Ways to Look Flawless in Photos

While it is increasingly easy to edit your own photographs to make sure you look your best, there's not much you can do to stop someone else taking an unflattering picture (short of screaming "No!" at the top of your lungs). Here are ten quick and smart tips that will help you to look gorgeous and polished in photos, saving you a lot of time you might otherwise have spent airbrushing or cringing in embarrassment. - To make sure you don't end up with a double chin in photos, drop your shoulders to elongate your neck and try to lean your face forward by approximately half an inch. This change won't make your posture look odd in photographs, but it will make sure your face looks slimmer.

- Always be aware of nearby light sources when you're being photographed indoors. Standing below a light will cast uneven shadows on your skin, while standing in front of a bright lamp can make you look washed out. You'll look your best in shots where you are facing a window that provides soft natural light. - Leave your nude lip glosses and dark red lipsticks behind if you know you're going to be in a lot of pictures. Bright lipsticks will make your mouth look perkier and create a youthful look, while darker colors artificially age you by shrinking the lips. - It can be difficult to look happy without looking crazed when you are asked to grin on command, but there is an art to creating a perfect smile. Placing your

tongue directly behind the teeth helps to create a natural, friendly grin. - When it comes to other makeup, focus on your eyes.

Curled eyelashes, dramatic eyeliner and effective mascara will give you a captivating and seductive look. - If one of your main issues is blinking in photographs, practice briefly closing your eyes for a second just prior to the photograph. If you slowly open your eyes just as the picture is being taken, you should be able to circumvent the blinking curse. - Make sure that the person taking the photo is shooting you from above. Photos taken from below create double chins and place the focus on cavernous nostrils, while images snapped from above tend to make the subject look slimmer and more elegant. - For a more slender body shape in photos, place your hand on your hip and angle your body so that you are slightly turned to one side. As a bonus, this pose typically provides a flattering angle on the face as well. - To combat red eye, take a quick look at a bright light before a photograph is taken. Your pupils will shrink, dramatically reducing your chances of looking demonic in the image. - Finally, try to get used to being photographed and work to build your self-confidence. A huge part of looking good in pictures is being natural, happy and proud of how you look.