Portrait Poses
Portrait Poses – This is a Must-Know for anyone who wants to master basic Photography Poses
When I first got involved in photography is was through shooting my kids. No, not with a gun, but photographing them in various activities from sports, band, school plays and more.
However, the more serious I got about my photography, I learned that there was so much more to know when your subject is actually sitting still, waiting for you to take their picture – the Portriat Pose.
After some trial and error, and more error and lots of trials (and tribulations), I finally got some basic knowledge on portrait poses.
You see, I would show all my kids’ photos to various friends, family, school and church members. After a while, I gained the reputation as a decent photographer, and even though I was an amateur, they would seek me out for a portrait pose.
So when I was first asked, I rushed to the Internet to get the basics, and here’s what I learned first. Just as you were writing a term paper, you need to know the purpose, who is the intended audience. The same goes for the portrait pose: what’s the purpose of the portrait? Is a business photograph for a business card or professional directory or journal? I’ve even been approached by a local councilman for an official elected official portrait.
The way you pose the portrait photo will be different depending on the purpose. For business, it’s going to be totally different that say a famly portrait. No matter what the purpose, you cannot lose sight of your number one objective: you are taking this photograph to put your subject in the very best light possible!
Official Portrait Sample - President Ford
For a business or professional portrait, you want your subject to exude self-confidence and strength in character. See the professional portrait of President Ford here. Although he is seated, it is still a professional image that is to display all the strength and character of the President of the United States. (one tip I learned from this book I found was used in this photo: for officials, take the photo with some source of their authority in the background, the county seal, seal of the office, flag of the office, etc.)
Once you know the purpose, you can work on establishing just exactly how you want to frame the face. So just how flattering is your subject? Is it the front view of the face? This is the exact angle where the view of the face is balanced from ear to ear. Or is your subject Jimmy Durante?
Portraiat of Jimmy Durante by famouse photographer, Phillipe Halsman
Portraiat of Jimmy Durante by famouse photographer, Phillipe Halsman
Is it the profile? The profile must show the face’s exact contour or outline. Or is it the two-thirds view? This will show the front and one side only (In this view you will see the front of the face plus one ear only). A classic profile if ever there was one, is this photograph by famed photographer, Phillipe Halsman of the actor, singer Jimmy Durante.
After you’ve selected a facial profile or view, you can work on the rest of the pose, which is the basic body position.
When it comes to body position, start by learning the basics. Start with the basic three: standing or sitting straight, relaxed sitting, or leaning against an object.
For the professional portrait pose, generally a basic standing or sitting position will give you the effect you are looking for: professional, confident, etc. (see the example of President Ford above).
Sitting portrait sample, Chair Sideways
Sometimes when your subject is already one who exudes authority, you can loosen the atmosphere by simply turning a chair in a different position. The “standing tall or sitting straight” pose speaks of self-assurance, and it is best for career or business related portraits. While sitting in a relaxed manner or leaning against an object would show an easygoing or playful attitude.
What about Portrait Pose Lighting?
You can now pose your subject in a position for the best lighting you have for your shoot. Turn on your lighting equipment, and play around with some variations in back lighting and fill. Although some famous photographers suggest always shooting portraits in the exact same exposure and lighting (such as Zeltzman’s shooting all portraits at f18 and 2400 watts of back fill lighting) and choose which one will work best for your subject.
This is where your artistry will come through as you try different poses, different lighting. You can even play around with the facial expressions. Will they have a big smile like Jimmy Durante or a more serious look?
