Sit, stand, lean or prop? Walk, jump, or climb? What about hug or kiss, and where do the hands go? What about the feet? Shoulders angled or straight?

What is this list? Posing decisions made a multiplicity of times during photography sessions. With so many different ways to pose for a portrait, getting it right takes knowing the tricks of the trade…..and a professional will know how to make this work with ease.

After a quick assessment of the individuals’ size, height, age, and wardrobe, along with backdrop and setting conditions, we make the following posing decisions:

Angled or Straight

Shoulders are the widest part of the body. For men, straight on shots enhance masculine broad shoulders but not for women. A slight angle is both slimming and pleasing for a female’s shoulders and hips.

Arms and Hands

Straight arms glued to the body look stiff and unnatural in portraits so relax and bend a little, pulling arms away from the body a bit. For women, placing hands on hips or holding something makes upper arms look thinner, particularly when wearing short or no sleeve tops.

For men, folding arms across the chest gives a more manly appearance, especially for young men who want to appear older, cooler and “más macho”.

Hands have a myriad of places to land:

• On a waist, hip, or knee
• Wrapped around the neck, waist, or knees of your companion
• Holding another’s hand or arm
• Touching a cheek, shoulder, or chest
• Resting on a nearby object such as a tree, ground, wall, fence, or chair
• In a pocket, either whole hand or hooking a thumb in the pocket

Ever heard of creepy fingers? That’s the term we use when photographing groups when hands “creeping” over shoulders and around waists appear to have no arm attached. (We watch for this and usually get a laugh when it is mentioned after the explanation has been given during the session.)

Legs and Feet

The common saying in photography is, “If it bends, bend it.” That includes legs. Placing weight on one leg with the other slightly bent is a much more interesting and relaxing pose. Point the front foot toward the photographer.

Faces and Necks

Since most women tend to instinctively lean away from the camera, we often remind you to “lift and lean.” By lifting the head and shoulders then leaning ever so slightly toward the camera, slumping and double chins are eliminated or reduced.

Part way through a session of non-stop smiling, the face can get tired. That’s when the puffer-fish technique is handy. Filling your cheeks with air and blowing it out slowly will relax face muscles…..and be good for a few laughs too!

So, when you schedule a portrait session do you need to remember all these posing details? Nope. When you hire a professional, all you need to do is show up prepared to smile, relax, and enjoy looking your best. We’ll do the rest.