7 Different Poses You Can Ace By Yourself For Your Bridal Close-Up Shots

Browsing your Instagram and Snapchat feeds, alongside glossies on bridal trends ahead of your bridal shoot? Relax. The easiest ways to get the best, awe-inspiring different poses are all about using your best side and working it in. And where do you begin? Right with your face!

Here's how you can use 7 of your facial features to get the best shots for your close-up as part of your bridal shoot. Take the download and practice in front of a mirror, with a smize!

1. Begin with the forehead

Begin with your forehead and dip it low, to occupy the focal area for your frame (practice this in front of the mirror). Then, strain your neck upwards till you can see the roof at your eye level.

The two looks you've just practised, lead to some of the most iconic solo bridal shots. These different poses lead to a show of the Maang Tikka or the Matha Patti when your chin's nestled in your chest (Look 1 as seen above) or the eye makeup, over-the-head shot or forehead shot when seen from the perspective of someone looking over you.

2. Work with the eyes

"Aankhen unchi huyi to dua ban gayi, Aankhen neechi huyi to haya ban gayi..."

"Jo jhuk ke uthi to khata ban gayi aur uth kar jhuki to `ada’ ban gayi."

The phrase 'let the eyes do the talking' is real, especially when you're thinking of different poses for your bridal shoot close-ups. Let them evoke magic with Tyra Banks' signature 'Smize'.

What does that mean? Let them evoke a hint of a smile, by stretching your eyes a tad wider than normal. Practice this look with a mirror or your phone as you don't want to come across as horror-struck.

Next, close your eyes or look below your chest without moving your face. This helps you with a closed eye look that does not feel as if you've fallen asleep, but rather that you're in a contemplative mode.

This look works well to enhance your eye makeup as well as give you an air of sophisticated elegance.

The third set of different poses that you can work with your eyes is a looking within or holding-a-secret look. Add a shy smile as you lightly close your eyes and ask a friend to click it, so that you can see the end result.

3. Be on the nose

Ever wondered how your nose could add a whole set of different poses to your close-up shots? Tilt your head down and enhance the appeal for a larger-than-life Nath design.

Scrunch or wrinkle your nose in full bridal makeup to get a quirk in your shot.

Or go absolutely koo-koo while trying to catch the tip of your nose with both your eyes.

4. Lend an ear

Let your ears in a bridal close-up as well. Either get a 'getting ready' while donning your earring, or by tucking a non-existant errant strand of hair behind your ear.

Lend an ear to a friend (with you in slight profile).

You can also cup a hand behind your ear to showcase the heavy Devasena earrings you've donned as part of your bridal jewellery.

5. Pout your plump lips

Lippers as different poses for your close-up shots? Yep, you heard it right. Make like a toddler or a preening teen and pose with your lips.

That means holding it in, the duckface pout, a slightly open smile and even sticking out a hint of your tongue for a dash of quirk, especially in your complete bridal glory.

6. Hold it with your teeth

Image courtesy: Jashim Jalal Studios

No, you don't need to display fangs for different poses with your bridal close-ups. Just add a flash of your pearly whites for perfection.

An open-mouth smile or laugh adds genuine emotions to your candid photos, while a toothy smile when thinking about your groom makes it all the more real.

Take a step further by holding something within your teeth (be careful of lipstick stains though). Try what this beauty did with her bridal dupatta by holding just a bit of it within your teeth.

7. Chin up, please!

Image: Makeup by Kamna

Chin up, chin down. It's as simple as that. A chin held up adds a dash of confidence to all the different poses where you would work this look in, especially directed at where you choose to look (the look above in the distance is a good example).

A chin held down again brings the forehead into the centre space, adding a dash of shy, bashfulness into your bridal look.

Bonus: Add-on effect overlays

Sometimes, all you need to get a great bridal look is to ask your photographer to add a slight effect to the picture. This does not mean excessive photoshop - it can even be a play of the right lighting, as in the rainbow caught on the bride's face above or a shower of petals (as seen below).

These different poses are all workable with due diligence and practice sessions in front of your mirror. Take the chance during these days to work them into your bridal look so as to have them on-point during your bridal shoot. And don't shy from discussing these with your wedding photographer - you'd be surprised at the insights they can bring to the table.

Book a bridal shoot today.