Hello, friends & photographers!
I wanted to start off my blog with something that I've learned quite a lot about over the years.
POSING YOUR MODELS!
I'm not sure how many people know this, but I've been behind the camera casually for about 11 years & professionally for about 7. I've worked with models, families, babies, pets, professionals, and even THINGS. Plus, with that variety of subjects, I've also worked in countless environments. This includes studios, parks, events, homes, inside cars, and even in bathtubs. Posing is hard & it has been my mission recently to show people that ANYONE can be a model. Here's some of my best tips for posing adults.
THE WALKING SHOT
When it comes to full body shots, it really depends on what type of shot you're looking for. For example, a professional headshot is going to be different than an Instagram model. However, you can never go wrong with a walking shot. An in-motion walk can make your model feel natural, look casual, and give the viewer an action to look at. Here's some examples of walking shots for different types of clientele.
Your subjects can walk towards or away from the camera depending on what type of shot you're looking for, but the relaxed look of a person in movement is a great place to start, ESPECIALLY if your model doesn't model for a living.
SITTING DOWN WITHOUT LOOKING UNFLATTERING
When you're looking to do portraits of people sitting down, you'll often run into people who are self conscious that they look bad while sitting down. We can all relate. When posing a subject for a sitting down shot, make sure to think about the angle in which you're shooting, where their hands are, and how close you're planning on shooting. You're able to hide a lot of "unflattering" things with the placement of the model, how they sit, and where you're placing the camera. Here are some examples of sit-down shots.
Some of the best poses for sitting down is a crossed leg, back leg up, mermaid, or leaning forward with you knees together. Some of the best angles to shoot from are straight on or low so you can elongate or mask any areas people don't necessarily like. Think about wardrobe as well. Sweaters, jackets, arms, and other people can help hide things clients might be concerned about.
WHAT DO DO WITH YOUR HANDS
Any shot that's close up can make your model feel uncomfortable. What do you do with your hands? Well, there's a wide range of things you can do. Hands can be in your hair, near your face, in your pockets, reaching to the camera, touching an item, crossed on your upper body, or even around something. It all depends on the look your going for.
As you can see in these examples, there are many things to consider when directing a model's hands. The best tips are to make limbs feel long, hands feel natural, and do something that adds lines/visual interest to the final shot. My go-to poses are hands in the hair or hands in the pockets. Experiment until you find a hand placement that makes sense for your end goal.
SHOOTING THE PERFECT FLATLAY
Shooting items is something I am still perfecting, but I want to tell you guys what I have learned so far. When it comes to lifestyle product shots, my two main tips are:
Make sure the items around the product explain what it does or highlights the overall vibe it has
Fill the space in a way that leads the viewer's eyes to the subject you're trying to sell
Here are some examples.
When posing your items or planning your product shoot, think about leading lines, colors, where things are pointing, and what you're selling. For example, posing your product directly in the center is always a bold and easy choice. It's unmissable to a viewer. If you look at my shot of the Rolex or the weed products, you can see how the lines within the shots draw your eye to the product itself. If you look to the food shots, you can see how we've strategically placed items in the frame that add to the ambience of our core item. If you brainstorm what your item really represents, I guarantee you'll find a way to highlight it in a way that boosts its value.
DO YOU WANT MORE OF THIS?
If you guys like this type of post and want more, please let me know. I'd be happy to do more posing posts that cover more specific clientele or locations. Send me a DM or leave a comment with your requests!