Millennial ‘posing expert’ explains why the camera loves Gen Z most
Millennials invented the selfie; Gen Z perfected it.
One TikToker thinks she’s cracked the code as to why always-online teens and 20-somethings are so much better at striking a pose than their digital native elders.
Christine Buzan, who boasts 1.4 million followers on her TikTok account @LookGoodInPhotos, posted a tutorial on TikTok to explain why millennials are “so awkward in photos” while Gen Zers “are so much more comfortable in front of the camera.”
Buzan’s video was inspired by a previously viral clip featuring millennial comedian Kate Steinberg as she mocked “the millennial urge” to throw up a peace sign or do the so-called sorority squat, whereas Gen Z can instantly contort their body in an array of model-esque poses.
The self-proclaimed posing expert dug into her theory with The Post, linking vogue-ability to the generations’ relationship with technology.
“Gen Z is inherently better at posing,” the 33-year-old TikToker declared in spite of her fellow millennials.
“The one thing that all millennials have in common is that technology changed really rapidly throughout the course of our youth and adolescence,” she said, “and this is especially true for photography.”
The author of the online guide “101 Ways to Pose” noted how quickly the world went from relying on film cameras to having digital cameras in our pockets at all times.
She goes on to share a childhood memory of being scolded by her mother after she filled a roll of film with random shots. Buzan sympathized with her mother’s frustration because buying and developing film is expensive and time-consuming, so taking pictures could be a stressful event.
Millennials’ “mentality hasn’t caught up with the technology” Buzan said, claiming that her generation still subconsciously has a “scarcity mindset” when it comes to taking photos and believes “photos are special and rare.”
She compares this way of thinking with Gen Z who has been raised with an abundance of technology at their fingertips, allowing them to “express whoever they are at any given moment with photos” and use it as another form of communication.
Steinberg, whose original video earned 1.3 million views on TikTok, has built her online brand around reminiscing over her childhood during the early aughts and poking fun of being a millennial today.
“For most millennials like myself, we’ve gotten comfortable with the signature poses that raised us. Think: duck face, teacup arms, sorority squat, peace sign…the list goes on. But on the other hand, Gen Z isn’t afraid or experiment and have more fun with their poses,” she told The Post.
The comedian explained that “millennials’s relationship to social media is more transactional and quick to the point. While Gen Z is always creative and intentional.”
“The majority of my teenage years and early 20s consisted of uploading photos to Facebook with a cheesy names like ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ and not thinking twice. However, now when you post on social media, things are more curated. There’s an intention and message that you want to send when you post something,” she said.
Buzan reassures that she doesn’t think all millennials are “bad” at posing — she is one, after all — but that most don’t give themselves “permission to experiment in the same way that Gen Z does” because they “still view photos as this really precious thing that make or break our appearance.”
The selfie guru explained to The Post that, like other aspects of fashion, poses can also be a fad, which points to why people in the same generation seem to rely on the same poses or feel like their go-to moves may be outdated.
“Poses in the ’80s highlighted use of space — there was a lot of ‘casual’ leaning and angles. The ’90s had a focus on attitude, individuality and taking up space. In the aughts, the poses became stiffer with a lot of emphasis on turning to your side and bending your arm,” she said.
Then came pseudo-candid “caught in the moment” poses that feel “more nuanced and natural,” Buzan continued.
“Movement is having a big moment,” she said of selfies du jour, “as well as poses that are more focused on showing authentic connection rather than everyone trying to look their best. Leaning (both forward and backward) and photos that play with perspective are also very popular.”
Buzan encourages her camera-challenged generational cohorts to take more photos and experiment with new poses, reminding them that “the worst thing that happens if you don’t like a photo is you delete it or don’t post it.”
Buzan’s video quickly went viral amassing over 1.2 million views on TikTok in just a few days as thousands of millennials and “bad” posers identified with Buzan’s theory and shared some of their own.
“We were also shamed for taking a lot of pics for being vain. So we don’t wanna ‘seem self obsessed’,” @mvblinger shared, with other users echoing the thought.
User @wildirishrose1756 agreed, saying, “We were also ridiculed for the selfie and wanting to look good so now most of us just don’t want to put effort in when we are the subject.”
“We also had no idea what they were going to look like so we had to go with a ‘safe’ pose. They can SEE themselves in their cameras,” @jenni.barrett added.
Others also noted generalized traits of Gen Z, describing them as being more carefree and confident while also pointing to the fact that they grew up with digital cameras and social media for the majority of their lives, all of which may help them get the perfect shot.
