Posing -- how do I learn? - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

11/21/2014 11:25:36 AM · #1

Ok, I've go the posing guides. A number of books that I've searched through really kinda suck.

So I thought this could be another "let's learn from each other thread".

What camera angles do you use for portraits? When shooting older women, I thought maybe you'd want them looking up a bit to get rid of double chins. But then older necks really aren't very lovely. But head down does do much either. I assume my problem is from shooting straight on and that it's the camera position I should be moving.

Do you have rules? Do you shoot down on certain people? Up on others? What position for the camera do you use when doing full length portraits? If you can't get far away from the model because you're studio is nonexistent, you have to use a wider lens, and the camera position makes a huge difference.

I know I like shooting kids at their level, and if I want to play up the fact that they're young and small, I'll shoot down for the added emotion. But anything but kids, I'm just guessing and not guessing all that well.

Any advice?

tanguera

Nikon D750

11/21/2014 11:32:17 AM · #2

Experiment.

No, seriously. That's the best advice I can give you. Every person is different and will photograph differently, even under identical lights. This is why light setup is the thing that takes longest. Do test shots from different angles. From slightly above, slightly below, etc.

When I do a session, getting the lights and angle right is 75% of the session.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

11/21/2014 11:56:17 AM · #3

i agree with Johanna, there are no hard fast rules and if there are, there is nothing wrong with breaking them.

practice because you are going to have a bunch of stuff that works or doesn't and that will define your style. the best advice i can give is to look at images you like and try to replicate them. print out the pics because if you are new to directing you wont be able to tell the model how you wish them to look, unless you can show them.

on thing to remember, even harder than posing is facial expressions, especially with insecure subjects.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

11/21/2014 11:59:36 AM · #4

if you have an iphone or android, get the posing app. lots of good poses and tips for each one like whether its works for larger body types.

if you find images you like, do not discount the power of liquify in photoshop. not until i tried to get some models into certain positions did i realize the human body doesn't bend that way.

11/21/2014 01:55:03 PM · #5

Originally posted by Mike:

Thanks for making me look again. I bought a posing app quite awhile ago, and I just saw the pictures. I hadn't explored enough to see that there was a text explanation with it.

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

11/21/2014 03:48:20 PM · #6

Don't shoot older women. Most of us just look really, really old, and there ain't much to be done about it. I saw a picture of myself and it sent me into a deep depression for a couple of days. Really. Just don't do it!! :-)

11/21/2014 04:06:12 PM · #7

Originally posted by Melethia:

This stupid site does self portraits, so I'm forced to... :(

bjoern

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

11/21/2014 04:38:31 PM · #8

Originally posted by vawendy:

When shooting older women, I thought maybe you'd want them looking up a bit to get rid of double chins. But then older necks really aren't very lovely. But head down does do much either. I assume my problem is from shooting straight on and that it's the camera position I should be moving.

What works for me to some extent is to have them move the chin down a bit and forward. Like that you don't have the neck exposed (chin down), and less double chin (chin forward). I tell them that it feels odd when they do it, but it doesn't look so on the photo (okay, if you overdo it it also looks odd...). Maybe you want to give it a try.

Leo

Apple iPhone Xr

11/21/2014 04:44:31 PM · #9

Here's a Posing app for your phone. It covers a spectrum of different poses...

Melethia

Canon EOS-80D

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

11/21/2014 05:20:42 PM · #10

Originally posted by vawendy:

Originally posted by Melethia:
Don't shoot older women. Most of us just look really, really old, and there ain't much to be done about it. I saw a picture of myself and it sent me into a deep depression for a couple of days. Really. Just don't do it!! :-)

This stupid site does self portraits, so I'm forced to... :(

Ha! You're not old! You'll note I don't enter those....

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

11/21/2014 05:53:12 PM · #11

If you want a crash course in how to pose, hire an experienced and articulate model for a couple hours; s/he has a wealth of information. Seriously.

tanguera

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

11/21/2014 06:14:48 PM · #12

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

If you want a crash course in how to pose, hire an experienced and articulate model for a couple hours; s/he has a weaflth of information. Seriously.

A phenomenal idea

MattO

Nikon D4

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

11/21/2014 07:21:15 PM · #13

Originally posted by Melethia:

Dang I just bought a new 9MM lens I was going to use just for older women....

Matt

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

11/21/2014 08:20:17 PM · #14

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by Melethia:
Don't shoot older women. Most of us just look really, really old, and there ain't much to be done about it. I saw a picture of myself and it sent me into a deep depression for a couple of days. Really. Just don't do it!! :-)

Dang I just bought a new 9MM lens I was going to use just for older women....

Matt

With that attitude you might be physically safer using a 600mm ... :-)

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

11/21/2014 08:25:24 PM · #15

I don't really pose people. I try to get them with natural expressions. Often I will engage them in conversation and snap away as they chatter. Sometimes it results in a lot of throwaways, but if I am firing off bursts of 3 or 4, I often nail a good one. If I am trying to make a flattering photo of an older woman, I use the tonal contrast adjustment in Color Efex and reduce the midrange contrast. It helps minimize wrinkles but without making them artificially look like a 20 year old. A touch of glamor glow helps, too. One of my recent favorites using these techniques:

Added: Of course, for men with big mustaches, I crank up the tonemapping to expose every wrinkle and pore.

Message edited by author 2014-11-21 20:26:42.

MattO

Nikon D4

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

11/21/2014 08:41:39 PM · #16

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by Melethia:
Don't shoot older women. Most of us just look really, really old, and there ain't much to be done about it. I saw a picture of myself and it sent me into a deep depression for a couple of days. Really. Just don't do it!! :-)

Dang I just bought a new 9MM lens I was going to use just for older women....

Matt

With that attitude you might be physically safer using a 600mm ... :-)

Well the 9mm isn't that accurate at those distances. :D

Techo

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

11/23/2014 04:44:39 PM · #17

The chin out and down bit, is a good search to start with. I'd suggest tips from Sue Bryce in particular, as she has experience posing women.

Message edited by author 2014-11-23 16:45:02.

snaffles

Nikon D7100

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/24/2014 06:45:24 PM · #18

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

I don't really pose people. I try to get them with natural expressions. Often I will engage them in conversation and snap away as they chatter. Sometimes it results in a lot of throwaways, but if I am firing off bursts of 3 or 4, I often nail a good one. If I am trying to make a flattering photo of an older woman, I use the tonal contrast adjustment in Color Efex and reduce the midrange contrast. It helps minimize wrinkles but without making them artificially look like a 20 year old. A touch of glamor glow helps, too. One of my recent favorites using these techniques:

Added: Of course, for men with big mustaches, I crank up the tonemapping to expose every wrinkle and pore.

I don't really shoot many men with big facial hair but then, I'm not in Texas :-)

Otherwise I totally agree 100%...talk to your subject, make sure they BREATHE - get them to talk, laugh, tell a joke (or tell them a joke - keep it simple and as inoffensive as possible).

Recently I got a portrait of this farmer, who is the public face of the family business. He looks incredibly young for his 37 years, but knew that asking him to pose at all would absolutely kill his energy and spirit, his whole j'ne c'est quoi that ensures there is always a lineup of Desperate Housewife types at his booth when he's at a Farmer's Market. Knowing that he's uncomfortable having his pic taken, I made sure we went for a walk down around his fields and checked out the crops. Every so often we'd stop and I'd get him to stand still, but continued to talk to him. Got some fun goofy stuff from him, too, by the end, but this was by far the best shot from that shoot...

Message edited by author 2014-11-24 19:02:11.

FromDaRock

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Lens

11/24/2014 06:54:51 PM · #19

Originally posted by Techo:

The chin out and down bit, is a good search to start with. I'd suggest tips from Sue Bryce in particular, as she has experience posing women.

Getting them to look at the top of the camera when doing this really opens up the eyes as well.

snaffles

Nikon D7100

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

11/24/2014 07:05:38 PM · #20

Something else I've learned to watch for, esp as I'm 5'10 in bare feet and even taller in footwear...watch that you're not unintentionally shooting down at your subject! Thinking of any number of red carpet pics of petite celebs, whose already large-ish heads dwarf the rest of their scrawny little bodies. They must love tall red-carpet snaparazzi.

Anyways so tall photogs, be ready to get down low so you're shooting at the same approximate eye level as your subject is a guideline I go with.

@

skewsme...your comment on Matt's photo made me laugh. His nickname actually is Scopoli, and though I doubt he's a stoner, he did do a lot of surfing when he lived out in BC! Very sweet and positive guy, I always enjoy being around him.

Message edited by author 2014-11-25 08:18:38.

BarbB

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

11/24/2014 10:16:04 PM · #21

Originally posted by Melethia:

Hahaha! Deb, I share these sentiments... :)

But in answer to the original question, I too recommend Sue Bryce, for ideas for photographing women. I've seen a video in which she had a varied group of women, and identified different types of shots, for different body types, which I found helpful.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

11/25/2014 09:26:46 PM · #22

I'm in the middle of watching this and really liking it. It's really straight forward posing, but emphasis on some small details that are nice.

classical posing and portrait lighting

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

11/26/2014 11:48:51 AM · #23

thats a really good video.