Regardless of what your model looks like, posture can make or break a portrait. The best poses look natural and effortless, while at the same time creating interesting shapes that complement the composition and engage the interest of the viewer in the process.
Get it right and you’ll have a portrait to be proud of. But there’s a fine line – if the pose looks forced or corny, then the portrait is most likely ruined.
There are a few different approaches to posing. Some photographers like to be precise about every single angle, tilt, body position and limb, making fine adjustments until they feel the pose is perfect. Others prefer to leave the posing entirely up to the subject.
And others still will try to get interesting poses not by telling people what to do, but by engineering the situation so the pose they’re after happens naturally. There’s no right or wrong method; all that matters is that the pose looks authentic and visually interesting, instead of awkward or fake.
Of course, some subjects will be better at posing than others. Whether you’re shooting a professional model or not, confidence plays a big part in this. If you look and sound as if you know what you’re doing, then this’ll instil confidence in the subject and help them to relax, which in turn will lead to better expressions and poses.
In this tutorial we’ll show you a few dos and don’ts for posing portraits. It helps to break the pose down to different body parts, so we’ll look at the positions of the body, arms, legs, hair and head separately.
Knowing how to find the most attractive shape, the best angle, and also which poses to avoid will lead to happier subjects and better portraits.
How to fix awkward poses
01 Turn side-on
All bodies will look larger or smaller depending on their angle to the camera. If a person is stood straight-on to the camera, it presents the widest view of their body, so they’ll look their largest. By contrast, turn them side-on or three-quarters and they’ll immediately look slimmer.
All bodies will look larger or smaller depending on their angle to the camera. If a person is stood straight-on to the camera, it presents the widest view of their body, so they’ll look their largest. By contrast, turn them side-on or three-quarters and they’ll immediately look slimmer.
02 Roll the shoulders
People get very self-conscious about double chins, but there’s a simple way to conceal them. Ask them to roll the shoulders back and push the face forwards. This also helps to stretch out any loose skin across the face. Side-on here, you can see the difference it makes.
People get very self-conscious about double chins, but there’s a simple way to conceal them. Ask them to roll the shoulders back and push the face forwards. This also helps to stretch out any loose skin across the face. Side-on here, you can see the difference it makes.
03 Backwards or forwards?
It’s worth thinking about how parts of the body look if they’re closer or further from the camera. For example, side-on here, we can thrust the hips away from the camera to make them appear smaller or push them out towards the camera instead to make them look bigger.
It’s worth thinking about how parts of the body look if they’re closer or further from the camera. For example, side-on here, we can thrust the hips away from the camera to make them appear smaller or push them out towards the camera instead to make them look bigger.
04 Drop a shoulder
Another simple way to add shape to the body is to use the shoulders. If shoulders are both completely level the pose can look a little dull, but by dropping one shoulder, we make the body shape more dynamic and interesting, forcing the viewer’s eye to follow the lines.
Another simple way to add shape to the body is to use the shoulders. If shoulders are both completely level the pose can look a little dull, but by dropping one shoulder, we make the body shape more dynamic and interesting, forcing the viewer’s eye to follow the lines.
05 Hair style
Hair can play a part in the posing too. On and over the shoulders, the hair can look messy, so ask the subject to move it if you think it looks wrong, perhaps to one side. If the subject is side-on, having the hair fall over the back shoulder shows off the curvature of the neck.
Hair can play a part in the posing too. On and over the shoulders, the hair can look messy, so ask the subject to move it if you think it looks wrong, perhaps to one side. If the subject is side-on, having the hair fall over the back shoulder shows off the curvature of the neck.
06 Open arms
If the arms are hanging down at the sides the body shape becomes one big rectangle of torso and limbs. By contrast, if we move the arms away from the waist – by putting hands on hips, to the face, or wherever looks natural – we can show off the curvature of the body.
If the arms are hanging down at the sides the body shape becomes one big rectangle of torso and limbs. By contrast, if we move the arms away from the waist – by putting hands on hips, to the face, or wherever looks natural – we can show off the curvature of the body.
07 Move the feet
Another trick for getting the body into a good shape involves moving the feet. Position feet in an L shape, with the model’s weight on the front foot and leaning forwards slightly. This turns the subject side on which has a slimming effect, and gives the body a curvy shape.
Another trick for getting the body into a good shape involves moving the feet. Position feet in an L shape, with the model’s weight on the front foot and leaning forwards slightly. This turns the subject side on which has a slimming effect, and gives the body a curvy shape.
08 Turn the other cheek
An angled head can look great, but it shouldn’t be so great that you lose the furthest eye from the picture, or the eyeball intersects the edge of the face. Also, the nose will look larger if it breaks the line of the far edge of the face, so keep it within the cheek.
An angled head can look great, but it shouldn’t be so great that you lose the furthest eye from the picture, or the eyeball intersects the edge of the face. Also, the nose will look larger if it breaks the line of the far edge of the face, so keep it within the cheek.
Extra Tip: turn your hand
Hands play a big part in creating attractive shapes within the pose. Straight on, they can look rather big, flat and clumsy, while side on and with the fingers delicately curled they’re much more graceful. If you’re seeking inspiration, look at how dancers use their hands to create attractive shapes.
Hands play a big part in creating attractive shapes within the pose. Straight on, they can look rather big, flat and clumsy, while side on and with the fingers delicately curled they’re much more graceful. If you’re seeking inspiration, look at how dancers use their hands to create attractive shapes.
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