Flying Dress Poses and Photoshoot Ideas: 7 Tips From Our Photographers
You don't need modelling experience. Seven simple tips, poses for couples and groups, and how the dress is made to fly.
Many people worry about posing before their first photoshoot. "I don't know what to do with my hands" is something our photographers hear almost every day. The good news: you don't need modelling experience for beautiful flying dress photos. Your photographer guides every pose, the assistant makes the dress fly, and the dress does most of the work. These seven tips will help you feel relaxed before the day.
1. Keep the poses simple
The poses you see professional models doing often take years of practice. Trying a difficult pose for the first time on a clifftop rarely looks natural. Simple poses, done with confidence, almost always look better: standing with your weight on one leg, a slight turn of the shoulders, looking over your shoulder. If you want to prepare, try those three in front of a mirror at home. That is all you need.
2. Mind your chin and neck
One of the oldest modelling tricks is to keep your neck long and your chin slightly forward and up. Looking down at the ground shortens the neck and creates shadows under the chin. A small lift of the chin, without overdoing it, makes your face and neck look more defined.
3. Give your hands something to do
Arms hanging straight down look stiff. Instead, use your hands to create shape:
- Rest one hand lightly on your waist or hip.
- Touch your hair, neck or collarbone softly.
- Hold or lift the edge of the dress.
- Keep your fingers relaxed and slightly apart, never clenched.
Softness is the key. Imagine you are holding something delicate.
4. Work with the dress
The dress is the star of a flying dress photoshoot, and it is also your best prop. Turn so the fabric spins around you, lift a corner of the skirt and let it go, or simply stand still and let the wind take it.
The most dramatic photos are made by the assistant, who throws the train into the air at exactly the right moment, arranges it between shots and keeps your hair in place. The assistant is included in Marilyn, Happy Birthday, Mr. President, Diamonds, Group & Celebrations and both Cruise Day packages, and can be added to Jeane for €30. It makes a real difference to how high and how beautifully the dress flies.
5. Plan your hair for the wind
Santorini is often windy, which is wonderful for the dress and less so for your hair. An updo is the easiest choice and keeps your face clear; if you prefer your hair down, bring a clip and some hairspray. Hair and makeup is included in Happy Birthday, Mr. President and Diamonds, and can be added to the other packages. Our photoshoot checklist has the rest of the practical tips.
6. Listen to your photographer
Your photographer knows the light, the angles and the poses that work in each spot, and can see the photo while you can't. Even if you arrive with a clear vision, which is always helpful, small directions like "turn your shoulders towards me" or "look at the sea" are what turn a good photo into a great one.
7. Be yourself, and enjoy it
The best photos come from the moments you forget about the camera. Laugh, enjoy the view, enjoy the dress. Try not to compare yourself with other photos you have seen online: your photos should look like you on your best day.
10 flying dress photoshoot ideas
- The spin: turn slowly and let the fabric circle around you.
- The flying train: stand still while the assistant throws the train into the wind.
- Over the shoulder: walk away, then look back at the camera.
- Looking at the sea: face the caldera and let your photographer catch your profile.
- Lifting the edge: hold a corner of the skirt and let it go.
- Seated on the steps: the dress spread down a white staircase.
- Between two bell towers: framed by white walls and blue domes.
- Walking together: for couples, hand in hand while the dress flies behind you.
- All turning at once: for groups, every dress in the air in the same second.
- Mother and daughter: the same color, the trains flying side by side.
Your photographer suggests the ideas that suit your spot and the light, and the assistant who makes the dress fly is included in most packages.
Poses for couples
Couples pay the same price as one person, and the best couple poses are the simplest: walking together, holding hands, a forehead-to-forehead embrace, one of you looking at the other while the dress flies between you. Leave the lifts and dips to dancers. Your partner looks best in light, neutral colors. More in our couple photoshoot tips.
Poses for groups
A row of people standing in a line looks stiff. Groups photograph best when they are doing something together: walking, laughing, hugging, all turning at once so the dresses fly together, and then individual portraits in between. Your photographer mixes playful moments with more elegant ones. See how a group photoshoot works.
Before the day
To know what happens from the moment you meet your photographer, read what to expect on the day. If you haven't chosen your dress yet, our guide to flying dress styles for every body type is a good place to start, and every package includes a dress from our collection.
Questions and answers
I have never modelled before. Will I look natural?
Yes. Most of our clients have never posed for a professional photographer. Your photographer guides you through every pose, and the dress does a lot of the work.
Should I practise poses before the shoot?
It helps to try a few simple poses in front of a mirror, but there is no need to rehearse. Comfortable, simple poses look better than difficult ones you haven't tried.
Who makes the dress fly?
The wind, your photographer's timing and the assistant, who throws the train at the right moment. The assistant is included in every package from Marilyn up and can be added to Jeane for €30.
What are good flying dress photoshoot ideas?
A slow spin, the flying train thrown into the wind, a look back over your shoulder, sitting on white steps with the dress spread around you, and walking hand in hand for couples. Your photographer suggests the ideas that suit your spot.
