Portrait Poses

[sheppardmando]

Can anyone tell me if there is a "list" of poses for different shoots? I have my first Portrait job in a couple of weeks for an upcoming high school senior and just need some ideas. I am using a local garden and will be using available light with a flash, late afternoon. I thought about getting a piece of the reflective board sold at hardware stores to use as a light reflector. I am doing this for free to get the experience and I'm a little nervous about how they will turn out. Any tips are very appreciated!

[Rodeoshooter]

First thing is go look at the 25 tips posted by Benji for posing. The most important thing I will tell you about posing is be natural. Go through and find poses you like, print them out and then practice getting into the poses yourself. When it feels natural have your girl friend or wife or anyone take the shot of you in the pose from the position you would take the photo. HEAD ON! Not from the side or standing above you but head on with the camera slightly above camera angle. Look at the head direction and tilts. Then look back at the sample photos and see what the difference is between your photo and the one you liked. Don't worry about the exposure at this point. You want to get the pose first.

I would not use a reflector and that is a personal choice. For you, you will probably be better off trying the reflector for a shot or two and then trying the flash. Fill flash in my mind is the best. But then I have been using fill flash for about 20 years. It is the caviar to compared to reflectors which are just plain fish eggs in my mind. With fill flash you are in control of the lighting conditions not just reacting to them.

This is the items I would work on first. Get these under control and the rest will come with time. If you do these well you will have a happy customer.

Originally Posted by sheppardmando

Can anyone tell me if there is a "list" of poses for different shoots? I have my first Portrait job in a couple of weeks for an upcoming high school senior and just need some ideas. I am using a local garden and will be using available light with a flash, late afternoon. I thought about getting a piece of the reflective board sold at hardware stores to use as a light reflector. I am doing this for free to get the experience and I'm a little nervous about how they will turn out. Any tips are very appreciated!

[Benji]

A little tip on getting images from your screen to where you can print them. Open Photoshop, then minimize and find an image on the 'net you want to download. Hit "Ctrl" and then "Prt Scr" then restore Photoshop, go to Open >New>OK>then "Ctrl "V" the entire previous screen will appear in PS. Crop at 72 DPI at the size you want (8 X 10 or whatever.) Then print.

Benji

[sheppardmando]

Thanks Rodeoshooter and Benji for the great tips!
Benji, I have been reading your tutorials and they will be a big help!
I guess you just have to set up your model in positions that the selected location will allow.
Thanks again

[Benji]

Originally Posted by sheppardmando

Thanks Rodeoshooter and Benji for the great tips!
Benji, I have been reading your tutorials and they will be a big help!
I guess you just have to set up your model in positions that the selected location will allow.
Thanks again

You are correct. If you are shooting around a building that has hand rails, have the subject lean on them, sit on them, maybe cross their arms on them etc. If it has steps seat the subject on one step and have them place their feet on two other steps. If you are at the park use low tree branches or leaning trunks to seat, lean against, lean backward on, etc. A chair? Sit, stand with one foot, sit backward, sit across, shoot from behind it. Posed on the ground? Have them lean against a tree, rock, stump bench, fence or whatever. Variety is the name of the game. Shoot head shots, head and shoulders shots, waist up, 3/4 length and full length shots. Have them change into different clothing. Casual pose=casual clothes. Formal clothes=formal pose. Learn the rules then judiciously break them.

Benji

[sheppardmando]

Thanks Benji for the help, these location tips will help. The gardens were I will be shooting has a lot of these items, benches, trees, walls and even a small man made stream. (Very hard to get close to though...)
I will post some of the shots for you to give your thoughts on.
Thanks again!

[Danlphot]

Originally Posted by Rodeoshooter

I would not use a reflector and that is a personal choice. For you, you will probably be better off trying the reflector for a shot or two and then trying the flash. Fill flash in my mind is the best. But then I have been using fill flash for about 20 years. It is the caviar to compared to reflectors which are just plain fish eggs in my mind. With fill flash you are in control of the lighting conditions not just reacting to them.

Both fill flash and reflector work very well when used properly. They look lousy when you don't know what you are doing. It IS a matter of personal taste but I disagree that one is better than the other for all situations.

It'll take more than a couple of shots to get a feel for lighting with a reflector, but the results can very pleasing and natural looking when you get it right. A white reflector has become my fill light of choice both in and out of the studio. I like the fact that what you see in the view finder before exposing the image is what you get.

With an on-camera strobe there is the chance of missing a great shot if it doesn't fire for whatever reason. Also I feel that flash photography takes away from the casual, spontaneous feel of an outdoor session.

Dan

[sheppardmando]

Thanks Dan!!
I think I will take my new reflector to the location a day or two before the shoot and see "exactly" what will happen with it!
I think different things work for different photographers, depends on what works for each!