# The science of striking a pose **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-striking-a-pose/259858 "2004-08-14T18:33:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silocke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Silocke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silocke)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-striking-a-pose/259858/1 "2004-08-14T18:33:47Z")
I have a very early new years resolution. I want to learn how to pose better. See I’m not someone for whom posing comes naturally. I guess I don’t look ridiculous when I resume normal posture, but for some reason I can never seem to look as good as those guys in catalogues (please bear in mind, I obtain these catalogues exclusively to ogle the women). They always seem to strike a far more seductive tone than I can. Basically they look really cool. I was wondering is there any scientific reason for this? Why when I tilt my head to the side does it just instinctively look really good (as many others have noted)? Is it because I have a long/short face or long/lean or short/stubby body? Has anyone ever tried to characterise this question in a scientific way? For example, there is a phenomenon called IIRC “vertical appreciation” (I have a very rough memory of this). Basically if you wear pinstripes that run along your body in a vertical direction it gives the impression of tallness/slender, whereas horizontal pinstripes give a short/wider look. Can something similiar apply to the “science” of posing/posture? ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-striking-a-pose/259858/2 "2004-08-14T21:57:18Z")
The people in catalogs look good because there’s a photographer telling them what to do: “Tilt your head to the left… No, your other left, dear… A bit more… No, not that much… Now turn your head a bit to the right… No, just your head… ::walks over and grabs subject’s head and moves it into position:: Now don’t move. I SAID DON’T MOVE!” etc. Yes, there are rules for what looks good. Go to your local bookstore or library and see if you can find a book on portrait photography. That’ll tell you everything you want to know. I’d give you a link, but the only things Google gives me are people selling the books about it. If you want to know _why_ all that stuff makes people look good, you get into complicated theory about proportions and aesthetics and such. Take an art appreciation class, for a start. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-striking-a-pose/259858/3 "2004-08-15T00:52:35Z")
Oooh, darling, you must make _love_ to the camera… ---
**Author:** ![ambushed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@ambushed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ambushed)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-striking-a-pose/259858/4 "2004-08-15T06:10:36Z")
> [@Silocke](#): > > I guess I don’t look ridiculous when I resume normal posture, but for some reason I can never seem to look as good as those guys in catalogues (please bear in mind, I obtain these catalogues exclusively to ogle the women). Doth thou protest too much? 😉 Anyway, don’t forget that the photographers take _ **hundreds** _ of pictures and you’ll only see the one or two best. The “posing” skill of the model is highly overrated. ---
**Author:** ![Silocke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Silocke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silocke)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-striking-a-pose/259858/5 "2004-08-16T00:00:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Oooh, darling, you must make _love_ to the camera… I tried that, but I hate how cum shots look on photographs ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-science-of-striking-a-pose/259858/6 "2004-08-16T01:43:35Z")
> [@ambushed](#): > > Doth thou protest too much? 😉 Hee-hee, methinks so too. My advice: Go into a gay bar and observe. Try to imitate people. If someone \*\*hits on \*\*you, you’re doing something right. If someone \*\*hits \*\*you, you’re doing something wrong. Don’t try this if you notice you’re the only one there not wearing leather.