OK, let me say first that I am not a professional model, nor do I play one on the Web!

Nonetheless, as you can see from my very populous photo albums, I have had a bit of experience posing for the camera. I would like to share my experience with you. Hopefully this will help out some of my "younger" T sisters in their quest of pics that raise the viewer's body temperature.

• Smile!
  I owe the first tip, the most important one, to Kalina Isato. Way back when, I wrote to her and asked her the typical "So what do you think of my pics?" question. She was kind enough to reply and give me a couple of tips, the most important being SMILE!

  You may have noticed that I almost always have a big cheesy smile on my face in my photos. There is nothing like a nice big smile to lively up oneself! If the pose does not call for a big smile, then I try to look like I'm trying to seduce someone. Failing that, I at least try to avoid looking like I'm attending a funeral! No one wants to look at that!
  
  

• Use a mirror!
  A mirror is great for checking one's pose and facial expression. It is especially useful if you are using a "real film" camera instead of a digital camera. It's a huge bummer to get the photos back from the photo processor only to find you looked like you missed the annual 75%-off Neiman Marcus shoes sale!

  I use one of those "closet mirror", a 12" x 48" jobbie, meant to be tacked up on the closet door. I prop it up against a chair or a wall as close to the back of the camera as possible.

  The mirror needs to be close to the back of the camera, not off to one side, to give you the most accurate image of what will be on film. Additionally, since my digital camera has LCD monitor in its back, I can see the monitor's reflection in the mirror as I pose, so I can check whether my head or feet are being cut off unintentionally. Of course, I can't see details in the tiny monitor from far away, so what I do is to get into position and then wave my hands and legs and feet. It's a lot easier to see the motion in the monitor and know where the "edges" of the frame are.

  Finally, a mirror is a great way to check your pose and your facial expression. After a taking enough photos this way, you will know how to pose & smile without needing a mirror! (I think this is the reason why dance studios have mirrors lining their wall: so dancers can check their movements, body & limb positions, etc. as they practice.)
  
  

• Point your feet!
  Whenever possible, try to "point" your feet i.e. extend them as much as possible, putting the foot in the same line as the calf. I have had so many potentially great pics spoiled by this faux pas. (My French fans probably enjoyed that pun!) For example, instead of this: try to do this:

  The traditional reason for pointing one's feet is to tighten up the calf muscles, making the calf look more toned. However, it's my experience that T girls don't have a problem with muscle tones! Instead, the benefit of extending the lines of the calf into the foot is to give the illusion of longer, leaner legs.

  Oh, by the way, when pointing your feet, don't go overboard, like this

  It's a personal taste kinda thing, but I really dislike the sight of feet & toes all scrunched up like that. Instead, point your feet, but relax your toes, or even flex them a bit the other way, like so:

  Isn't that a lot sexier?

  Finally, check here for a photo gallery of the dos and don'ts for legs & feet when posing.