The secrets of portrait posing

Posing a model is a tough thing for some photographers to grasp. A lot of it is technical, of course - and you’ll find that certain angles and certain poses work well a great deal of the time. The trick behind getting the great shots, however, lies in your ability to communicate and work with your model(s). A lot of it has to do with the kind of rapport you can build with them.

This is tied in to your charisma as a photographer (and as a human being), and is something that can’t really be taught, but simply knowing that your banter accounts for a better working environment can dramatically increase your chances at producing the sorts of shots you’re looking for.

Garnering Inspiration

The quickest way to gain a little inspiration for the look you’re going for is by flipping through fashion magazines and taking a photographers interest in how the model is standing, what they’re doing with their arms, their heads, their feet. Posing is as much about what makes the model look natural as it is about what is striking to the eye.

When you’re working with a subject and posing them, having your working environment set up and ready to go beforehand is integral to a steady workflow. You can certainly play with manipulating your lights or your camera settings, but don’t take up too much of your models time doing so. Any nervousness or exasperation you are feeling will transfer to your model, so remain calm and relaxed.

When you’re working with a model or any subject, there are a few tricks to get the look you’re after. Double chins are a concern for a lot of subjects - have them stick their chin out a little further than normal. Tell them so suck in their belly a little. If they are standing, have them place one foot at a 45 degree angle to the other. Don’t avoid having them do things with their hands. Try having them place a hand under their chin, or on their neck or hair. Have them cross their arms, or place their hands on their hips.

Building Rapport

These tricks are a starting point. Eventually, the model will loosen up and you’ll find something that looks good on film. Move yourself around - get closer, move lower or higher, tilt the camera… do something unexpected and even if the result sucks, you can always learn from it. Tell the subject that you just wanted to try this out, and tell them when it just doesn’t work. The more information they have, the more they’ll be able to help.

Remember that even if you’re doing a great job chatting them up, your subject is likely still a little nervous unless they’re a professional. Tell them to keep breathing, and not to hold their breath during a pose. Don’t always have them look directly at the camera, tell them to look elsewhere… have a few props or points of focus where you can direct their attention.

For capturing unguarded moments, this is where rapport comes in. Being able to make your subject laugh and smile or keeping them engaged through storytelling or small talk is important to keeping them at ease, and you may even be able to shoot some of these moments of laughter or concentration.

Discovering your confidence

If this is your first time shooting a posed model, you’re bound to get a little nervous and they will pick up on that. Don’t let them see you sweat though. Take your time and work through your problems. As long as you get the shots in the end, you’ll gain more confidence for next time. The most important thing is getting the shot, through whatever means or technique necessary. Explain what you are doing while you do it, but don’t overload your subject with technical details.

It’s all about keeping up an exchange of words and ideas. Your subject may even have a few ideas they want to try on their own… so indulge them! Don’t be afraid to ask them for what you want to try. The shot you want is in there, you just need to finesse it out of them.