Foto Friday--Posing, Day 3

For the last two weeks, I've talked about posing tips and secrets, first concentrating on the general, and then focusing on the head and shoulders. Today I thought I'd touch upon the rest of the body. Here are a few more techniques to consider when posing people for a photo.

~Hands: keep the hands relaxed and fingers slightly separated. Or, my favorite--give hands something to do or to hold. It's amazing how putting something in a child's hands (even a piece of string or a small rock) can stop the fidgets.


~Bend-ables: I've heard the rule "If it bends, bend it." In photos, this goes for knees, elbows, wrists, etc. No one wants to be mistaken for a statue in a picture.

~Waistline: I think everyone wants to look a little slimmer in the waist. Try this--have your subject rotate their upper body slightly at the waist. This same idea can be used to "slim" down the thighs. Just cross one leg in front of the other and voila! Thinner thighs. ;)

~Feet: keeping feet at different angles or heights (on a step, for instance) will give the shot better balance. People usually look more natural with their feet spread slightly apart (hip distance is a good width--you don't want your subject to look like they are doing the splits. Unless, of course, they are).

~Consider where your subject is looking, and what impact this might have on the shot. Two people looking at each other tell a story about relationship, a person looking off into the distance leaves the viewer wondering what's out there. If your subject is looking at an object within the frame (a flower in their hand, for example) then the viewer's focus will be drawn to that object, too.
See? It even works with animals! My friend, Safire, was holding up cheese, and they were very attentive. When I posted this picture a few days ago, people commented on the dogs looking off in the same direction. It really does make a difference!

Thanks for stopping by for Foto Friday! Be sure to click on my Home link up top to see everything that's going on today (did I mention that there's a $25 Macy's giftcard involved??).