Table Of Content

JEFF SMITH’S POSING TECHNIQUES for Location Portrait Photography Amherst Media ® PUBLISHEROFPHOTOGRAPHYBOOKS Copyright©2008byJeffSmith. Allrightsreserved. Publishedby: AmherstMedia,Inc. P.O.Box586 Buffalo,N.Y.14226 Fax:716-874-4508 www.AmherstMedia.com Publisher:CraigAlesse SeniorEditor/ProductionManager:MichellePerkins AssistantEditor:BarbaraA.Lynch-Johnt EditorialAssistance:CareyA.Maines ISBN-13:978-1-58428-225-9 LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2007926866 PrintedinKorea. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,stored,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechani- cal,photocopied,recordedorotherwise,withoutpriorwrittenconsentfromthepublisher. Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the author’s experience and opinions. The au- thorandpublisherwillnotbeheldliablefortheuseormisuseoftheinformationinthisbook. Table of Contents Introduction ...............................6 2. Critical Decisions ........................13 DeterminetheIntendedUseofthePortrait ......15 1. The Goals of Posing ........................8 ChoosetheClothing ........................17 SuitthePurposeoftheImage ..................8 ChoosetheSetting .........................19 EnhancetheStyleoftheImage .................9 ChoosetheLighting ........................21 FlattertheSubject ...........................9 ChoosetheStyleofthePose ..................22 YieldMoreMarketableImages ................11 TraditionalPosing .......................23 CasualPosing ...........................24 JournalisticPosing .......................24 GlamorousPosing ........................24 PracticalExample ..........................26 3. Flatter the Client ........................29 BasicGuidelinesforPosing ...................30 ExplainProblemswithTact .................30 ObservetheDetails .......................31 Don’tRelyonDigitalFixes .................32 TheHead ................................32 Tilt ...................................32 TheEyes ...............................35 MouthandExpression .....................40 Hair ..................................40 ChinandNeck ............................44 ShouldersandSpine ........................45 Arms ...................................47 LongSleeves ............................47 PosingtheArms .........................47 UsingtheArmstoConcealProblems ...........48 Hands ...................................48 BendEveryJoint? ........................48 GiveThemSomethingtoHoldorRestOn .......50 TABLEOFCONTENTS 3 Fists ..................................51 Bustline .................................51 Waistline .................................52 HipsandThighs ...........................53 StandingPoses ...........................55 SeatedPoses .............................56 Legs ...................................60 Ankles.................................60 MuscleTone ............................60 ColorandNylons ........................60 PosingTechniques ........................60 The“DeadlySins”ofLegPosing ..............62 Feet ...................................63 BareFeet ..............................63 MinimizingtheApparentSize ...............64 PosingtheToes ...........................64 ShoeSelection ...........................64 MovingForward ...........................64 4. Posing on the Ground .....................66 ClothingandLocationSelection ...............67 DisguiseProblemAreas .....................67 ChooseRestingPoses .......................68 FindPosingAids ...........................70 ComposeCarefully .........................70 TechnicalConsiderations ....................70 PhotographingGroups ......................71 AdditionalTips ............................75 5. Seated Posing ...........................77 FindingaSeat .............................77 CommonProblemAreas .....................78 HipsandThighs .........................78 Waistline ..............................79 GroundthePose ...........................79 AngletheBodyandLeanForward .............81 Arms ...................................83 CompositionalOptions ......................83 4 JEFFSMITH’SPOSINGTECHNIQUESFORLOCATIONPORTRAITPHOTOGRAPHY 6. Standing Poses ..........................84 10. Overview .............................119 Full-LengthStandingPoses...................84 1.QualifyandPreparetheClient .............119 PotentialProblems ........................84 2.ChoosetheScenes ......................119 Three-Quarter-LengthStandingPoses ..........86 3.EvaluatetheClientandClothing ...........119 DeterminingthePosingStyle .................87 4.PlantheClothingChanges ................120 AdditionalClothingConcerns .................88 5.DiscusstheStrategy .....................120 Posing ..................................90 ShouldersatanAngle .....................90 Conclusion ..............................122 Arms .................................90 Index ..................................123 HipsandLegs ...........................90 CorrectiveTechniques ......................91 7. Head-and-Shoulders Poses..................92 ClientExpectations .........................93 IncludetheForeground .....................94 ClothingSelection .........................94 PosingGuidelines ..........................94 ShouldersatanAngle .....................94 BodyandFaceatanAngle .................94 ArmsandHands ........................95 ExtremeClose-Ups ........................95 IncludetheBody .........................96 Expression ..............................96 Composition ..............................97 Lighting .................................98 8. Group Portraits ..........................99 DetermineWhoWillBeinthePortrait ..........99 ClothingSelection .........................99 Posing .................................101 ChooseaBasicStructure ..................102 GroundthePose ........................103 HeadHeightandProximity ...............104 DepthofFieldandSharpness ................104 MakeEachPersonLookGreat ...............105 9. Controlling the Session and Your Business ....106 HowTroublesGetStarted ..................106 PreventingProblems .......................112 TheLongandShortofIt ...................117 TABLEOFCONTENTS 5 Introduction Thehumanformcanbeshapedandproportionedtobeoneofthemost beautifulsubjectsonearth.Conversely,itcanbearrangedinasuchway Flattering poses arise from a solid under- standingofthehumanbodyaswellasfrom that it makes even the most attractive person look disfigured. Further thecreativevisiontomaketherightchoices complicatingthisarrangementofthehumanformareallthedifferentshapes forthesetting. and sizes of people that we, as profes- sional photographers, must work with. Itis one thingtomake a perfectmodel lookgoodduringatestsessionorsem- inar—butusethesameposesonagood portion of our average customer base, and you will end up with an unsalable portrait. So,whatisitthatmakesonearrange- ment of body parts look so graceful, while another arrangement looks so awkward? I believe there are two parts to posing: the basic mechanics of pos- ingeachpartofaperson’sbodyinaflat- teringway,andthecreativevisiontosee how this arrangement establishes the basic look or style of the portrait. Both ofthesesubjectswillbeexploredinthis book. Specifically, we will be exploring techniquesforlocationportraits.Asyou might guess (or have learned from experience),posingonlocationrequiresa different approach than posing in the studio. In the studio you have chairs, couches, props, and posing aids. Out- doors, you typically have to work with 6 JEFFSMITH’SPOSINGTECHNIQUESFORLOCATIONPORTRAITPHOTOGRAPHY Posingonlocationrequiresandifferentap- proachthanposinginthestudio. whatthescenehasgivenyou.Evenatindoorlocations,youwillnothavethe totalflexibilitythatyouwouldinyourstudio.Inbothsituations,youhaveto useyourimaginationandsometimeshuntforposingaidsthatwillallowthe Although working on location can subjecttoposeinthewayyouenvision. Althoughworkingonlocationcanbechallenging,Ifindthatitproduces be challenging, it produces some of someofmymostcreativeportraits.Thisisbecauseitallowsmetotailorapor- my most creative portraits. trait specifically to my client’s needs, by selecting a location that has mean- ingtothemorreflectstheirstyleandvisionfortheirportrait. As the title implies, this book is on posing. I will talk briefly about other aspects of portraiture on location, but only as they apply to posing. For a more in-depthstudy of allthe other aspects of locationphotography,please refer to two of my other books: OutdoorandLocationPortraitPhotography andJeffSmith’sLightingTechniquesforOutdoor&LocationPortraitPhotog- raphy,bothfromAmherstMedia. INTRODUCTION 7 1. The Goals of Posing Otherthanlightingandexpression,nothingismoreimportanttoapro- fessionalportraitthanposing.Careful,thoughtfulposingmakesyour clientlookbeautifulandcompletestheoveralllookoftheimageina way that is consistent with its intended use. Furthermore, posing is critical to producing portraits that your clients will actually want to own. This makes yourjobasphotographermorereward- ing—bothpersonallyandfinancially. SUIT THE PURPOSE OF THE IMAGE There are many reasons why a portrait might be taken. Unfortunately, many photographersapproachtheposingofa client in the exact same way, no matter whatthepurposeoftheimage.Forex- ample, the pose you’d use for a young woman who wanted a portrait to give to her father would be quite different thanyou’duseifyouknewsheplanned to give the image to her boyfriend. It wouldalsobedifferentthanthekindof pose you’d want to use if she needed a portraittopromotehernewrealestate business. (And, for that matter, if the client’snewbusinesswasadaycarecen- ter,you’dprobablyuseadifferentpose forherbusinessportraitthanifshewere openinganewlawpractice).We’lllook at this issue when discussing the pur- MomandDadwillloveaportraitlikethis,butitwouldn’tbeagoodchoiceifthesubject poseoftheportraitinchapter2. neededtopresentaprofessionalappearance. 8 JEFFSMITH’SPOSINGTECHNIQUESFORLOCATIONPORTRAITPHOTOGRAPHY LEFT—In an architectural setting, more for- ENHANCE THE STYLE OF THE IMAGE mal attire can support a glamorous posing Selecting the right clothing and setting goes hand in hand with posing; it is style. RIGHT—A casual outfit in an outdoor onlywhentherightposeiscombinedwiththeproperclothing,intheproper settingcallsforacasualpose. setting,andwiththeappropriateexpression,thattheportraitattainsasense of style. Only when everything in a portrait makes sense visually do you achieve a portrait that really works. Achieving this requires that you look at everyaspectoftheportraitandmatcheachelementtotheothers. FLATTER THE SUBJECT AclientIphotographedyearsagoledmetowritemybookCorrectiveLight- ing,Posing,andRetouchingTechniquesforPortraitPhotographers(alsofrom AmherstMedia).Shewasthepersonwhotaughtmewhatmyjobasprofes- sionalphotographerreallywas. Thisyoungladywasveryoverweight...andnoneoftheclassesIeverhad taken,orthebooksIhadread,hadpreparedmeforphotographingaperson like this. She wasn’t the first overweight person I photographed, of course, but for the first time I really thought about how this young lady would feel lookingatherimages.SoIwentintohersessionandIstarthidingeveryarea whereweightgainwasvisible.Iusedflowers,faketrees,columns,arms,legs, THEGOALSOFPOSING 9