I have given up on taking posed shots of my 6-year-old. Gone are the days that I could manipulate her body into an eye-catching arrangement and get a decent photo out of it. Now if I try to suggest that she tilt her head a bit to the left or place her hand on her hip, I get met with a scowl and stomping. Needless to say, most of the pictures I have of my child these days are candid ones.
I’m sure there will come a day when she grows out of her disdain for posing, and when she does I’ll be there with the following directives:
Headshots: When you take headshots of people, you want them to look as natural as possible. This is why it is not a good idea to have your subject look directly in the camera as though you were taking a mug shot. Instead, have your subject tilt her head slightly to the left or right while having her eyes focus just to the side of the camera. I also suggest that the subject drop her chin a bit to avoid harsh shadows.
Medium shots: When it comes to posing for medium shots, most people don’t know what to do with their hands. Personally, I despise the look of subjects with their hands stuffed in their pockets. I prefer for a person to place his hand in a natural position. This is easier said than done in most cases. However, you can create a more natural pose by shooting with props. Rocks, trees, chair backs and pianos make for excellent props for subjects who are uncomfortable letting their hands simply fall to their side. If you are working with younger children, encourage them to clap when taking a medium shot. Just remember to hold off on snapping a shot if your subject’s arms are behind his back, as this can make it look as though he doesn’t have any extremities.
Full-length shots: When taking full-length shots, be mindful of your subject’s legs. Encourage your subject to bend her knees slightly and place one foot a bit in front of the other. Avoid having your subject stand with straight, rigid legs. Instead, pose the subject’s body so her feet are facing one direction and her body is turning slightly in the opposite direction.
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