I Asked 5 Instagram Stars for the Secret to Their Poses

Over the summer, the terms Barbie feet and baby giraffe became part of our vocabulary. But both took on totally different definitions in the context of Instagram. Essentially, these trending poses proved to be helpful guides for how to nail an amazing photo—especially for those who aim to look a little taller. But that's merely where the photo tips begin, and to truly understand, we turned to five Instagram stars who are well versed on the topic.

The below women are no strangers to Who What Wear—we feature their style and faces very often—and we asked them to weigh in on what they do to craft a photo worthy of precious grid space. Not only did they get candid about what they really think about Instagram's catchphrase trends, but they also provided tried-and-true advice for what they do to successfully capture an amazing outfit, moment, and mood all at the same time. Scroll on for their secrets to posing for the lens.

"For the most part, I think different pose trends come and go, but once they are named and popularized, they can tend to come off a little cliché. I don't take them too seriously, everyone is just trying to accentuate what they feel confident in.

"If I had to give personal advice on how to pose for a picture, I would say to be self-aware and know some go-tos that make you feel at ease and comfortable. I feel like you can always tell when someone is being really unnatural in a photo or not being true to themselves. But overall, just don't take yourself too seriously. I love seeing people smile in their pictures. It is really refreshing."

"I think it's so funny how people come up with these names! To be honest, I didn't know these poses had specific names until just now (where have I been?), but ultimately, I think they're lighthearted and something I've been doing without realizing it.

"My secret for landing a great pose is lighting! A photo is nothing without good lighting. I follow a multitude of diverse body types on Instagram for posing inspiration. I think it's important to see different bodies and how they can all be so beautiful. My advice for anyone trying to take a better photo would be to be confident. Your confidence shines through an image, and can really elevate the photo!"

"Funny enough, I don't think the [baby giraffe and Barbie feet] poses are new. I'm not sure if it's bizarrely instinctual or learned, but you see it all the time from red carpets to mirror selfies. I think when you take photos of yourself constantly, you learn what works you and one thing that's pretty universal is that most of us like to look long. Tyra Banks said model head to toe, and we all listened.

"Being 5'10" certainly has its advantages, but I've been pushing myself to take cool photos rather than always standing up tall. When you're bigger, sitting or leaning, etc., goes against looking 'leaner,' to which I'm learning to say screw that and just having fun trying new poses."

"I like how subtle, in-between moments look. Almost like a film still. It can be hard to make a static pose look natural, so if you're not comfortable in front of the camera, I would recommend simply walking in and out of the frame and having the photographer take a bunch of pictures of that movement. Everyone looks great and loosens up when they walk."

"I actually never heard of these new pose trends, so I had to google it to see what it was all about. My first impression of the baby giraffe pose is that I actually recognize that I have done this pose quite often lately. Probably because it's all over Instagram. I do think it's a cool pose. And I actually also love the Barbie feet pose because it makes you look much taller!

"I think I just do whatever feels natural actually in front of the camera. Of course, I have to take tons of photos before getting the right one. If you don't know what to do in front of the camera, I would recommend taking photos where there aren't a lot of people so that you can get comfortable, and go through the photos right away so that you can see what you like and make changes. When I first started with Instagram, I really didn't know how to pose, but I have gotten more confident. I do get a lot of posing inspo from Instagram, and it also helps to have friends that know your best angles."

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