Posing and Shooting

Posing is another topic that's worth a book or two of its own. I'm going to provide a list of quick tips you can use in this section, but your best bet is to experiment with different poses and find some that you like. Work with those poses at first, try some variations, and add more poses as you become comfortable. Just keep in mind that your goal is not to use your subject as a mannequin that you can bend and twist any way you like. It's better to let the subject assume a pose that he or she is comfortable with. Then, you can make slight adjustments that reposition awkward limbs or produce better facial expressions.

The important thing is that your victim(s) must be relaxed and comfortable. The days when portrait subjects had to be immobilized in head braces for their daguerreotypes are long past. Don't make them stand for anything other than a full-length portrait. Stools make a great seat because they discourage slouching. An individual can sit tall in a stool, alert and ready to take your direction. Because they have no backs, stools won't intrude upon your picture, either. But don't be afraid to use other kinds of resting places, or from incorporating them into the photo.

If you're photographing an individual, you can try different poses as you work. For group pictures, you'll probably want to try and arrange everyone in a pleasing way and take several sets of pictures with each pose before moving on. Use basic compositional rules to arrange your subjects. For example, in Figure 6.32, the three "gangsters' "faces are arranged in the upper third of the frame. Although all three heads are roughly on the same level, they actually form a curving line pointing to the upper-right corner, in the same direction the Tommy-gun held by the Big Boss is pointed. As a rule of thumb, if you're shooting photos of your subjects from the waist up, position the camera at chest- or eye-level.

Figure 6.32. To avoid having all the heads in a "lineup" at exactly the same level, vary the positions slightly, as in this example.

When shooting individuals, you can vary the camera's viewpoint slightly to portray your subject in a more flattering way. For example, raise the camera slightly above eye-level if you want to elongate a nose or narrow a chin, broaden a "weak" forehead, or de-emphasize a prominent jaw line. If your subject has a wide forehead, long nose, or weak chin, lower the camera a little. If you encounter someone with a strong jaw and long nose, however, you're in a heap of trouble.

Nobody's perfect, and a portrait is a bad time to discover exactly where an individual's imperfections lie. Here are some general tips to keep in mind to minimize defects:

• The eyes are the most important component of any portrait, as they will always be the center of attention. They must be sharp and lively, even if you're going for a softer look in the rest of the portrait.
• The edges of hands are more attractive than the backs or palms of hands. The bottoms of feet are downright ugly, but you can sometimes get away with side views if the feet are young enough and there are other things to look at in the photo.
• Bald heads are pretty cool these days, but if your subject is sensitive about a bare pate, elevate your victim's chin and lower your camera slightly.
• For long, large, or angular noses, try having your subject face directly into the camera.
• To minimize prominent ears, try shooting your subject in profile, or use short lighting so the ear nearest the camera is in shadow.
• If you want to minimize wrinkles or facial defects such as scars or a bad complexion, use softer, more diffuse lighting; take a step backwards and photograph your subject from the waist up to reduce the relative size of the face; keep the main light at eye-level so it doesn't cast shadows; consider using a diffusing filter (or add diffusion later in your image editor).
• If your subject is wearing glasses, be wary of reflections off the glass. Have him or her raise or lower his chin slightly, and make sure your flash is bouncing off the face at an angle, rather than straight on.
• Diffusion is a great way to add a soft, romantic look to a portrait. You can purchase diffusion filters, or make your own by smearing a little petroleum jelly around the edges of the plain glass skylight filter. Or, you can add diffusion within your image editor, as was done with Figure 6.33. 

Figure 6.33. Diffusion is a great technique, and you can apply it during the exposure or later, in your image editor, as was done here.

You'll want to take lots of photos to capture various expressions and angles. Keep talking with your subject, and not just to provide them with instructions on where to place their arms and legs, or tilt their head. Mention how great they're doing; tell them how much they are going to like these photos.

Over time you'll develop a breezy line of patter that keeps your models relaxed. When working with amateurs, I use some funny stock phrases like, "Oh, I see you've done this before," or "Sorry, but we have to keep doing this until I get it right." You don't have to be that corny, but you'll soon collect a stockpile of jokes and phrases that will put your subjects at ease.