Best male poses for headshots

Photographers have an unspoken duty to capture the perfect portrait. In a sliver of a moment in time, they can create a snapshot of someone’s personality, professionalism and confidence. However, as guys in front of the camera, we know there is often a self-confidence gap – especially if someone is a beginner! Luckily, we’ve come up with a posing guide for all you guys to level up your selfies with these photoshoot poses for men so you can get that professional, effortless shot.

We easily connect people with trusted photographers for fun photoshoots and have captured over three million memories worldwide. The magic of Flytographer is both the experience and the photos. Explore the city with a fun, talented photographer and get wall-worthy photos to relive your trip, forever. Today, we asked our local photographers to share their best poses and photography tips when it comes to male subjects. Let’s jump in, gents! 📸

TLDR

1. Hands in pockets: A pose that boasts a simple and casual air of confidence.
2. Casual walk: Our favourite if you are looking for the casual look.
3. The model lean: The trick is to portray the “model look” – in a natural way.
4. Seated leg cross: A simple leg cross or knee bend goes a long way.
5. Standing leg cross: If you are looking for the ultimate “cool guy” pose, this is it!
6. Look the other way: By looking the other way, you create a more natural photograph.
7. Adjust the jacket: Simply pretend to button your jacket or adjust the collar.
8. Sling the jacket: Grab your black leather jacket and channel your inner Danny Zuko.
9. Stylin’ in shades: Shades make you look easy-going, and you can use them as a prop.
10. Tip the hat: Time to take a page out of the book of your chivalrous grandpa in the ’60s.

Photo: Spyros in Santorini for Flytographer. Jessica and partner capture memories in Santorini with a honeymoon photoshoot in Oia Village.

1. Hands in pockets

First up is the classic “hands in pockets” pose that boasts a simple and casual air of confidence. You can achieve this portrait photography idea by using your jeans or pants pockets or a jacket pocket. 👖🧥 Unlike your female counterparts, most articles of men’s clothing actually have functional pockets – so use them to your advantage! Simply throw one hand (or both!) into your pockets and let your body language say the rest. 

💡Tip: If you have tight pants, you can just tuck your thumb into your pocket!

Photo: Julia in Madrid for Flytographer. Ray captures memories in Madrid with a solo adventure photoshoot in La Latina.

2. Casual walk

This is one of our favourite photoshoot poses for men if you are looking for the casual look. To successfully set up this pose, the key is to start a good six feet away from the camera and slowly walk toward it – and we mean slowly. Your photographer may even stop you mid-step to get the perfect action shot from some different angles! 👟

💡 Tip: Look anywhere BUT at the camera for this one to emit all the casual vibes.

Photo: Božo in Dubrovnik for Flytographer. Justin captures memories in Dubrovnik with a solo adventure photoshoot in Old Town.

3. The model lean

Don’t be intimidated by us using the word “model” in this pose. The trick is to portray the “model look” – in a natural way. One way to accomplish this is to find a (clean) wall or railing to lean against and build up that confidence! Just like other photoshoot poses for men, this one is best achieved when the subject looks right at the camera.

It’s up to you if you want your full body showing for a lifestyle shot or just your upper body for more of a close-up. Flash those pearly whites in a great big smile or have a subdued, neutral facial expression depending on what emotion you want your photos to convey! 😊

💡Tip: The best part about this pose is its versatility for different locations! Try this pose in multiple spots throughout your shoot if the background lends itself to a moment of leaning.

Photo: Goncalo in Lisbon for Flytographer. Jeffrey captures memories in Lisbon with a solo adventure photoshoot in Alfama Streets.

4. Seated leg cross

Now it’s time to take a load off with some sitting photoshoot poses for men. Sit back, relax and cross those legs! Before you say that having crossed legs is not your thing – take a look at these photo examples. They radiate confidence and poise! A simple leg cross or knee bend goes a long way toward the look and feel of your photos. It makes you look more comfortable and confident, and it creates a natural rest for your arm for those of you wondering, “Okay, but what do I do with my hands?!” 🤷🏽‍♂️

This pose also works with different perspectives. When the photo is taken from below, it makes the subject look more confident and stoic but when taken from above, the result is more flattering and the subject looks more approachable.

💡Tip: Get comfy. This is one thing that we are serious about! When you feel comfortable, you will look comfortable! If crossing your legs is not something that is comfortable for you – skip it!

Photo: Kari in New York City for Flytographer. Brad captures memories in New York City with a birthday photoshoot in Times Square.

5. Standing leg cross

If you are looking for the ultimate “cool guy” pose, this is it! This is one of our favourite standing photoshoot poses for men because of its versatility and effectiveness in pretty much any situation. Whether you have a wall, railing or large doorway at your disposal, simply lean against it and cross your legs. Bonus points if you also put your hands in your pockets! 🕺🏻

💡Tip: Angle your body toward the camera but turn your head 90 degrees in line with your left or right shoulder for a stunning profile shot!

Photo: Ellie in Florence for Flytographer. Charissa and family capture memories in Florence with a headshot photoshoot in Duomo & Ponte Vecchio.

6. Look the other way

By looking the other way, you automatically create a more natural photograph. When we talk about taking a candid photo, we really mean “plan-did,” in other words, poses that are planned to look natural. They often involve prompts and direction from your photographer. Suggestions about where to look, what to do with your hands and even how to angle your body are given. Here at Flytographer, we love natural photos more than stuffy poses because they convey personalities and locations in a more authentic way. And the number one way to achieve those candid shots is to not look at the camera! It also does wonders to pop that stark jawline. 😉

💡Tip: Communicate your shoot vision and goals to your photographer before your session! Let them know if you are looking for classic headshots where you look at the camera or if you prefer a more casual, natural style, and they will guide you during your session.

Photo: John in Nashville for Flytographer. Donald captures memories in Nashville with a solo adventure photoshoot downtown.

7. Adjust the jacket

Here’s a great pose idea for all the jacket-wearers in the house – adjust it! Simply pretending to button your jacket or adjust the collar is a fantastic idea for a casual shot. If you are wearing a traditional suit, you could also adjust your cufflinks. This also solves the problem of what to do with your hands. Nothing says, “Wow, he’s well-dressed” quite like this pose because when you adjust something with your hands, you are drawing attention to that feature and simultaneously showing that you care about the details – especially when it comes to your outfit. 👌🏽

💡Tip: Make sure that what you are adjusting creates symmetry in the photo. In other words, make sure both hands are doing the work (even if it’s all for show!).

Photo: Elina in Amsterdam for Flytographer. Roy captures memories in Amsterdam with a solo adventure photoshoot in the Nieuwmarkt Neighbourhood.

8. Sling the jacket

Let’s keep it going and use the jacket as a prop! Taking your jacket off creates a whole new (perhaps more casual) look and may even increase the longevity of your content. The next step is slinging your jacket casually over one of your shoulders. This photoshoot pose for men is perfect if you are looking for something to do with your hands to create a dynamic action shot. It’s the ultimate look that we have seen again and again in fashion photography and even Hollywood movies such as Top Gun or Grease. All that’s left to do is grab your black leather jacket, channel your inner Danny Zuko and book your Flytographer shoot! ⚡️

💡Tip: This pose works for wide-angle shots or close-ups, so try both!

Photo: Ronise in Lisbon for Flytographer. Ferhayn captures memories in Lisbon with a solo adventure photoshoot in Portas do Sol Square.

9. Stylin’ in shades

One of the main goals of photoshoot poses for men is to make you look super cool. 😎 One easy way to accomplish this is to wear a pair of shades! Not only do sunglasses make you look easy-going but you can also use them as a prop. Wondering what to do with your hands? Grab those sunnies, put them on then take them off and laugh at how silly you look! Here’s one of our rules: don’t take yourself too seriously and just have FUN on your Flytographer shoot!

💡Tip: Make sure that the sunglasses only make a celebrity appearance in your photos and that you are not wearing them throughout the shoot. We want to see your whole face in most of your photos!

Photo: Cheryl in Miami for Flytographer. Marc captures memories in Miami with a solo adventure photoshoot at Indian Beach Park.

10. Tip the hat

Alright gentleman, we have reached the last of our photoshoot poses for men, and here, it’s time to take a page out of the book of your chivalrous ’60s grandpa. Tip your hat, gents! 🎩 A hat can be a great prop for many reasons – one of which is that it completes your outfit. Choosing the right hat for the outfit is truly an art form. Once you have found the perfect hat, use it to your advantage during the shoot. Use it to create mystery by hiding behind it, or have it contribute to the easygoing nature of your photos.

💡Tip: Make sure you don’t have hat hair in case your photographer would like some shots without the hat.

Photo: Karlota in San Juan for Flytographer. Austin captures memories in San Juan with a solo adventure photoshoot in Classic Old San Juan.

Capturing the perfect shot

To wrap up these posing tips for men, the bottom line is to feel comfortable and confident on your shoot. We have listed just some photo poses for men that might help them feel more at ease going into a shoot. The local professional photographers all over the world at Flytographer will make sure you have everything you need to get the perfect shot. We can’t wait to meet you and capture some amazing portraits together! 📸