LinkedIn Profile Photo Poses: What to Do With Hands

You took ten photos for LinkedIn and in every one you look like you're waiting at airport security. It's rarely your face. It's your hands, shoulders and chin, three things your body does on its own the moment a lens points at it. The takeaway: a good profile photo isn't about smiling harder, it's about tensing less.

A profile photo is shown small, usually in a circle, so only what survives the crop matters: your face, shoulders, head tilt and eyes. Here is what to do with each, in the order you check them on screen.

Shoulders and body: an angle, not a passport photo

Don't face the camera square-on. Turn your body about 30-45 degrees and bring only your face back toward the lens. Your shoulders look narrower and the photo feels more natural than a straight-on shot.

Drop your shoulders. Lift them to your ears once, then let them fall. Most people hold them up when photographed without noticing.

If you lean on something, shift your weight onto the back foot. It shows in the shoulders even if your feet are out of frame.

Chin and eyes

Push your head slightly forward toward the camera and lower your chin a little. It feels odd in a mirror, but in a photo it sharpens the jawline and avoids a double chin. Chin too high reads as distant; too low reads as shy.

Look into the lens, not at the screen. If you look at your phone instead of the lens, your eyes look slightly downcast. For a livelier look, think of something that amuses you just before the shutter, not "I have to smile".

What to do with your hands

This is where most photos go wrong. Hands with nothing to do end up clenched, hidden in pockets or crossed stiffly. A few options that work:

• One hand in a pocket, thumb out. Keep the arm relaxed; it breaks the symmetry.
• A hand lightly touching your lapel or sleeve, as if adjusting your jacket. It's a natural motion you can repeat until one take works.
• Arms crossed without tension, fingers loose rather than gripping your arm. Keep the shoulders down.
• A hand resting under the chin, only if your shoulders are angled and the hand is relaxed rather than pressed against your cheek.

For a head-and-shoulders shot your hands barely show, but they still change how your shoulders and arms sit. Keep them relaxed even when they're out of frame.

Shooting alone and can't tell how a pose looks until you try it? Open some references before the session. Pro 101 Modeling Poses is an app with 101 professional modeling poses for photographers and models: pick one, try it in the mirror and show it to whoever is taking your photo.

Light, background and clothes

Face a window, don't stand with your back to it. Soft side light from a big window on an overcast day is the best free light you'll get.

Keep the background simple: a wall, a door or blurred trees. A shelf full of objects or a messy desk pulls the eye away from you.

Pick colors that don't fight your skin tone and avoid fine patterns; small checks and thin stripes "buzz" in small photos. Your shirt or blazer should sit well on the shoulders, since a loose fit shows immediately.

Taking it at home without a photographer

1. Put your phone on a stand at eye level or slightly above.
2. Use the timer and take 20-30 shots in a row, not five.
3. Change your hand position every 3-4 shots.
4. Check the shoulders and chin on your phone each time.
5. Pick the winner by how it looks in a small circle, not full screen.

The best shots usually come from the second half of the session, once you're a bit bored and have stopped posing.

Have a photo you keep looking at without knowing what's wrong? It's usually one of three things: raised shoulders, a high chin or tightly crossed arms. Change one at a time.

How to choose the final photo

Look at the shots the next day, not right away. Straight after the session you see yourself through the eyes of the person who was there and remembers feeling awkward; a day later you see yourself like a stranger would. Ask two people who know you which photo looks like you on a good day, and pick that one, even if it isn't the most flattering.

Mistakes that show immediately

• A forced smile with clenched teeth. A small, relaxed smile is better.
• A crop from a group selfie. Someone else's shoulder or odd proportions give it away.
• Heavy filters. In interviews and meetings the gap between photo and person shows.
• The ID-photo framing. Take half a step sideways to the lens.

What to do next

To find poses that suit you, skip the endless web searching: download Pro 101 Modeling Poses and choose from a set of ready-made professional poses on your phone during the shoot. You can find more apps on the Cleoda Labs page.

A profile photo doesn't have to be perfect. It has to look like a relaxed person someone would want to meet.

Frequently asked questions

What do I do with my hands in a profile photo?

Keep them relaxed: one hand in a pocket with the thumb out, or lightly touching your lapel, both look natural.

How should I pose for a LinkedIn photo?

Turn your body 30-45 degrees, drop your shoulders, push your head slightly forward and lower your chin a little.

Can I take a LinkedIn photo myself?

Yes: phone on a stand at eye level, use the timer, take 20-30 shots and judge them in a small circle crop.