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Posing Tips for
Models and Photographers.
Kim Taylor for 180 degree imaging
© 180 degree imaging,
2005. All Rights Reserved.
Posing workshop, Nov 18, 2004
Preparation
Learn the craft.
Check out magazines for the poses. What works for them will work for you. A
photographic model has a set of short duration poses, like gesture drawing poses
for an artist's model. Photographers rarely need a model to hold a pose for 50
minutes so consider what you're looking at when you study paintings and
sculpture for good poses.
Learn to recognize what mood and style the photograph has, and how that was
achieved. Look at the position of the hands and feet, the eyes. Look at the
clothing and think about how it was used to reinforce the pose. Be critical of
what you look at, could you have done it better?
Make a clipping book.
Keep tear sheets
of the photographs you like, and those that give you ideas. Keep them handy and
look at them often, there's no sense reinventing the wheel. If someone else has
done the work why should you not build on their efforts?
Practice.
Get in front of a mirror and practice the poses you think will work for you. Now
invent some of your own, this is easier if you simply take some of the postures
you normally use. If you're a dancer, dance and hold a position, if you do yoga,
stretch and look at it, if you are a runner, sink into your pace and check what
that looks like.
Now is the time to find your good and weak points, decide which features you
should put forward and which you should keep in the background. Don't forget to
make faces, learn how to give different expressions when called upon. Modeling
is acting; you should know how to be angry, shy, sultry and sweet.
Move with grace.
Pay attention to how you move from one pose to another, the smoother you get the
better you will be as a model, it's often these transition movements that will
actually make the best photograph. Photographers, watch your model carefully,
check out the poses between poses and either catch them or ask the model to hold
when it's right.
Exaggerate the makeup and clothes.
The camera damps things down, remember to overdo the makeup a bit, and dress a
bit more daringly than you might when going to work. Think theatre makeup, the
kind onstage rather than the kind in the audience.
Makeup during the shoot.
Check your makeup, or ask someone if it's OK if you think you've disturbed your
makeup. Keep your lips moist by licking them regularly. If your mouth is open
run your tongue over your teeth as well, to keep them moist and shiny.
Photographers don't forget to check the shine.
Shoes.
High heels make long shapely tapered legs with nicely curved calves. They make a
more dramatic curve in the lower back that emphasizes the buttocks and the
chest.
Props.
For beginning models especially, it's good to have a few props ready. Hands can
do some strange things when left on their own; they generally settle down and
behave if they're holding something. A model who has trouble standing in an
interesting way might find it easier to lean against a stool. Each prop will
give you new ideas for a pose, a new look for the image.
Makeup and hair.
The studio should have, at a minimum, a makeup area with good lighting and a
mirror. A place to wash up, an emergency brush, hair clips, pins, hairspray,
gel, soap, mineral oil and various other items are often needed. Many models
will forget to bring these things.
Posing.
Good Side, Bad Side.
Everyone has a few flaws, even if it's just a temporary facial blemish. By
concentrating on the other side of your face during a photo shoot you will
reduce the amount of retouching needed. If your eyes are different sizes you can
minimize the difference by turning the larger eye away from the camera in a 3/4
profile, this will mean the smaller eye appears larger because it's closer to
the camera, and the discrepancy will even out. Crooked nose? Figure out which
angle works best with your particular dent. Most people will want to put the
narrower side of their face toward the camera so if your nose bends to the
right, use the right side of your face. This also makes your nose smaller.
Acting as a model.
Every photograph tells a story, try to figure out what story you are telling
with each shot and put that face on. If you are sitting on a chair and it's
raining you might want to slump a bit, round your shoulders, hitch up your
collar and drop your head to keep the water out of your eyes. On the other hand,
when the sun comes out you will lift your head and feel the sun on your face, of
course you'll smile.
Even if you're doing a product shot, holding up a bottle of shampoo, it's the
best shampoo you've ever seen, you're just delighted with it! Make sure your
body and face reflect your delight.
What style pose is it?
Pay attention to what theme you're working on. Does the pose call for a direct
gaze at the camera or should you be looking down and away. Should your arms be
quiet and restful or active and reaching out?
Point those toes.
When you point your toes all sorts of good things happen, your legs get longer,
your calves get shapely, and if you're on the balls of your feet your posture
gets better. Even if you're just doing headshots you should be aware of good
posture. Standing flatfooted can also mean that your shoulders and head go dead.
If you aren't wearing high heels, pretend you are by pointing your toes.
Unlock your knees.
Just as you want to point your toes, you also want to keep your knees bent. This
puts a curve into the leg, and keeps your posture alive. If you lock your knees
the legs bend backward and the emphasis goes onto the thighs.
Head angles.
A full on face shot makes for a round face. It's usually more flattering to turn
to a slight angle. Learn how your face looks from a profile to a full face shot
and all the angles in between. A good standard angle is a 3/4 shot, with both
eyes visible to the camera.
Lines.
For women it's always good to have the shoulders on an angle, and to tilt the
head toward the near shoulder, aiming the head and the body in different angles
also helps create interest in the shot.
Men should tilt their heads toward the far shoulder and keep their shoulders
level.
Smile.
Don't be afraid to smile once in a while but remember that smiles cause lines on
the face. A relaxed face with no smile or a very small quirk of the lip combined
with alert and sparkling eyes can convey as much emotion as a full bore smile.
If it bends, bend it.
Unlock your joints even when you're using them to support yourself. If you lock
your elbow when you lean back on your arms the arm will bend backward and the
shoulders will hunch up toward your head. Keep everything nicely curved in the
direction we expect to see it bent.
If you're leaning on it, don't lean on it.
Don't put weight on an arm that you're leaning on, instead hold yourself with
your stomach muscles and rest the arm as if it's a prop. This will give you a
"lighter than air" feeling. Be careful of leaning your head on your hand too,
this can scrunch up your face.
Separate whatever you can separate.
Keep the fingers slightly apart and resist the temptation to make a fist, this
can make it look like you're missing fingers. Move the arms slightly out from
the body, move the legs slightly apart from each other. If you sit on the floor
with your knees drawn up, pull one slightly further in than the other. Symmetry
rarely looks good in a pose.
Hands.
Hands deserve special mention as they're the second most interesting thing in
the photo after the face. The flat surfaces of the hands will become exaggerated
in a photo, show the edges instead. Don't point the fingers at the lens as this
will give you fat fingers. As mentioned before, bend the joints and open the
fingers a bit. Don't clutch at things or intertwine the fingers as this makes
the fingers disappear.
Relax.
When the photographer says he's going to shoot you, don't act like you're in
front of a firing squad. Treat the camera as if it's a person you're having a
conversation with. In fact the photographer will likely be mumbling into the
back of the camera so pretend it's his face.
Make wavy lines.
Women should be curvy, even in their posture. Move the hips one way, the
shoulders the other, and tilt the head. Think of swaying lines running down
through your body. This gives pleasing lines for the eye to follow in the
photograph.
Lift your arms.
The chest will raise, the stomach will get thinner, the torso will become
longer. Similarly, move the elbows back to open the chest. Push the head upward
(but keep the shoulders down). If you're sitting down, rock your hips forward to
lift and expand the chest while reducing the stomach. You don't need to be
wearing high heels to get that high heel effect.
Don't blink.
Try to blink between exposures, you'll soon get into the rhythm of the
photographer and will know when you can blink. As a general rule, when you set
your pose, stop blinking, breath in, open the chest, lift the head and think of
yourself as being lighter than air. For photographers who have to work with a
blinker, try to time the shot for just after they blink.
Hold that pose.
If you've moved into a pose and the photographer suddenly starts to adjust
equipment, don't move, he wants to get that shot. Similarly if he moves away
from the camera to fiddle with lights or props you can relax a bit but don't
move off your mark, he needs you in position while he fixes things.
Photographers, when you make an adjustment say "hold that pose please" or "relax
but keep on your mark I need to fix the lights".
What to shoot.
Always think portfolio.
Even if you're just doing a portrait you should think of doing a full portfolio
type shoot, moving from headshots to a full body length poses. It's a good idea
to make it a habit to move from one extreme to another. Since most models will
automatically arrive ready for a head shot, it's often easiest to move from
there back to the full body shots. Why do they arrive ready for a head shot?
Because they sat or stood in front of a mirror which only showed them the head,
fixed their makeup and adjusted their jewelry and clothing. They're ready for
the head shot.
Head shot.
Always think of a tight, black and white head shot as if for an actor's
portfolio. Get in close, make the lighting flattering but slightly dramatic, and
do full, three quarter and shallow silhouette shots at least. While you're doing
this you can be getting acquainted with the face, and with the model. Next
switch to color (if you're shooting digital that just means switching your
thinking since you'll likely convert color to black and white later). You may
want to bare the shoulders if the clothing is a bit distracting.
Head and shoulders.
Shots from head to mid-chest are also done along with the tight head shot to
bring the clothing into the image. There isn't a lot of posing to be done here,
but remember to keep the head light, the shoulders down and relaxed, and to use
the hands to best advantage.
3/4 length shots.
From head to mid-thigh, this allows you to start working with poses while still
staying simple and working with the face as well. In some ways the 3/4 length
shot is the most complex. You can start changing outfits now, and using the
props.
Full length shots.
Here is where you
start working with the body and the poses that involve the legs. You will want
to alternate between full body and 3/4 shots as you make clothing and prop
changes. It's also not a bad idea to sneak in some head shots once in a while.
As the model holds a full length pose the head will come alive and the eyes will
sparkle more often than when simply sitting in a chair.
Full length shots are used in a portfolio to show clients a model's body type.
The pose should show the figure to best advantage, which usually means narrow
hips and wide chest. These shots can be casual, jeans and t-shirt, or more
formal clothing as long as it's body-shaping.
Themes.
Once you start the wardrobe changes you need to think about the theme of each
photograph. Think how disturbing it would be to see a model in lacy panties and
a bra swinging a tennis racquet or taking dictation. Mind you, I'm sure you've
seen those exact shots and they work because they are working against type.
For a model's portfolio you should try to get several different themes and make
the model look as different, one from the other, as possible. This will show her
range of characters and allow her to show that she can work in several different
areas.
Formal wear .
Think weddings and the opera. You'll need appropriate makeup and hair for these
shots but they're good in a portfolio, often they can be combined with a casual
shot to show the model's range.
Club.
Playful and daring. You can go with extreme makeup and poses here. It's often a
good idea to turn up the music and let the model dance, just fit in with the
music and pretend the strobes are, well, strobes.
Business corporate.
This is sober and subdued but tasteful. Try to imagine walking or sitting around
the office discussing work. Smiles will be small and laughter will be minimal
but it isn't a serious situation. We like to work right?
Casual.
Relax relax relax. Drape that leg over the arm of the chair if you're young. If
you're older, drape the arm across the back of the couch and lean slightly to
the side.
Swimsuit.
If you have a great body and it's tight, go for the bikini shot, otherwise a
full length suit may be more flattering, especially one that shapes the body. If
you're in a bikini for goodness sake remember that you're on the beach having
fun, arms and legs all over the place. Police mug shots in swimsuits are not
very interesting no matter how good you look.
Lingerie.
A lot of lingerie is more concealing than a bikini but models are often
self-conscious in their undies. Make sure the temperature of the studio is warm
enough for comfort, and make sure the model feels comfortable. It's rarely a
good idea to start the session with lingerie shots, especially if you've never
worked with the model before.
Glamour.
Modern "glamour" shots aren't the same as those of the 40s. Think pinup rather
than high fashion. Glamour shots emphasize the chest and hips, the curves of the
body. The model should, according to modern tastes, look directly at the camera.
Posing with the arms up in the hair, chest out, legs crossed suggestively and
looking up and away will give the shot an old fashioned feel.
Fine art.
Fine art and nude work is more similar to posing for painting than it is to
photography. Conventions will shift a bit and the poses will become more
conservative as the model is asked to hold them for longer periods of time. As a
model working in this field you should think about how you fit into the artwork
rather than try to put your personality forward. You are part of the creation of
a piece of art rather than the subject of that artwork.
Fine art nude.
Posing for fine art nudes is difficult. The lighting tends to be very
directional and the image is much more about light, shadow and form than it is
about the excitement of the body in action. Poses are long and require minute
changes in position to catch light from this or that angle.
On the other hand, wardrobe and makeup are rarely a problem.
Fixing problems.
For Pale Skin.
Pale skin will "blow out" easily with high contrast lighting use a more even,
lower-contrast lighting setup.
For Bald Men.
Lower the camera position so you aren't shooting down onto the bald spot.
Sidelight from the model's eye level rather than use a hair light from above.
Dark or light hair.
If the model's hair is a different color than the background, beware of stray
bits that will allow the background to show through, this will make the hair
look messy or thin.
Round or Fat Faces.
Shooting straight on gives the face its widest look. Shoot 3/4 and light the
face from the side away from the camera (short lighting) this will put the cheek
facing the camera into shadow and further narrow the face. Most people have
narrower chins than foreheads so shooting from a lower position may also help
thin the face. Some people have very square jaws, these too benefit from 3/4
shots.
Thin faces.
Shoot straight on and broaden the light.
Marks on the face.
Wrinkles, scars, prominent pores and acne all benefit from a softer more even
light. Concealer can help a lot to fill in problem areas, and the use of shadow
can hide some scars. Of course it's also quite tempting to work on these
problems digitally as well but the more you do in the studio, the less time you
spend at the computer later.
Big ears.
Ears that stick out can be treated like a round face, by shooting 3/4 or
profile. They can also be hidden by the hair or put into shadow.
Different sized eyes.
This is often addressed by putting the smaller eye forward, letting the natural
tendency for closer things to look bigger in the camera even out the size. This
effect will be greater with wider angle lenses since they allow you to move
closer to the subject, exaggerating the apparent size differences. On the other
hand, you may want to pose the larger eye forward to take advantage of the
preference for big eyes humans show. In this case you can throw the smaller eye
into shadow.
Deep eyes.
For people with prominent eyebrow ridges or deep set eyes get some light into
them by having the model look up, look into the light, or using a reflector or
fill light from a low angle.
The nose.
If a nose is big, you can minimize it by aiming it straight at the camera. It
may also help to tilt it upward. Most people have a nose that's bent to one side
or the other; use this to make the nose smaller by doing 3/4 shots from the side
toward which it bends. A large nose can also be minimized by using a longer lens
and backing away from the model. On the other hand a small nose is made bigger
by shooting it from the side or shooting the profile away from the bend.
Double chin.
Double chins can be minimized by stretching the neck upward and forward and
leaning the head toward the camera. Shooting from a higher angle will also
minimize the neck.
Glasses and jewelry.
Check the lights to make sure you're not getting reflections from shiny objects
that will distract from the photo.
Posing couples.
Pose them in relation to each other, either looking at each other or both
looking the same way. Bring them close together with lots of space around them
for an intimate feeling.
Posing groups.
If you're shooting a group, it's "a group" so arrange the models in such a way
that there's some sort of connection between them. Have them physically touch or
visually overlap each other. Watch for people on the end who've been "cast out"
and cut off from the group.
Remember those school pictures? Try not to arrange people according to height,
let the differing head heights cluster into sub-groups to create some interest.
It's a good idea to try and get everyone wearing clothing that blends, perhaps
ask the group to all wear light tops with dark pants. If someone shows up in hot
pink and everyone else is in white, you'd better put the hot pink in the middle
of the group.
Disclaimer: All the articles about glamour and fashion model posing are
true to the best of our ability but Bill Stanfill Photography is not
responsible for errors in these model posing tips. This model posing guide
is just a starting point so you should get as much modeling experience as
possible through your professional photographer.
All of these
tips are adapted from various modeling and photography sites on the
Internet. You can do a search in a specific area online, and find a number
of suggestions or resources, including books, how-to-manuals, and classes. I
do not claim to be an expert in any of these areas, but know through
personal experience, trial-and-error, and testimonials, that these things
CAN work for some people.
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