12 Gravity-Defying Levitation Poses Explained + Tips

Levitation poses in photos are practically guaranteed to grab attention while scrolling through social media.

They seem nearly impossible to replicate. Plus, the fact that they focus solely on the subject makes them eye-catching features in subtle ads.

But how are they made? Below are some poses and tips on how to get them for your next photo shoot.

P.S – We also have a detailed guide to levitation photography that details the step-by-step process for shooting and editing levitation photos. So, do check that out for more on the technical side of it.

Levitation Poses Explained

The key to successful levitation photography lies in planning, using the burst mode, and post-production editing.

Although they may seem like magic, there are two methods for how to actually get to the pose: jumping or support.

I find that jumping is much easier to coordinate, editing-wise, with a human model, but it can be grueling to perform when you want a high-quality shot.

The support option requires much more positioning and editing experience, and it might not work on all subjects.

Levitation Pose Examples

1. Meditation Pose

One of the first things you might think of when you hear “levitation” is “yoga” or “meditation,” and for a good reason, as both of those naturally invoke feelings of weightlessness, calm, and spirituality.

The best part about this is that you can actually perform the pose quite easily with editing. You simply need to take the image while sitting on solid ground or a small stool, then edit away the background and replace it with something else.

I often have my subject wear a long, flowy dress to help disguise a chair or stool or make them easier to remove.

Alternatively, you can take the photo with the model jumping in the air. However, this requires a lot of precision, as the model needs to adopt a lotus pose mid-jump.

In the latter case, make sure to keep the ground heavily padded and not capture it in the photo.

• Best Jumping Poses

2. Carried Away

If you can find a natural landscape that shifts visibly with the wind, you can use it as the backdrop for a levitation photo.

Simply follow the direction of the wind, then place your model (and a useful prop like an umbrella or kite) that will sway in the same direction.

This method can be accomplished with jumping, but editing away the stool or perch is often much simpler.

When taking the shoot, I like to double-check the direction of the actual wind to ensure it aligns with the pose.

3. The Backward Arch

This pose can be done in a few different ways.

But when successfully taken, it looks a bit like an alien abduction (which is memorable in and of itself).

However, you can also have the model “resting” on the ground with only one of their hands or feet and the rest of the body suspended mid-air.

The latter is arguably more difficult to accomplish. But I find it’s easily accomplished by having the model lie down on a small stool, then editing it out entirely.

What makes this tricky is that if you want to go really imaginative, you can set up in a natural landscape, but you again have to account for having to remove the stool from the image.

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4. The Mid-Jump

This one is arguably one of the more dangerous poses to try, as the “support” method often doesn’t work.

In the most extreme version, the levitation pose has the neck below the center of gravity, which only works when you’re actively mid-jump and doing a somersault (or something akin to it).

In general, I stick with some of the safer jumping options where it’s quite obvious the model is in mid jump.

This method only works if your camera has a high shutter speed to capture quality shots in seconds, as only one out of every couple of dozen might actually look good.

5. Suspended Reading

Adding a prop creates a natural narrative, and most people correlate books with knowledge and knowledge with abilities.

That’s why you might see a lot of poses where the levitating subject is reading or letting go of a book or paper that seems to float as well.

When making the shot, pay close attention to the shadows that the props cast so they don’t interfere with the placement of the perch or can be edited out later.

Regarding the actual pose, I prefer to have the face visible, but you can create interesting juxtapositions or cultural nods by obscuring the face with the book (such as the famous “The Son of Man” painting by Magritte).

In some cases, you might need to take a few separate images and stitch them together when spreading the props around the model.

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6. Floating Food

One of the more interesting uses of the levitating trope involves food.

This can be created with highly precise quality cameras, capturing pieces of food while they’re being dropped onto a surface.

Or you can deconstruct a food (such as a burger) into its constituent parts, drop the pieces individually at high shutter speeds, then stitch the sequence together.

The second option will require significantly more trial-and-error, but relies less on getting the perfect shot in one go.

7. Using a Backdrop

In most cases, the levitation itself is center stage, but you can also play around with the environment as a backdrop and align the model with that.

This can be great if you have murals on walls or trees with wider crowns, as both of these can fit around the model and become part of the composition.

For a mural, wings or other anatomical additions can be good options. I’ve even played around with making my own murals for the shoot.

Do be careful about shadows here, as using a perch for the camera can add a shadow that’s difficult to remove.

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8. Reaching for the Sky

If you read that title and imagine something like the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, you’re on the right track.

While this pose seems difficult, it’s actually fairly easy to create with a setup. Much like the reading pose, you’ll need multiple images to stitch here.

Your subject or model needs to be sitting or leaning on a perch. The surrounding objects (what is being reached for) can be scattered around and captured with high shutter speeds.

Finally, a single shot with just the static background will fill in the rest.

Due to the potential complexity, I recommend avoiding taking the image outdoors as the wind and sky can make proper splicing difficult.

Alternatively, you can actually take the shot in a studio setting with the model and objects lying down. The main issue here is dealing with shadows in post-production, so you’ll need good photo-editing skills.

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9. (Balloon) Abduction

This pose can be done in a few different ways, but most photographers rely on a simple jumping method with good timing.

All you need to do is have the model jump in the air and lean slightly backward. If you capture the shot at the right time, their head should be turned just slightly back, and the model should be facing directly up into the sky.

Alternatively, you can use balloons as the prop to enhance the levitation appearance. For this one, I find the pose doesn’t matter nearly as much, but you can be creative with a wider stance (that may require a larger support below or a higher jump).

The balloons do need to be filled with helium so they correctly float upward.

10. Upside Down

One neat trick you can use if your background is dark is to take a shot of the model jumping, and then simply flip it upside down or rotate it.

This creates a naturally levitating pose that is actually easier than some of the other poses because it’s created by simply flipping or rotating the shot to create images that would be downright dangerous to try in reality.

The darker background makes the shot possible since it removes the shadow. You can also experiment with studio lighting to give the illusion of the image being the “right way up.”

Exceptionally athletic models can also help sell the levitation effect.

11. Water Levitation

If you have the combination of an excellent camera, stellar photo-editing skills, and a pool with crystal-clear water, you can try to create an effect where the model is levitating while swimming.

You can use a two-fold process of getting the right underwater shot, then removing the surrounding water and replacing it with air.

While the process is complicated, posing in water can be much easier than trying to achieve the same jumping position or using a perch. The natural flow of the hair and clothes is also difficult to replicate without water.

However, this will require specialized equipment for underwater photos and a model who can hold their breath.

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12. Hide a Trampoline

While this might sound like “cheating” (although all of these shots require some sort of camera tricks), it can be an effective method to get a levitation-like pose and one of the few ways to get a true upside-down shot.

I like the added benefit of being far less dangerous than simply jumping for some people. It also allows you to experiment with posing in the air since the subject can be in the air longer and more frequently

Just make sure to capture the photo without the trampoline in it and use a high shutter speed so you get a solid selection of photos to choose from.

Pro Tips for Successful Levitation Photography

Camera Gear and Setup

You absolutely need a tripod for this one, as levitation photography usually requires multiple shots with identical framing. If your camera moves between shots, combining them becomes exponentially harder.

For the support method, I use manual focus and lock it in place before the model gets on the support. Shoot in manual mode to maintain consistent exposure, and use burst mode for jumping shots to capture the perfect moment.

Lighting and Shadows

Bright sunlight is your enemy because it casts shadows that are hard to remove in post-production. Cloud cover or diffused shade is ideal, and soft, even lighting makes editing significantly easier.

If you must shoot in bright sunlight, I suspect you’ll need to plan for extensive post-production work to erase shadows. Consider adding light from below with reflectors to illuminate your model’s underside and make it stand out from the background.

Clothing and Styling Choices

Loose, flowing fabric is essential for many levitation poses, since tight clothing doesn’t move and makes the levitation less believable.

Light colors also create an airy, weightless feeling, though dark colors work for dramatic moods.

Having a model with long hair is a bonus since hair movement adds natural motion and believability.

Shooting Angle Matters

Shoot from a low angle or eye level, never from above, since low angles make subjects appear higher and more suspended.

By contrast, shooting from above compresses space and makes it look less like floating and more like lying down.

The Support Structure

When using supports, I believe that simplicity is key. Something like IKEA stools, sturdy chairs, small tables, or wooden crates works well.

When using a support, it needs to be stable but also have enough height and clearance from the floor. If the perch allows you to avoid capturing the floor entirely, even better.

One of the best ways to utilize smaller support structures is to layer long clothing like flowy dresses over them. It makes editing easier, and some combinations might obscure the perch entirely.

Production Notes

When going for levitations, I often take two shots, one with the empty background and the second with the model on the support or perch.

You can then layer them in Photoshop, using the former as the base layer and a layer mask to remove the perch from the latter.

However, you’ll likely need to plan for more shots than you think.

This can include optional separate shots of hair movement, fabric flicks, or floating props.

For jumping shots, use burst mode and fire off 10-20 frames rapidly. More shots mean more options and better final results.

If you want to, you can technically add post-production effects such as lighting or sparkles. However, these can often detract from the actual “act” of levitating, defeating the mystique of the shot.

Final Words

With a bit of practice, shooting levitation shots won’t feel like it requires magic.

All you have to do is find a good studio or a natural spot without harsh sunlight.

Then, use a bit of camera trickery to hide or edit a perch, or just have the subject jump until you land on a photo you can use.

After that, experiment with adding more complexity and props to the levitation poses, and you’ll get social-media-ready shots in no time.