LEARN TO POSE WITH PERFECTION

Professional photographer Samual Bouget shares some top tips for posing your subjects

1 ASYMMETRY OF THE FACE

if you notice that some parts of the face are asymmetric (it can be the mouth, the nose, the eyebrows), then try to consider using light and posing to divert the look away from this asymmetry, for greater interest. in terms of posing, this can mean tilting and/or turning the head right or left to avoid facing the model. in terms of lighting, this can mean avoiding simplistic butterfly lighting.

2 PAY ATTENTION TO THE ALIGNMENT OF THE SHOULDERS

asking the model to put their shoulders in three quarters view will generally be an option that works for every model. it will also add depth to your pictures with the line that the shoulders will draw.

3 SHAPE WITH HAIR

if the face is a bit round or square you may also use the hair to break this impression by asking the model to bring a few locks of hair on the sides of their face. Of course, in this case, avoid having the hair attached.

4 POSITION THE ARMS

if you are doing a side profile picture and the model is bare armed, you may ask the model to detach their arm a little from the body and turn it slightly, as this will help the arm look less wide.

5 GET THEM MOVING

if you make a portrait of somebody who feels uneasy because they lack experience for example, make them move if you want them to look more natural in their posing. Movement in general is a good technique to consider if you want to convey some energy.

6 BE AS FLATTERING AS POSSIBLE

There may be elements of a person’s body or face that you wish to either emphasise or de-emphasise. for example, if somebody has a large forehead, you can use a longer lens and a slightly lower point of view to make it look less obvious. if a person has a double chin, you may for example take a higher point of view to make it less visible.

7 CHOOSE A LONGER LENS

With some subjects, opting for a longer lens can be the most appropriate choice. for example, if a person has a big nose and if you use a short lens, you will make it look bigger, which might not be desirable in the look you are going for.

8 KEEP A PORTFOLIO OF YOUR SUCCESSFUL POSES

To finish, the various social networks that exist today offer you the possibility to make your own posing guide by recording the poses that you find most flattering (i mainly use instagram and pinterest for this purpose). Don’t forget that not every pose can be used for any situation.

THE FOCUS the photographer has ensured that the subjects’ faces are beautifully illuminated, making them the focal point of the shot EYE CONTACT You don’t always have to have eye contact with both your subjects. Here the background subject’s eye...