Sure, word-based erotic sexting can be HOT – but what about those times when you want to share more with your partner? What about times when your body just feels so smokin’ that you want to use it to arouse someone else? What if you just feel like an erotic photo session? When inspiration strikes, make sure you follow some simple tips for the best nude photos you can manage. You’re already hot – but make sure your shots portray that as best as possible with these simple how to take a sexting photo tips:
GET CONSENT!
Before you ever consider sending a nude or erotic photo to someone, you should be damn sure you have consent. What consent looks like for you and your partner might be different than what consent looks like for someone else. Maybe it’s something as simple as “I’m feeling a bit naughty this evening. Would you like me to show you?” or maybe it’s something as explicit as her text saying “Show me your cock”.
If you’re not sure that your photo would be a welcome addition to your conversation, DON’T.
Make sure both parties want it- or you’re just going to turn off your sexting partner anyway which defeats the point.
Clean Your Location
First off, pick a good location.
You don’t have to overthink this, but there are some places that are likely a “definite no” – such as while on the toilet (unless that’s your kink), with lots of garbage in the background, or anywhere near children or things that remind people of children.
Ideal places can include:
- in front of a bedroom mirror
- in the bathtub
- in the bed
- on your couch
- on a chair
- on a wall by a window
- near sex or kink furniture
If you know you’re going to be taking photos, if you have time, try to clean off any garbage or clutter near your photo space so everything will look nice and neat when you’ve finally memorialized yourself.
Fun fact: This can be as easy as shoving everything further away from your photo space to make everything “appear” clean. This is a common tactic used by photographers who want to photograph an area of their home when inspiration strikes; they simply move the clutter from the kitchen to the living room!
Pick Good Lighting
Many of the best casual photos are taken in natural lighting with the diffused sun offering gentle, flattering lighting that looks great on your skin.
For most of us, however, our sexting playtimes likely come in the middle of the night – or at least when it’s dark outside. This can make it harder to get flattering lighting – but it can still be done.
Try to pay attention to where your shadows are falling. Shadows can be your best friend – and they can be your worst enemy. Even when working with indoor lights, just try turning in a circle while looking at the phone screen and see where you think your body looks “best” – and use that position.
Ideally, try to avoid overhead lights whenever possible. “Top down” lighting doesn’t tend to translate well in photos. Bedside lamps and wall-mounted lights might be better options if you have choices.
And please no – don’t even think about turning on your phone’s “flash”. Turn on some other lights long before you resort to that. Your phone’s flash is the last resort. It casts harsh, skin-dimple-enhancing light that looks bad on even the hottest porn stars.
Start Small
There’s no reason to strip off every strip of your clothing for your first sexting photo. In fact, don’t!
Part of the arousal can definitely be the lead-up and the tease.
Consider starting off fully clothed with photos that show more skin as time goes on.
Consider slipping a bra strap down your arm or a shot of the bulge through your jeans long before you’re ever entirely naked for a shot.
Protect Yourself
Unfortunately, not everybody looking to sext has the best intentions in mind. Unless you 100% trust the intentions of your receiver, NEVER send a sext with identifiable information in it.
(Even if you trust this person with your life, remember that hackers happen. Even with the best intentions, this person may have a security hole that allows a 3rd party to access what you send. Always assume that’s a potential outcome before sending a photo.)
“Identifiable information” can be as obvious as your face – or as innocent as a street sign in the background of an open window.
Other things you might not consider at a quick glance:
- hung or displayed photos of yourself or people you care about
- bills or mail laying on a table
- posters/flags hung on the wall that showcase your participation in a group (like a University flag or a knitting group placard)
- accessories that go to a very niche hobby that may make it easy to track you down
- tattoos or other birthmarks that are very recognizable
- t-shirts hung or laying on the floor that may display your participation at a certain place or event (gym membership t-shirts, concert t-shirts, etc.)
Don’t forget about the non-visible data as well. Many cell phones offer “geo-tagging” and other automatically-tagging services. Make sure your photo is wiped from that data – and you may wish to turn off that feature for future photos as well. (I always keep mine turned off just to prepare for that one time I might accidentally forget to wipe it off a photo.)
While you’re at it, make sure your photos aren’t automatically backing up to the cloud (unless that’s something you want).
Use Your Timer
Your cell phone has a built in timer. Use that to your advantage!
Using the timer means that you can take wider-frame photos (to include your whole body!), and it can reduce the need to hold your cell phone too.
This can free up both your hands for some suggestive poses. ;)
(Newer phones also will accept voice commands to take your photo. If you aren’t blasting porn or music, consider using that to your advantage, too. That way, you can take all the time you need to get into position without rushing.)
How to Take a Sexting Photo: Take a Video Instead!
Running back and forth across the room for a full-body shot can get exhausting. If you’re okay with a lower-quality image, consider taking a video instead.
Start your video, get into position, and hold the pose for a few seconds before moving on to a new pose.
When you’re done, screenshot the captures within the video when you feel like you look best.
The resulting images will be lower quality, but it’ll make it easier to try a wider range of poses and options and find at least one where you’ll like how you look.
You can also use this trick to get passionate, candid shots. It can be hard to pretend to be enjoying the thrust of a dildo when you’re actually just trying to hold the dildo and camera at the perfect spots. Instead, set up your cell phone to take a video, and actually enjoy yourself for 5 minutes. When you’re done, take your favorite still of the video and use that as your sexting photo!
Use Ideas and Fantasies to Your Advantage
You don’t just have to use your OWN image for inspiration. While you shouldn’t go about pretending someone’s erotic photos are your own, there’s nothing wrong with finding an explicit video clip online and sending it to your partner as “Something you’d like to do with them”.
As long as it’s obvious that it’s not you, it’s fair game.
Let their imagination run wild – without needing to take a single photo.
How to Take a Sexting Photo: Do It Ahead of Time
I don’t know about you, but trying to find the right lingerie, right pose, and right lighting during a time when I’m supposed to be focused on being aroused is unproductive. I’m more focused on how my body looks when trying to take a sexting photo – not how it feels.
That’s why I recommend having a few sexting photos done ahead of time. (And ensure they’re saved in a secure place on your phone or computer!)
Not only does this give you the flexibility to choose when your energy is high, your outfit is perfect, and the lighting is great, but it also means that you might be able to focus better on your own pleasure (rather than getting shots) during the sexting itself.
You can even mix prepared photos with on-the-fly photos for a good mixture of higher-quality and “look what I’m doing right now ;) “.
How to Take a Sexting Photo: Out of Ideas?
Consider these sexy photo ideas no matter what your gender identification:
- Fully clothed
- Pulling up the shirt to display your midsection
- Pulling down a waistband to display underwear
- Pulling down underwear and a waistband to display bare skin
- Pulling up a shirt enough to display the bottom of a bra
- Completely shirtless
- Completely shirtless while wearing a bra
- Completely shirtless while wearing a bra while flirtily pulling at a shoulder strap
- Completely shirtless with long hair covering bare breasts
- Completely shirtless with an arm covering bare breasts
- Shirtless without pants while still in underwear
- Shirtless without pants while teasingly pulling down the underwear waistband while still not exposing anything
- A shot of your butt while standing
- A shot of your butt while laying and bent over
- Naked face-down on the bed with a shot that highlights the curvature of your butt and back from over your shoulder
- Laying in bed with blankets strategically covering your naked body
- Naked except for a robe
- Taking a bath with bubbles and water hiding specific areas.
Of course, these are only the suggestive ideas; you can always go for more explicit sexual shots like masturbation or penetration as well.
Originally Published: February 7, 2018.
Updated: October 2023, May 2023.
