The Art of Posing in Photography

As photographers, we understand the significance of posing in creating stunning and impactful imagery. Posing is not just about placing subjects in a certain position; it's about artfully capturing their essence and personality.

A well-executed pose has the power to convey emotion, emphasize beauty, and tell a story. It adds depth and character to the photographs, elevating them from mere images to compelling visual narratives.

When our subjects feel natural and comfortable in their poses, it reflects in the final images. As photographers, we strive to create an environment where our subjects can express themselves authentically, resulting in genuine and captivating photographs.

Whether it's a wedding, a portrait session, or a fashion shoot, posing sets the tone for the entire photo session. It enables us to highlight the best features of our subjects and accentuate the desired mood and style of the shoot.

In essence, posing is an art form that requires skill, creativity, and intuition. It's a collaborative effort between the photographer and the subject, working together to create timeless and evocative imagery.

At Shooting Star Photography LLC, we recognize the importance of posing and dedicate ourselves to mastering this craft to deliver exceptional photography that resonates with our clients and their audience.

Folks have said time and time again on their initial contact with me, that my posing is very natural and that I truly capture one's personality.  Posing naturally is actually not easy to do.  Most photographers struggle with this.  Other poses can seem really uptight or uncomfortable. Some posing gets used time and time again.One thing that stands out among my competitors in the area is that my posing style is natural. People look relaxed, yet still posed and beautiful.  

It actually took me awhile to get to this point after studying just about every posing book out there.I love using a variety of different poses, but not every pose always works for everyone.  It's our jobs as photographers to be able to work with any age range and all body types. My goal is to make you look the best that I can as your photographer. Since I am a natural poser, I do have some small guidelines of things to avoid and/or things that will make you look your best.Here is some of my posing pep talk. Now, I don't go over this list at the beginning of my shoots. I actually give my clients the direction they need.  

However, these key points are always in the back of my head whenever I do pose someone:

1. No slouching- This is probably my biggest pet peeve.  If you slouch, whether a child or adult, it never looks pretty! For adults, this will make you look bigger than you are.  I'm sure most of us women would not like to look bigger! My non-slouching technique.  You want to elongate the back, move it slightly forward so you don't look stiff.

2. No elbows.  I don't want to see pointed elbows towards me. This does not film well.

3. No armpits- Who really wants to see that? Whether male or female it's never flattering.  Especially a males arm pit hair... Haha! You don't want this to be a distraction, nor a focal point!

4. Hands... This subtle fix can make or break one's photos believe it or not! Spread fingers, instead of closed fist or fingers. Closed fists comes off a bit vulgar on camera. Soft hands will elongate and make you look more flattering. Shake it out. Think of sprinkling fairy dust and relax the fingers.  You always want to see the hands. If a hand is behind one's back it looks weird.

5. Hair away from camera- It's so I can see your pretty face!  You don't want to look like cousin "it" either.

6. Don't be afraid to move- Movement in a photo brings your photographs to life. Whether it is capturing a flip of the hair, a twirl, running, throwing rocks. It tells a story. Movement is what I often utilize with younger children as it's a bit more difficult to get most 2 year olds to sit still. If I make the session fun and give them something to do or focus on, it brings an image to life.  Kids often times have a great time at our sessions and even ask their parents if they could use us next year.

7. Put your weight on your back leg... This will make you look slimmer! Shift that weight to the your back leg and you will instantly look a skinny mini. Tip.. Use your hip to put pressure on it, but not shifting your hip towards the camera.

8. Positive Reinforcement-  As always I use positive reinforcement when I am doing sessions. Whether I am working with adults or kids. My clients feel more confident as our session carries on.. and then the client is more relaxed.By the time we are done most sessions, my clients (including children) are all giving "high-fives" to one another.

For myself, it's about the entire experience. If people are having a great time, this comes off on camera and you are able to get those more natural/joyful shots.  Those you can't recreate as they are real!

Hope you enjoyed this basic posing tips! Now get your butt out there and shoot!

Happy Shooting, my friends!

Dee

Shooting Star Photography