we all have those :) I feel like wheelchairs are unflattering & awkward for anyone, Barbie dolls & models included :)

      Sally x

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  5. I just came across your blog via IFB, and I have to say I'm so very impressed. You're doing such a lovely thing and reaching out to young women with similar tconditions. Most people I know would not even bother about fashion or style if they were in a wheelchair, but you're great inspiration.
    The picture of you with the red belt is gorgeous and I'm definitely going to try these tips next time when I'm seated for a post.

    xox
    head2heels.co

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    Replies
    1. That's incredibly sweet of you to say, thank you ^^

      Sally xx

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  6. Two years ago I was on strict bed rest and in a wheelchair for the duration of a difficult pregnancy. I was given medical leave by the hospital to go to church with my husband and children *once* and wanted to dress up but was suddenly aware that all my maternity dresses were too short while seated and my heeled boots too high for the footplates! I googled "wheelchair fashion" for inspiration on what to wear and found nothing. Maxi skirts and ballet flats were my uniform, comfy and cozy, yes, but sadly a far cry from my preferred wardrobe choices. THIS POST is what I needed. You have AMAZING style! THANK YOU THANK YOU for sharing these tips and for BEING SO FABULOUS

    BTW, I'm in love with that airy blue tulle skirt in the 2nd pic. Need to find me one of those :)

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    1. I started my blog because when I googled wheelchair fashion I couldn't find anything! I wore maxi skirts & ballet flats for ages but honestly, I hate maxi skirts ^^ I didn't even like them when they were in fashion, although I really tried lol ^^
      I'm so glad you've found my blog & that you like my style ^^

      Sally xx

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  7. such a great piece. thanks for writing this. super helpful!

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  8. I'll be mother of the groom twice this summer and these tips are invaluable for family wedding photos - thank you!

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  9. This is so freaking awesome! I'm glad I came across your page. I'm a wheelchair user as well and was so elated to see Modcloth feature your outfit....which led me here. I always seem to hate photos of me in my chair so these tips will help me improve my posing!

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