5 Animal-Inspired Photo Poses Anyone Can Try

If you’re planning an experimental photoshoot or feel like trying something a little different, animal mimicry poses are a lot of fun to work with.

These poses take their cues from the natural world, tasking your subjects with striking poses one would typically associate with monkeys, big cats, and other animals.

While some animal poses are rather difficult to get into, demanding an almost superhuman level of flexibility, others are actually quite simple and beginner-friendly.

Those are the kinds of poses I’ll focus on today. Read on for a detailed breakdown of five of my favorite animal mimicry poses that even first-timers should have no trouble nailing.

What Are Animal-Inspired Photo Poses?

Before I get into the poses themselves, here’s a quick primer for those who might still be a little unsure about what, exactly, counts as an “animal-inspired pose.”

In a nutshell, animal-inspired or animal-mimicry poses are those that involve people mirroring an animal in some way, copying the kinds of iconic poses or forms their bodies tend to make.

Gorillas, for example, are famous for beating their mighty, muscular chests with their strong fists. So, a gorilla mimicry pose would involve the subject doing something similar.

These poses can be a fun way for people to get in touch with their “inner animal,” or express a little of their wilder side.

They’re often fun for subjects to work with and rewarding for photographers to capture, too. In short, animal-inspired poses can produce some fabulous and fun-filled photoshoots.

So, without any further ado, let’s get into them.

1. The Prowling Panther

I’ll start with one of the simplest animal mimicry poses, and one of my personal favorites: the panther, or big cat.

This one is easy to understand, as everyone knows that classic prowling, hunting pose that cats of all sizes tend to make when they’re stalking their prey, ready to leap and strike at a moment’s notice.

For this position, all your subject has to do is to get down on all fours, like a cat. The key is in the details. Have them bend their knees and flex their muscles, if possible, to make it look as though they’re really gearing up to pounce on their prey.

A serious, rigid expression also helps to sell the overall effect, and if you’re able to do so, try to position your subject somewhere that adds a little extra drama – they can pose on top of a wall or table, for example, to help them truly express their feline energy.

This can also be fun as a boudoir pose where the subject prowls cat-like across a bed or other piece of furniture.

2. Lion’s Roar

Next, I’m sticking with the feline theme, but going even bigger – to the biggest cat of them all, in fact: the lion.

When people think of lions, they think of those distinctive, wide-mouthed roars that only lions can do, when they bear their fangs and bellow out the kind of sound that sends almost any other animal fleeing for its life.

You don’t necessarily need your subject to verbally roar, but you can capture an amazing lion-themed photo by having them open their mouths as wide as possible, revealing their teeth and expressing all of their energy in a single, dramatic moment.

What I love about this pose is how it’s remarkably simple to pull off. Anyone can roar, or at least pretend to roar, and the results are often spectacular.

Even the smallest and most timid of people can be transformed with a roar. It can bring out an inner strength and ferocity they never knew they had, and it’s a wonderful way to help people really get their emotions out there into the world, and into your photos, too.

The key here, and with a lot of animal poses, is timing. You need to snap the exact moment when the roar is at its peak, and all that energy and emotion are on display.

I like using a camera with a high burst rate to ensure I don’t miss that split second of perfection.

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3. The Mighty Gorilla

This is a pose I brought up earlier, and it’s one of my go-to poses when I’m working with strong, muscular subjects in places like gyms, fitness studios, or football fields.

It’s that classic pose we all associate with the gorilla – one of the toughest and most intimidating members of the animal kingdom – when they raise their fists and beat their chests in a ruthless, powerful show of strength.

Again, your subject doesn’t necessarily need to go all the way here to get great results. Gorillas pound their chests quite hard, which can be pretty painful, even for strong, athletic individuals.

They don’t need to actually hit themselves, but make strong fists with their hands and pound them close to their chests.

Ideally, I like to ask my subjects to do this quite slowly, while I take lots of images as they go, as that can help me capture fabulous action shots without any excessive blurring or distortion.

Attire and athleticism can really help to sell this. Ideally, you want to use a subject with a strong body, and have them show it off by wearing the likes of tank tops or muscle tees.

4. The Beautiful Butterfly

Next, let’s flip the script and head to the opposite end of the spectrum from the muscle-bound gorilla, looking instead at a much daintier and more delicate creature: the butterfly.

For a pose like this to work as well as it should, you’re going to need the right outfit and potentially even a couple of props. But don’t let that deter you; many of the best animal-inspired poses work best with a prop or two, or rely heavily on theming, set-dressing, and costumes, not just physical positions.

When people think of butterflies, they think of those big, flowing wings and all the colorful patterns they have. That’s the key to this pose: you want to get your subject to imitate the butterfly’s wings.

There are several ways to do this effectively. A simple one is to have your subject wear a long-flowing skirt or dress and lift it up at their sides, flinging it into the air while raising their arms to create a classic butterfly shape.

You can also have them with a frilly shirt or other props hanging off their arms. Even a shawl or blanket can suffice, if it’s placed just right.

Remember: you’re aiming for elegance and graceful, almost dance-like movements, so let your subject move fluidly and avoid poses that feel too rigid or rehearsed.

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5. The Soaring Eagle

Out of all five of the poses on this list, this one might actually be the easiest to pull off. And if you get the timing and the backdrop right, it can produce some truly wonderful results.

For this pose, I’m taking my inspiration from the iconic eagle and other similar birds of prey, famed for their vast wingspans and ability to glide effortlessly through the air.

All your subject has to do is extend their arms as wide as they can, potentially bending their wrists a little inwards to add to the effect. That’s it. It’s a truly simple pose that anyone can do.

The challenge isn’t the pose itself, it’s framing it the right way. You can capture your subject from the front for a very dramatic, imposing shot, or from behind, with them looking out at a beautiful landscape or panoramic scene, like an eagle scanning the scene in search of prey.

I’ve found this pose often works best when it’s paired with dramatic surroundings, like canyons, caverns, forests, and lakes. It’s not the sort of pose you want to use in an indoor setting.

Professional Tips for Animal-Inspired Photoshoots

Knowing the poses is one thing, but mastering the art of animal-mimicry photography involves much more than simply memorizing positions.

There are lots of other interesting tricks I’ve picked up over the years when working with these sorts of poses that may also help you capture these kinds of shots more easily.

Here are some of my top tips.

Have the Subject Wear Similar Colors to the Animal

Every little bit helps when you’re trying to capture animal-inspired pictures. The more you can make your subjects look like the animal they’re imitating, the better the result.

So, a simple way to improve your odds of getting a great picture is to have your human subject wear similar colors to the animal’s fur tone. Similar textures help, too.

If you’re going for a gorilla pose, therefore, having your subject dressed all in dark colors is a good way to improve the outcome.

Avoid Rigidity; Let Your Subject’s Inner Animal Roam Free

If you really want to capture your subject’s “wild side,” you can’t make the mistake of giving them too many specific orders or treating it like a typical photoshoot session.

You have to be a little more fluid than that. Give them some rough instructions and inspiration, and see where they go with it.

Take on more of a gentle director role, guiding and pointing your subject in the right direction, rather than specifically feeding them complicated instructions. I’ve found that many people respond well to this when it comes to bringing out their more animalistic movements and instincts.

Consider Implementing Props in Your Pictures

Adding props to almost any kind of photoshoot can be a smart move to make the photos feel more dynamic, engaging, and quirky. This applies to animal-inspired shoots, too.

Let’s say you’re trying to capture a bird-mimicry pose, for example. Why not dress your subject in a feather boa or other decorative, feather-lined accessories to show the audience exactly what you’re going for?

Set the Scene Just Right

This is one of the most important lessons that I’ve learned while photographing animal-themed poses; the setting matters just as much as the subject’s movements.

The best animal-inspired photos tend to be those that feel like a complete picture, where all the elements – from the subject to their clothing, props, and the backdrop – tie together in perfect harmony to produce the kinds of photos you can truly look on with pride in your heart.

Let’s say you want to capture a prowling cat-style photo, for example. As I mentioned earlier, having your subject crawl along a wall can really add to the effect, or ask them to hide behind some tall grass or other plantlife to bring additional layers of drama and energy to your final photos.

Think Carefully About Lighting

This is a good tip for any photoshoot, no matter the theme or vibe, but it’s particularly important when you’re working with these kinds of poses.

You need to get the lighting right, as it can add (or detract) so much from the end image.

With the prowling panther pose, for example, moody, ambient lighting works so well at setting the scene and making the subject seem more intimidating and ferocious.

Try to angle your lights and lens to highlight the key features of the pose, like muscles for the gorilla pose or the arms and attire for the butterfly pose.

Capture Lots of Shots in a Short Amount of Time

I mentioned earlier the importance of using a high burst rate when taking these kinds of photos, but it’s worth repeating that recommendation here.

When people are striking these kinds of specific poses, you might only have a fraction of a second to capture that perfect moment when everything – from their facial expression to the position of their fingers – lines up just right.

For that reason, don’t be afraid to go heavy on the shutter button, capturing as many pictures as you can and looking through them later to find those that work best.

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Final Thoughts

With these poses and tips, taking animal-themed photos can become much easier than it might first appear.

You’ll still need patience and preparation to set the scene and guide your subject into the right mindset, but if you’re willing to wait and put in the effort, you’ll be rewarded with some truly awesome images for your portfolio.