Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out, there is one aspect of the job that photographers are always working to improve upon—posing!
Learning how to pose clients is a key skill photographers must know for a variety of reasons: to choose the most flattering position for different body types; to create variety in client galleries; and to capture a particular mood, feeling, or emotion. We will touch on the how to of posing in another post; but today, we want to tackle a different challenge that comes with posing...
There is a huge misconception that to photograph a shoot successfully one must study, memorize, and be able to recall hundreds of different poses. But trying to both remember and then instruct clients to transition from one pose to another, to another, quickly does nothing but create anxiety for everyone involved. There is a way to deliver a diverse gallery to your clients without all that stress. Here is how:
LEARN TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF A POSE!
This is a skill that will save you time, energy, and above all stress; it is also a great way to challenge your creative potential.
A single pose does NOT translate to one photograph.
That is a phrase worth repeating.
A single pose does NOT translate to one photograph.
There are a number of tools photographers can use to create multiple images from a single pose. At your next shoot try using some of the following techniques. Challenge yourself to see how many different shots you can create before asking your clients to change position.
Change your angle.
Change your perspective.
Change your frame.
Change you lens.
Change your focal point.
Change your aperture.
Change your clients' expressions.
Change your lighting technique.
If you struggle with posing, keep an eye out for our Photography 101 course launching this fall where we will go into detail for how to use all these techniques!
—Written for Ilona Jade by Mandi Ann
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