I found a funny blog on buzzfeed about posing and it inspired me create posing guidelines for the guys. Most of the grooms I shoot aren’t comfortable in front of a camera but making them comfortable is an important part of my job. Here is a list of five things I do to get the best out of my male subjects.

Also See: Get the Natural, In Love Look!

1) Find Flattering Angles

We’ve all heard someone say, “Switch with me, this isn’t my good side.” You might think it’s silly, but the fact is, unless your face is perfectly symmetrical, you have a good side and a bad side. The same goes for angles. Men and women alike can find their best angles by looking in a mirror or – if you’re more trendy – taking selfies.

2) Practice Proper Grooming Techniques

My subjects are encouraged to be themselves, but I do recommend a fresh hair cut and shave to the men before a shoot. I don’t mean a buzz cut and a completely shaven face; I mean clean lines. Men – If you go back and review your past photos, I bet you’ll agree that you look your best when you’re cleanly groomed.

3) Posture!

The “manly” and “attractive” posture for a man absolutely requires standing up straight, widening the shoulders and protruding the chest. On paper, this sounds terribly unnatural but imagine the way you’d react when you saw a beautiful woman walking towards you on the street. The slouch disappears, you may take a breath of confidence, and tilt your head and shoulders back to appear taller. These natural movements translate into posing and can be very easy to achieve with some practice.

4) Smile, or Don’t

Most men assume there are only two faces: smiling, and not smiling. But not smiling can mean so many things: serious, pensive, loving, and so much more. I encourage my subjects to NOT smile because sometimes the emotions they convey outside of the standard “happy face” are the most powerful.

5) Breathe

It’s easy to tell someone to relax but it’s a lot harder to actually have them relax. Taking deep breaths naturally encourages the body to relax, and calms nerves. I try not to tell my subjects to “just relax”, but you will always hear me suggesting they “remember to breathe”! If you’re feeling stiff or unnatural in front of the camera, take a deep breath. It almost always turns into something good.