Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The first thing my portrait subjects always say is, "I'm the least photogenic person ever." Of course, they're being modest or just have a normal aversion to being in front of a camera, but with a few simple tips they always end up taking great portraits. I'm going to share a few of these tips, so the next time you find yourself in front of a camera you can use them to look your best.
1 Give your hands something to do
One of the worst ways to turn a great portrait into an awkward one is to have what I call the "dangling hands" effect. Never just let your hands hang by your side, it will almost always look unnatural and uneasy. Give your hands something to do. Put them on your hips, grab your hair, use a prop, anything but letting them just hang.
2 Point your chin
A strong close up portrait is all about the jawline, and the best way to accent your jawline is to reach out with your chin. Even if you don't have a strong jawline, keeping your chin out away from your neck will do amazing things for your portraits. This works for men and women alike, because a strong jawline doesn't have to be masculine, it can be very soft and feminine as well.
3 Lead with your shoulders
Very rarely will your photographer ask you to turn directly at the camera and face it straight on, so always think of your shoulders as a line towards the camera. Point one out towards the camera and use it as a guide for your chin, it will create a nice line that looks great in the frame.
4 Don't think about posing
It sounds counter-intuitive to the previous points, but don't over-think the posing and forget to be yourself. Some of the best photos come from the in-between pose shots, where people let down their guard and are laughing or engaging the photographer.
5 For couples, pretend the photographer isn't there
I love capturing couples interacting with one another. It creates much better portraits, and will always look more natural than posing. I generally place my couples in the scene and tell them to just ignore me and enjoy one another's company. I may give them a few directions but I try to just let them be themselves, because that's what they want portraits of in the first place.
5 Comments:
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May 4, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Great tips on posing. Thanks for sharing them.May 5, 2012 at 6:44 AMAwesome tips, a great guide for those who don't feel confident!May 5, 2012 at 9:55 AMAlways useful tips - I must remember them!May 6, 2012 at 4:13 AMGreat, great tips! :)May 6, 2012 at 12:25 PMHealthy reminders... thanks!
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