Posing Pretty

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When I first started exploring portrait photography,

I thought POSING was confusing and difficult.

I remember taking my daughter to a park and bringing along a small

chest for her to sit on.

We couldn't think of even ONE dang pose!

Here's one of the photos from that early shoot:

BADDDD!

I didn't know how to edit either...which is another couple hundred blog posts.

I figured my lack of posing ideas would destroy

any visions of a portrait photography career...ha ha!

I started watching YouTube videos on how to pose and place hands,

but when I tried with my daughter again...I couldn't remember

one darn thing!

I kept practicing and it finally clicked that my goal with posing is

to fill up the frame in an interesting way.  So rather than try

to remember or copy poses...I work to fill the frame.

This means...instead of having them stand there with their arms

down at their sides taking up very little space in the frame...

I need to bend their limbs to stretch them out.

Bent limbs make for better poses than straight limbs.

Now, when I look through my viewfinder...I can instantly

see how to fill up the frame using their body.

I take full control and move them into interesting positions.

So, if I'm going for a close-up like this next photo,

I only need to bend and stretch the body parts that are in the frame.

Then I look at the tiny details...like how their hair is placed...and

the hair flower.

When they are standing...I start by having them bend body

parts...like below I had beautiful Lindsay jut her hip out and place

her hand on her hip.

Most people are uncomfortable doing this, but I make them

exaggerate the bending so it really shows in the photo.

I'm constantly telling clients to bend even further!

(I absolutely LOVE that sign in the window which punctuates this portrait!)

In fact, my location often becomes a part of the pose.

I look for interesting details in the surroundings to add to the pose.

Turning my subject sideways usually helps to stretch out the

body and fill the frame.  Adding props, like that hat box

stretches the pose even further.

Beautiful scenery also stretches a pose.  If the scenery is

amazing, a simpler pose often works best.

I always study the surroundings in my portraits...eliminating

distracting buildings, wires, etc.

I LOVE to include a foreground like the pretty flowers below.

Lindsay is framed from behind and in front by beautiful scenery.

Note how I spread out her dress to stretch out the pose!

Changing the angle can also add visual interest.

A simple tilt of the camera will change the photo entirely.

A little kick of the foot really shows off her flippy skirt and is

much more interesting than just standing there. 

Which brings up WARDROBE.

You know I buy clothing at thrift stores for my portraits.

I look for clothing that is full and can create MOVEMENT like

the burgundy dress Lindsay is wearing above and Mackenzie's

flowy white skirt.

I actually hold up clothing to the light in the thrift store

to see how it will photogaph.

When I brought home the burgundy dress, my daughter told

me it was so ugly nobody would wear it.

But I knew that full, netted skirt would photograph beautifully.

In the thrift store, I envisioned it piled up around a lovely gal just as

it played out in the portraits above.

The full white skirt was a wonderful find also and is perfect for posing.

It's sheer, so I can play with the sun shining through it.

Clothing also gives the model something to do with

their hands.

Props add dimension, too, and this shot with the umbrella is nice...

But, as I said above,

 I like to add movement and activity...and this photo of

Mackenzie twirling the umbrella is even better.

A slower shutter speed captured the movement.

The skirt flowing down the wall in the portrait below creates the movement:

Clothing can become a wonderful prop so really look

at the clothing your models wear and consider how to add it to the pose.

Back to "what do they do with their hands??"

I often give my clients something to hold

or interact with.

Find something that matches the outfit, mood or setting.

This works especially well with children.

I think about these props before the client arrives.

I actually made that pinwheel to match the little outfit in the next photo

before the one year old came for his portrait sitting.

I'm especially fond of that little blue romper because

my 20 year old son wore it in HIS one-year-old portrait

nineteen years ago!

Placing toddlers in interesting containers

keeps them from toddling away!

Add props and fill up that frame!

Once you have the idea of filling the frame with interest in mind...the posing ideas will flow

and you will start LOVING your portraits!