Occasionally, as lifestyle bloggers, we are asked to model (if you will) a bold print dress from an online store, a new pair of boots, a pair of must-have leggings or a trendy graphic tshirt. Once the excitement from someone sending you clothes wears off, the panic of, "WHOAmygod I'm not a fashion blogger I am making this so awkward I don't know what to do with my hands" sets in. As it says on my Pinterest profile, I love clothes. Like, more than a friend. And I want people to send me all the clothes and shoes and clothes and shoes and clothes and purses and shoes and clothes. So I want to make sure that I do a good job of showing off the items they so graciously send. Because, new clothes are the bomb. I think the most important thing is to have a game plan before you go in. I'm not just talking about having an ideal location either. Location is great, but once you get there and still have no idea what to do with your hands, you're screwed, and you'll make it awkward. I promise you will. Create a Pinterest board filled with poses/imagery you love. My board is called Photog and it houses different poses, styled shoots and locations I would like to recreate. Here are several poses/styled images that would be good to use as inspiration next time you're showing off a clothing item. Images ::: via // via // via // via // via // via // via // via // via // via // via I personally feel like a good motto to have is, "Throw a macbook in the picture." -- or -- "Throw a camera in the picture." Simple as that... I know I am a sucker for pictures of people taking pictures! Here are some good examples... Images ::: via // via // via // via // via Besides, advertisers are looking to see their product featured, not your face! So don't throw out those pictures you think you look goofy in. They can still be used! Also, think about intentionally not including your face in photos. Different angles can make for really great pictures. So don't worry about smiling big and pretty! See.... Images ::: via // via // via // via Explain what you are trying to do, to your photographer (aka your boyfriend/husband). Dudes don't get that we don't want our whole body. You hand a guy a camera, the first thing he is going to do is start walking backwards so he can capture all of you and everything else in the background. This is bad news bears for fashion photography. Show him pictures. SHOW HIM, not just explain to him, what pose you are trying to do. Let him know if you aren't going to be looking at the camera, or that you don't need your face in the photo. Explain to him, using pictures as examples, that you are trying to get a picture of JUST THE SHOES or JUST THESE BRACELETS. Show him pictures, it will help! Here are good pictures to show a boy when you are trying to photograph something specific. Images ::: via // via // via // via // via So those are my tips and poses I love to use for inspiration! Do you have any suggestions to add to the mix that other lifestyle bloggers can use to feel more comfortable in front of the camera?