Factors That Impact Posing

Posing is about crafting the desired results, not settling for contrived confusion. The wrong pose can send the wrong message to the viewer. It can also cause the subject to feel insecure during the shoot or when viewing the end result. In glamour, beauty, and nude photography, posing should convey a message and, in most cases, tell the viewer something about the subject. Use the wrong pose, the wrong light for the pose, the wrong clothes for the pose, or the wrong scene for the pose, and you’ll wind up with the wrong image—usually an uninspiring image that no one will want to purchase or publish.

By positioning Playboy Playmate Holley Dorrough toward the lower right of the frame and posing her body like a triangle, I was able to create more negative space than is normally allowed by photo editors for images in publication. In essence, I broke the rule of “cropping tight” or “filling the frame,” as is traditionally done by professional photographers. The image is effective, however, because the triangular pose of her body is mirrored in the geometric shape of the negative space in the image. Notice, too, all the diagonal lines formed by her body. While most photographers use a three light setup to accomplish high-key lighting, I opted for a Chimera Octa57 octabox (softbox) assembled in its 7-foot width. When positioned slightly higher than the model and with a downward tilt, this allows enough light to spill over onto the white to render it almost shadowless. (Camera: Canon 5D; Lens: Canon 85mm f/1.2L, USM lens, effective focal length 85mm; ISO: 100; Shutter speed: 1/160 second; Lighting: Hensel Integra Pro Plus 500 monolight fitted with a Chimera Octa57 octabox; Aperture: f/4; White balance: 6000K)

Cultural Perceptions
It’s often said perception is everything, and that statement certainly holds true with posing. Find a contortionist model and pose her in a way that showcases her abilities and the audience will say, “Wow, she’s flexible, how did she do that?” Light it from the wrong angle, though, and someone will call your photography a “cheap shot”—especially if the pose reveals more of her anatomy than is normally found in a glamour photo. They may even label you as a degenerate whose photography shows no respect for the subject.Models generally avoid that type of photographer like the plague.

Place a model’s legs in an unladylike position with the wrong clothes (or lack of clothes) you’ll get the same reaction. Let’s imagine, though, creating another image of that same model in that same pose. In this shot she’s wearing jeans and a cowboy hat while sitting on a fence with a pair of gloves in her hands. Seeing this shot, viewers may observe that she looks like a tomboy or a tough cowgirl. Her  reputation as a lady, however, won’t even be questioned.

Let’s look at another scenario. In this image, a glamour model is shown wearing a pair of driving gloves and racing helmet. She is dressed in a racing jump-suit covered with sponsor logos and posed next to a race car on the speedway pit-stop. Seeing this, most viewers will identify her as a female race-car driver. Place the same model, in the same pose, in front of the same car—but this time in a bikini. Chances are, viewers will now assume she’s a glamour bikini model for a car magazine. The model in the bikini will even be considered more feminine, while the same model in the racing outfit will be viewed as more tomboyish (as race-car drivers are predominantly male).

The same thing can happen if you take two models, a male and a female, and place them in identical surgical scrubs.Most people would label the male as the doctor and the female as the nurse. Then, place the same two models in a corporate boardroom environment. The male is sitting, looking over at the woman standing next to him. He is dressed in a nice suit and tie. The woman in a nice dress. The man has a notepad on the table in front of him with his pen resting on it, the woman is holding her notepad and pen. Both subjects are talking to each other. What does this represent? Sociological programming tells us he’s the boss and she’s the secretary. Have the man stand up next to her, holding his notepad and pen like she is, and they will be viewed as co-workers at a meeting.

As you can see, the interpretation of identical poses is often based on perceptions, precedence, and sociological patterns that actually have very little to do with the pose itself. As a result, what makes a pose “good” or “bad” depends on your societal norms. Because they are so subjective, perceptions can sometimes be inaccurate, resulting in poses being misunderstood. Therefore, everything else in the photograph must work harmoniously with the pose, reinforcing its intent. Great photographers keep these factors in mind and, by observing various elements in the scene, direct the model into the right poses.

The Subject’s Experience
When it comes to glamour photography, not all subjects are models, but all models are subjects. Understanding this statement is critical to success—especially in the private glamour business. It also affects how you will approach posing and what poses are likely to work best.

Models. Let’s look at models first. Professional models don’t normally come looking for glamour photos for their portfolios. Occasionally, however, models have asked me to photograph them in a style that is a bit more glamorous or sexy to create an image for their significant other. Some are even willing to trade glamour modeling for fashion, commercial, or editorial images to use in their portfolios.

In this image, notice how Tess turned her shoulders so they would not be squared to the camera. This is important, especially when the model appears topless or is wearing a tube-top or strapless top; squared shoulders will remove the femininity of a female model. Once her shoulders were turned, I had the model turn her head slightly back to the camera, preventing the irises of her eyes from being centered in the whites of her eyes; otherwise, the model can have a “deer in the headlights” look. Tess’s eye and face positions were also directed at the car’s rearview mirror, adding a sense of direction to the image. The hair is also placed on each side of the model’s face to help frame and draw emphasis to her face. The image was shot outdoors once darkness set in. This created a nice “noir” effect, which I accentuated when processing the image in Adobe Lightroom. Using a longer lens also helped create a shallow depth of field, adding mood to the entire image. (Camera: Canon 5D; Lens: Canon 70–200mm f/2.8L IS, USM lens, effective focal length 130mm; ISO: 100; Shutter speed: 1/100 second; Aperture: f/5; Lighting: 1] To camera left as main light, a Hensel Integra Pro Plus 500 monolight fitted with a medium Chimera Soft Strip Pro Plus with a Lighttools 40-degree grid, 2] As hair and accent light, a Hensel Integra Pro Plus monolight fitted with a 7-inch reflector and a 20-degree grid, 3] For flare from the Rolls Royce windshield, a Hensel Integra Pro Plus 500 monolight fitted with a 7-inch reflector and a 10-degree grid placed in front of the car to camera right; White balance: 6000K)

I’ve even had models ask me to photograph them for submission to Maxim or Playboy. Usually this is no problem and easy to accomplish. Most professional models are young and watch their diets to maintain their shapely figures. Additionally, they have experience in front of the camera; they often know how to pose their body for the best effect with minimal guidance from the photographer.

The camera is a professional model’s best friend; no matter how you photograph them, the images will be strong and the model will stand out. Remember, this is how all your non-model subjects also want to look—like models.

This was Sheila’s first shoot with a professional photographer. As with other first shoots, my objective was to have her relax, feel comfortable, and become confident in her abilities. Models often are intimidated by complicated photography equipment—the stands, lights, modifiers, cords, and other gear used during a regular shoot can be a little overwhelming. When I notice this, as with Sheila, I’ll walk the model over to a window or glass door and shoot with the light filtering through it, a simpler setup that tends to put them more at ease. In these scenarios I’ll place the model—sometimes in the mirrored poses—on each side of the door/window, looking for the best light. These two images represent the best shots from this scenario. (Camera: Canon 5D; Lens: Canon 85mm f/1.2L, USM lens, effective focal length 85mm; ISO: 100; Shutter speed: 1/400 second; Aperture: f/1.2; White balance: 4700K)

Non-Model Subjects. In the case of private glamour photography, most subjects are over thirty-five years of age—and some are even close to sixty. Some have endured the body-altering childbirth process; others have never had children. Some are not photogenic, and most have no experience in front of the camera. This makes posing more challenging. As a result, it’s extremely important to understand your subject and to meet them at least once before any shoot. After this meeting, you’ll know how to prepare for successful posing. The following are just a few of the qualities you should be considering by the end of this consultation.

1. What made your subject decide to get glamour photos? Are the images for her? For her spouse or partner?
2. Is your subject short or tall? Heavy or slim? Has she had children?
3. Does your subject have a flawless complexion, or are there blemishes that need to be hidden? Is her skin smooth, or does she have some wrinkles that you should conceal? Does she have stretch marks or other skin-tone issues?
4. What is your subject like? Is she confident or insecure? Prim and proper or free and easy? Does she love to laugh and smile or is she more reserved and demure?
5. What are the subject’s hobbies? What is she passionate about in her life?
6. What are the subject’s best features? What features does she seem proud of?

These two photos of Rox were from our first photo shoot. Rox was just as nervous as her daughter Tess was at her own first shoot, but Tess came along and helped direct her mother with posing. It’s a great asset to a photographer when someone else—especially someone with experience—is directing your subject’s posing. It allows the photographer more time to concentrate on photography and all the elements of capturing great images. When photographing more mature subjects (the norm for private, in-home glamour photography) longer telephoto lenses help smooth out the subject’s complexion when the aperture is at either f/4.0 or f/5.6. These apertures also help avoid the “sweet spot” (the sharpest setting of the lens). I avoid this with my private glamour subjects; sometimes digital photography is just too sharp. Also notice the poses in these two images. In the first shot, we used the hands to help draw attention to the model’s face. In the other image, we used a hat to complement the hybrid bust-up/headshot cropping. The necklace and earrings also accentuate the subject in an appealing fashion. (Camera: Canon 5D; Lens: Canon 70–200mm f/2.8L IS, USM lens, effective focal length at 200mm (top) and 160mm (bottom); ISO: 100; Shutter speed: 1/200 second; Aperture: f/5.6; Lighting: Hensel Porty Premium power pack attached to a Hensel ring flash fitted with a Hensel OctaHaze attachment; White balance: 6000K)

Gentle Corrections. Regardless of their experience level, a model will sometimes adopt a pose that makes her feel like she looks sexy but which actually appears awkward to the camera.When this happens, it’s up to you to refine the model’s intended pose without negatively affecting her selfesteem and confidence.

For example, some models tend to bury their chins too deeply into their chests, thinking the pose is sexy and powerful. While a lowered face with beaming eyes may feel sexy and controlled, it can actually create problems in the subject’s images as captured by the camera. If you don’t step in and guide the model to a better head position, you’ll increase the risk of a double chin—something no one wants to see in their portraits.

Additionally, when the head is buried too low and the camera angle is too high, too much white can show at the bottoms of the eyes. This effect is sometimes called canoeing because the visible area of the white of the eye is canoe-shaped. While a touch of canoeing is acceptable, depending on the size of the model’s eyes, too much is normally nixed by editors. This pronounced area of white underneath the iris of the eye is considered distracting to viewers and can subconsciously interfere with the intended message of the image.Most sexy, self-esteem-building images center on the message conveyed by the eyes, so it’s better to include most of the iris—especially with blue, gray, green, and silver eyes. Just by having the subject lift her chin a bit you can reveal strong eyes that send a message of strength and confidence.

The Model’s Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is a two-way street; the model either has it or lacks it to some degree. The photographer must learn how to recognize this and enhance the model’s self esteem, never destroy it. If the model lacks self-esteem, posing her successfully can require more attention, time, and effort. You’ll need to build a good rapport and gain her trust in order to ensure flattering images with relaxed, natural expressions. If you accomplish this goal, though, you will have the pleasure of presenting her with incredible images that will definitely boost her self esteem.

For example, let’s imagine that your subject confesses she’s gained a few pounds over the years, with age and child-bearing. She then asks you to provide images that make her look thinner, just as a boost for her own self-esteem and ego. To do this, you could photograph her from a lower angle to make her look taller and thinner (a natural optical effect of your camera’s lens in this position). Additionally, you could create shadows on her body that let problem areas recede while accenting her assets. To complete the effect, you could also carefully select and refine a pose that conceals any areas she feels insecure about, while accenting her best features. If you do all this, she’ll be amazed at how beautiful she looks in her images—and she’ll go home feeling a lot better about herself.

When Tess was preparing for our shoot, I happen to walk to by as she was brushing her hair and notice the reflection of her body coming through the triangle formed by the arm. Once she had her hair and makeup done, I decided to re-create what I had seen, though I turned it into an implied nude photo to tell a story, as this image was  photographed on that famous “I Can Model God” day (see page 9). The story behind the image is a model looking at her inner- and outer-beauty in the mirror. Many models practice poses and prep themselves in front of the mirror, but if the photographer doesn’t understand how to communicate with the model, the mirror will always win when it comes to capturing the soul of the image. In essence, when a model poses for a photographer, the photographer is the mirror for the model. (Camera: Canon 5D; Lens: Canon 85mm f/1.2L, USM lens, effective focal length 85mm; ISO: 100; Shutter speed: 1/160 second; Aperture: f/4; White balance: 3700K)

This issue of self-esteem is no small matter. The human body can appear unattractive or even distorted if the subject is posed incorrectly. This can lead to your subject being unhappy with the images you’ve produced. More importantly, it can also have a profoundly negative effect on her self-esteem, particularly if she already has concerns about her appearance. Not only is this detrimental to the subject psychologically, it’s no way to develop a good reputation as a professional glamour photographer.

The Story to be Told
Ultimately, posing is about telling a story. It is the story of the scene, but more importantly the story that the individual subject wants to convey. The wrong pose will send the wrong message, so carefully observing your subject throughout the shooting process is important. If your subject wants a sexy look but projects a more conservative personality type, a more conservative type of sexy is in order. Look for poses that are sultry and alluring but never unladylike (such as poses with the legs apart). If your subject seems more liberal and free-spirited, observe her carefully and try and pick up what’s she’s looking for. Is it sexy and crazy? Sexy and sultry? Sexy and seductive? The list goes on. Only when you know what your subject is looking for can you start to translate her thoughts into a pose.

That thought bears repeating: Only when you know what your subject is looking for can you start to translate her thoughts into a pose. All the posing techniques in the world won’t make a difference in the success of your images if you don’t know your subject. So get to know your subject (platonically, of course) and really listen to her needs. This is the only way to achieve common ground and ensure that her pose will match the story being told. Throughout this post, we’ll cover that ground.