On posing people for photographs | Learn how to pose people with ease

An age-old question that photographers and clients ask alike, is how to pose for a photograph? We won’t lie, not everyone feels that they are a model who can pull off a photoshoot fabulously. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get some good pictures, does it? We have listed out a couple of ways you can make your client pose with ease, which won’t take a lot of head wracking as well. Let’s go, shall we?

Before listing out how let’s ask why? Why would someone need your help, as a photographer, with poses?

There are one of two reasons why your client might need some guidance with posing for a photograph.

•  First, it can either be that they have never had a photoshoot done before, and this is quite easy to resolve. A little planning before the shoot and brainstorming poses and mood boards is an easy fix. We have an entire blog dedicated to how to plan for a photoshoot here.While preparing, you can make note of any of the tips mentioned below to help out with deciding the poses.
• The second reason can be that they are not comfortable around you yet, which is the most important thing that decides a good or a bad shoot. Having communication going with the client is a must. Before anything, we recommend having fun and making it a comfortable experience for everyone.

Now that we have worked our way around ‘Why?’, let us list out ‘How?’ you can make people pose better for your photographs.

1. For the Face

Focus on the eyes

While capturing the eye, try to avoid capturing just the whites and focus on bringing out the beautiful color of the irises. This will make your portraits look more flattering and less awkward looking. Sometimes, looking straight on can be unflattering as well, try to move the direction of the eye just a little away from the camera, but not too much.

Hair

The hair is probably the most difficult bit to get right in a photograph, and the most tedious to fix in post-processing. But we are all quite aware of how the hair frames a face, making it stand out in a photograph. While there are a plethora of hairstyles that can be photographed beautifully, always aim to put one side of the hair on the back and one on the shoulder to give a more clean look. 

Expression

Expressions are often the underrated aspect of posing that so many people overlook. While focusing too much on the bend of the arms and how the shoulders look, people often forget to have fun. The more your subject enjoys the photo shoot, the more candid, genuine expressions come out to play. Try to communicate and keep the shoot fun and the client at ease. 

Chin out

A popular hack to hide the double chin is to prop the chin out a little. It might read weird, but trust us, this creates all the difference. A relaxed face can give the double chin look that so many people don’t enjoy in their portraits. Bring the chin out to the front a little for a chiseled look. 

2. For the Body

Learning where to crop

A great tip to remember when posing people is how and where to crop. A poorly cropped photograph with an arm out of the frame or legs cut off screams a shoddy job. For a more professional look try to either

1. Take a headshot till the neck
2. Crop at the bust
3. Get the upper body in the frame
4. Crop at the knees
5. Get the whole person in the frame

Also instead of relying on post-processing to fix the alignment, try to get the exact frame you want when on the shoot.

Bend

People in the frames with stiff torsos and hands make for a less flattering and quite unnatural look. The key to a good photograph is to make the subject look as natural and calm as possible. One trick you can try is asking them to bend the arms a little instead of keeping them stiff on the side. The use of props like a flower or a balloon in their hands also helps with this. You can also make the subject sit somewhere, and the bended knees give a more natural and put-together look to the photograph.

Turn of shoulders

This is common knowledge amongst photographers and the oldest trick in the book. Turning the person’s shoulders slightly towards the camera makes all the difference. Not only does it make someone look less slouchy, this is an effortless way of getting someone to pose without making it difficult to communicate. A slight bend makes the picture come out more natural and flattering.  So remember, chins out and shoulder turns all the way.

Put them at ease

We have all stressed the importance of communication to make the client comfortable with the photographer. More often than not, this is the most common reason for the difficulty in getting someone to pose. Once the person in front of the camera is comfortable with you taking their pictures, they are more likely to let their body move freely and this will result in some superb shots.

Avoid straight up Shots

If you have read through the blog, you will know exactly what we are talking about. Avoid stiff or a straight look as much as you can. It is the most unflattering of all the looks that can be photographed. Capture a little bit of movement, and the personality of the client on the camera instead of stiff torsos and hands for a remarkable shoot. 

These are a couple of ways you can make posing a client less of a dreaded task. Keep these tips handy and prepare a rough outline of how the shoot should go, and you’ll be all set.

Have fun capturing people!