Update Consent

20 Beach Poses to Show Off Your Bikini This Swim Season

20 Tips For Posing in Your Swimsuit With Confidence

May 25 2022

Mastering the art of the perfect beach pose that highlights your tropical destination while showing off all the exciting design details of your swimsuit isn't exactly an easy task. Whether you're wearing one of your favorite go-to swimsuits or showing off a new purchase, it's nice to have a few images to reference for inspiration. And while models seem to effortlessly stand in front of the camera and get the shot, it's not always organic for the rest of us. So we asked a few fashion-industry insiders, many of whom have perfected poses through the years, using Instagram to document their looks, for their tips on best capturing our vacation pics.

For NYC-based model Sarah Kim, posing starts with getting to know herself: "As someone who has body dysmorphia, I have to make a conscious effort every day to get to know my body because I believe that to feel confident, especially in swimwear, I have to become physically, emotionally, and spiritually joined as one," she says.

"People are experts in posing to make their body fit in the social template," style maven Anna-Lotta Martina Nanne says. She notes that what you see on social media should always be taken with a grain of salt. "Women overall already put so much effort into fulfilling what society expects from us, how we look, and how we present ourselves," she says. "In the end, it's not about posing to make someone else pleased; it's about your vibe and happiness that determines having confidence in your body."

As you'll see from the 20 poses ahead, there are several ways to twist, turn, sit, stand, and kneel to show off your swimsuit's details. Whether it's a waist belt, tie sleeve, or ruffle down the neckline you want to highlight, check out some ideas and try them out for your next vacation shoot. The best part? You can work with a professional photographer or a friend or pull off many of these poses yourself with the self-timer feature.

1. Swimsuit Pose: With a Button-Down

Perhaps one of the most classic cover-ups, a white button-down acts as a chic finish to your swimwear, especially when it comes in a classic print. Allow it to fall off your shoulders to show off every detail of your suit and finish with luxe, everyday jewelry, like hoop earrings.

2. Swimsuit Pose: Relaxed

Digital creator Shalini Acharya recommends starting off relaxed with your arms and legs stretched out to elongate your figure. Take it from there, and try a few different poses that feel comfortable.

3. Bikini Pose: Bent Knee

For style influencer Anna-Lotta Martina Nanne, confidence is conveyed in a swimsuit when you master the "vibe" you're going for. She asks herself what outfit details are most important to show off and poses accordingly to convey the mood she's trying to achieve through her look.

4. Bikini Pose: The Leg Cross

Digital creator Shahirah Ahmed's signature pose is a leg cross, whether sitting or standing. As for her hands, she gracefully tucks her hair behind her ear. "This pose elongates my legs, elevates my posture, and the one arm adds a powerful touch," she says.

Watch This!

Pop Quiz

Watch the Cast of Fear Street Play a Creepy Game of Horror Movie "Would You Rather"

5. Bikini Pose: Unedited

Nikki Gamble opts for an organic, unedited style when shooting vacation content, allowing followers to see what she's actually doing poolside. She doesn't have a go-to pose but instead focuses on what her body looks like naturally. "When you feel confident inside, it shows on the outside," Gamble says. "Embrace the stretch marks, or power lines, as I call them, the blemishes . . . they are normal and are what make you you."

6. Swimsuit Pose: Bird's-Eye View

Another way to capture your look in its entirety, matching cover-up and all? Have your photographer try a few different seated poses from a bird's-eye view.

7. Beach Pose: Coordinating Your Background

Find a background that mirrors your swimsuit's motifs, color, or pattern, and aim for an editorialized concept.

8. Bikini Pose: Standing Up

The focus is on you and your swimsuit. Find a nondistracting background, and tell your photographer to keep shooting as you sway back and forth, play with your hair, and maybe even do a few spins.

9. Swimsuit Pose: The Glamour Shot

You may not kick it poolside with your delicate mini bag and jewelry, but piling on the accessories helps you get into the vibe of your shoot and provides your look with a bit more character and flair.

10. Bikini Pose: Leaning In

If you're taking a mirror selfie from the knees up, straighten your posture and lean forward slightly to ensure your full bikini or swimsuit is in the center of the frame.

11. Beach Pose: Self-Timer

You can use your cooler or speaker to prop up your smartphone and manipulate the image so the finer details of your suit appear fully, along with the sun hat and jewelry that complete the look.

12. Beach Pose: Candid Walking

When the photo is equally about your swimsuit and your vacation destination, find an open area and ask your photographer to capture some candid shots of you navigating the scene or just taking it all in from afar.

13. Beach Pose: The Palm-Tree Shot

Whether standing in front of, beside, or leaning on one for support, palm trees or palmettos are a photographic staple and the ultimate bikini backdrop.

14. Bikini Pose: Sunbathing

If you want to capture your full swimsuit while lying in the sun, hold your camera up slightly behind your head and bend it forward. You should be able to fit your whole look in the frame with ease.

15. Bikini Pose: Fully Accessorized

This shot is all about showing off a look that comes with three or more pieces in the same print. Opt for a clean background, such as a white wall, and adjust yourself so that every piece is in direct view. Draw attention to the details, like a waist belt, by touching them lightly with your hand that isn't holding the camera.

16. Beach Pose: Kneeling in the Water

Prop yourself up where the water meets the shoreline, folding your legs underneath you to create a subtle "platform" for your suit to shine. Sit up tall with your shoulders back to emphasize every detail.

17. Bikini Pose: On the Balcony

If you happen to be on vacation, the tropical atmosphere off to your right or left will likely be as alluring as the confidence you display in your swimsuit. Standing up above it all, strike a pose in front of a zoomed-out camera lens.

18. Beach Pose: Candid

Walk along the shore, and search for a rock to elevate yourself above the sand. While you're setting up, have your photographer begin snapping photos as you adjust your accessories and make sure they're all front and center for the camera.

19. Bikini Pose: Poolside

When your suit makes for a bright contrast to the alluring pool beside you, try some candid shots right by the edge of the pool.

20. Beach Pose: Action Shots

Decide on a movement or task, and have your photographer accelerate the shutter speed as you make slow adjustments along the way. Don't focus on posing, but rather, moving slightly to exhibit all angles of your suit, regardless of what you're doing. You'll end up with a series of pics to choose from, and it's OK to choose more than one — that's what albums are for.

Image Source: Instagram user jenniferatilemile

Want More?

POPSUGAR Would Like To Send You Push Notifications.