How to Pose for Vertical Photos (Reels, TikTok & Shorts)

In the early days of social media, if you wanted to share photos and videos, it was always recommended that you take shots in landscape mode.

Today, the opposite is true. Platforms have adjusted their viewing formats to accommodate the fact that most people scroll while their phone screen is vertically aligned rather than on its side.

Prime examples of platforms promoting this orientation include TikTok videos and slideshows, YouTube Shorts, and Reels, either on Facebook or Instagram. These types of media are universally vertical, designed to allow people to flick their thumb or finger up and down over and over until they find something they like.

The trick is stopping those scrollers in their tracks. I’ve pulled together some striking, attention-grabbing poses that have helped my clients (and me) gain better engagement online.

Why Vertical Shots Matter for Effective Online Engagement

Vertical photos are the winning choice for accessing more social platforms and reaching a wider audience.

YouTube Shorts, for example, receive at least 200 billion views every day. Without strong, vertically aligned photos or videos, you’re missing out on a potentially huge pool of viewers.

If you create videos or photos for Shorts, you can then use them on TikTok and Reels, creating slideshows or galleries that gather more attention thanks to being available in more places.

Vertical images are also excellent for adding to blogs and articles, as they can run alongside text rather than breaking it up.

Posing yourself or your models is a prime way to make vertical images more captivating. Remember, when you’re trying to catch the eye of a dedicated scroller, you only have a few seconds to do so, meaning the pose, outfit, and overall stylistic choice of the image are vital.

That doesn’t mean that every pose has to be super dramatic or leftfield. In fact, something as simple as a genuinely warm smile or a turned head can be the key to a post that keeps getting reactions.

Posing models for vertical shots can be simpler than you might think. You can fit the whole person in, standing up, without having to back off so far that they’re unrecognizable.

These types of vertical shots are also excellent for showcasing outfits, or those #GRWM (get ready with me) slideshows or videos that combine clothes, makeup, and accessories.

Striking vertical poses are also ideal for business and branding images. Find out more in this guide to employee poses for authentic brand photos.

1. The Winning Smile

It’s a scientific fact that people respond well to a genuine, warm smile. Catching your model in a real smile that’s not forced can be the key to a fantastic shot.

Try to encourage more natural smiles by shooting with a very fast shutter speed while talking to the model about something they like. Take multiple shots and pick out the most organic smiles, which may happen mid-conversation.

You can also try making your model laugh, or looking at something that makes you laugh if you’re taking a selfie. If I want to smile in a selfie, I just think about something that makes me happy – simple, but effective.

The big smile question: Teeth or no teeth? I personally think that showing teeth creates a wider, more eye-catching smile.

If your model isn’t comfortable showing their teeth, then closed-mouthed is fine, as long as the smile reaches the eyes. Tight, fake smiles aren’t going to get the same level of engagement as natural, easy-going grins.

2. Looking Over the Shoulder

This is a great pose for fashion brands or influencers who want to showcase an outfit front and back. The shot of someone apparently walking away, but looking back over their shoulder toward the viewer, is compelling and cool.

Try to snap your model in a natural walk rather than a static pose. Let them move away from you and turn their head, and take the shot a few times to see which angle of head-turn works best.

If they’re wearing a hat, try getting them to lift their hand to the brim like a jaunty little greeting or farewell.

Experiment with different backgrounds. These shots work really well outside, as this is a natural environment for someone to be walking away.

However, you could try removing the background altogether, so the focus is on the clothes and the model. Alternatively, replace the background with branded colors or patterns.

3. A Funky Hat

Hats are head-turning accessories – pun intended. Using them in your vertical shots helps you create posed, artful images that grab scrollers’ attention fast.

The type of hat you choose depends on the style of photo you want or your client’s brand. You may also want to consider what suits the model best, based on face shape, hair type, and outfit.

A wide-brimmed hat is always dramatic, especially with contrasting colors or patterns. Pale, woven wicker with a bright red or black ribbon is sure to cause a double-take.

If your model is wearing makeup, try to make this as contrasting with the hat as possible.

Light hats should be worn with bold red or deep purple lipstick. Darker hats will work better with smoky eyes and glossy lips.

Because this is a vertical shot, you’re building from the hat down. Have your model lean slightly forward so the hat can’t help but be the focal point for viewers.

From here, think carefully about what else the model should wear. Matching or contrasting accessories, such as scarves and jewelry, can complete this shot beautifully.

4. Eyes Closed

Wellness practitioners, mindfulness coaches, and meditation teachers will all agree that the eyes-closed look connects with self-care.

When viewers see someone with their eyes closed, obviously calm and at peace, it intrigues them, and they want to know more. Of course, you do need to pose the shot carefully.

Make sure there is a little space above the head of the person and that you can at least see their full head, shoulders, and upper torso.

You don’t need the full body visible for these types of images, so don’t be afraid to get a little closer.

I make sure to encourage the person to wear something significant to the practice they’re trying to promote. If they work with crystals, for example, they could hold one in their hand and hold their hand to their chest.

The result is an image that resonates with wonder, calm, and a sense of the otherworldly. Soft lighting works for these shots, as does creating layered backgrounds with colored fabrics or screens.

5. Gazing in Wonder

What happens when someone is looking up at the sky? After a while, you get a crowd of people looking up, all wondering what it is that they’ve spotted.

You can lean into that principle for your vertical social media photos. Get your model to look at something away from the camera lens, but still generally toward the viewer.

I find that the trick to this is to have a focal point that the model can lock on to, so that their gaze is genuine rather than glassy or unfocused.

Set an image up behind you or to the side, or point out a prop or piece of furniture for them to stare at. Experiment with having them point at it, or even gasp and put a hand over their mouth.

Try different poses until you get the one that makes viewers say, “Wow, what are they looking at?”

In slideshows, these shots are best followed up with either a montage of similar shots leading to a launch page or immediately revealing whatever it was the person was looking at.

6. Mid-Dance

The human urge to dance is almost undeniable. When we see others dancing, it makes us want to move and makes us feel happy.

That’s the thinking behind this next vertical photo pose. Catch your model or client in the midst of a funky dance move; the more organic it is, the better engagement it will get online.

The best way to capture this pose is to let your subject choose their favorite bop, get it playing, and let them move. Encourage stretching, jumping moves, as these will stand out to scrollers more than subtle dance moves.

The bigger the move, the more it will stand out in a static shot. If you create a gallery of shots to post on social media, try to pair them with the music the subject was dancing to.

Dance poses are excellent for fashion brands, as they’re a dynamic way to show off clothes, jewelry, and accessories. They also highlight that the apparel is suitable for real life and moving around, not just for stationary, posed shots.

7. Looking Through Something

This is a striking shot that shows only part of your model as they peek through a curtain, screen, or window. It’s a great style choice for brand reveals, product launches, or just “sneak peek” style content.

If you don’t have a dedicated screen, you can create one with a large piece of paper. Perforate the paper down the center and hang it in front of your model.

Frame the shot so that you can’t see the edges of the paper. Have the model pull the paper apart in the middle, and repeatedly snap until you have a collection of shots of them appearing in this gap.

I find that the best images from this type of photoshoot tend to show part of the face, with at least one eye and perhaps a hint of a smile.

Consider your model’s clothing and accessories carefully. Matching the paper or curtain color is one idea, but you can also create a dramatic contrast by using very different colors.

You can use these images with a text overlay, such as “What’s hiding behind the curtain?” or “Ready to take a peek?”

These slogans, combined with the vertical, slightly hidden model, create intrigue and can generate comments and followers on your social platforms.

Pro Tips for Great-Looking Vertical Shots

I find that the key to the best-looking vertical images is balance. Imagine a grid splitting the shot into three equal horizontal strips.

From here, you can ensure that you don’t overload any single area of the shot. Your model’s head should be in the top third of the frame, and if the lower thirds are busy with props or clutter, add more to the top third to make it stand out.

Hats, balloons, striking makeup, bold backgrounds, and even raised hands can help restore balance if there’s too much going on lower down.

Always leave some space above the subject’s head. This creates the illusion that they’re at eye level for the viewer, which makes them more relatable and can boost engagement.

Use the model’s eyeline to guide the viewer’s focus to where you want. Scrolling social media users will look at whatever the model is looking at, so use that to your advantage.

Don’t frame subjects too close to the edge of the “screen.” Many platforms have overlays of options, menus, and other interactive buttons, and the focal points of your image can be lost if you don’t keep them nice and central.

Work with the vertical space, creating motion by throwing a ball, waving, throwing a high five, or other actions that create dynamic movement within the constraints of the frame.

If you’re taking photos on your smartphone rather than a dedicated digital camera, you may find this collection of 25 iPhone photography tips useful.

Final Thoughts

Vertical is the new standard orientation for fast-paced social media. While platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok are generally associated with video, static shots, galleries, and slideshows are becoming just as popular.

Take advantage of that popularity and give yourself an engagement boost by leaning into the vertical photography trend.