The Sight Between Both Sides

I gotta tell you, the body is one amazing work of art. So much movement and expression capable of many shapes infused with emotion and character, any pose is imaginable. We use our bodies in so many unique and different ways but for some reason when it comes to photography, we tend to tense up and limit our imaginations into a self conscience state.

Part of the process of achieving great poses definitely comes from the subject your shooting with but in the end, the results fall into the photographer's hands. They're the ones behind the camera and come out with the final piece of work. So it's definitely in your favor to know how the body works and all the capabilities for expression. It's a never ending process to express and direct your vision clearly but in the long run the effort is well worth it if you study and apply the principles.

“Knowing body, heart and mind opens the world to infinity.”

I can talk my head off about precise angles and what not but you'll never get to the point of flow if you don't know your own body. Photography is mainly a visual art and appeals to our minds but what gets us into the heart and emotion is the movement within the frame. You don't have to be a top model but exploring your own body and how it moves in relation to the camera will give you a sharper edge and understanding when it comes time to communicate on set. If can be quite discomforting to take a self portrait for some but if you manage to make yourself look in certain ways, you'll now gain an internal understand of posing beyond the verbal level.

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The body comes in all shapes and sizes. With each one a different approach to the posing process. Study other body types and you'll be able to bring out the best in everyone you encounter.

When prepping for upcoming shoots I always use myself as the subject if nobody is around to pose. If your shooting quite frequently then the amount of experience starts to add up in your favor. Sooner of later you'll be an experienced posing coach if you ever would want to monetize on the new skills acquired. In essence the whole reason in practicing the lighting setup on your self is to be able to show the model what your looking for.

A lot of beginning models or even everyday people don't have a clue on how to display themselves on camera. Showing them how you would go about it breaks the ice in communication. Plus it also shows your unafraid to look over the top and goofy which in turn sets a welcoming environment of ease. Ever try to look your best stiff as a board? Don't think that's ever happened. The first step to any pose is releasing tension in the body. Then you can start tweaking on the details to bring out the character to shine!

“Striving to know infinity is forever not knowing.”

Guiding the subject through the process is a must but it's also important to remember that what you say highly influences the results. The worst word you can ever say during a shoot is "no". You might mean something else but your client will always take it as a negative no matter the experience. You can't negatively instill confidence in a person by telling them , no good, not like this , your doing it wrong, etc. It will deplete the mood of the shoot through the floor especially if your working with women who take so much care on how they look in a world obsessed with outer beauty.

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Think of directing your clients as a coaching experience. Give them the tools to develop their abilities in the process to reach higher levels of confidence not just in a session but in the context of life.

Instead use positive reinforcement to boost their confidence. Tell them what they're doing right and if you see something odd, spin the negative comment into a helpful suggestion. That way focusing on what's right keeps everyone on the path to amazing work. After flooding in the encouragement you'll most probably start to see them get in the zone and bring out the inner GQ or Diva they never knew was inside all along!

When sessions start off you might have to guide the subject here and there but after things come along and the environment is relaxed and positive you can ease off the direction and create the session relationship into a collaboration. There have been many times where I had a set direction and stuck to it until things kicked up a notch as the model started to understand what I was looking for. What made the results better than I hoped was not from the actual vision in my mind. It was the model who was able to spin the ideal into something I never would have thought of on my own.

The Inner State Is Where It Begins

Now just a second here! Photography is all about the physical reality right? What you see is what you get!

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The way a film director paints the scene to a actor sets the direction. Infuse your models and subjects with your vision and have them be a part of the grand vision in collaboration.

Well let's say that's only a half truth. Sure it can get pretty technical with light ratios and camera lenses but the emotions we carry through a pose is what gives it life. An actor is a master of this craft. Developing character starts with a process of making it believable to the outside world. Be it funny, sexy, sensual or timid a pose without it's accompanying emotion will feel like something is off to the untrained eye. Having an aggressive pose and actually being angry shows a world of a difference when in front of the camera.

When helping your subject get to a particular emotion, paint out a mental scene if the current environment is just in studio. Give them words with synonyms that will inspire the model to get into the character. Music is also a great way to set the tone for any needed emotion. Use whatever you can think of to will get them into the character. Inner posing comes hard or easy for all of us so be patient and study film directors and their processes if you need insight on bringing it out for others to see.

Posing demands you as the photographer to be the director but also flexible with the human form. Remember that we're not just a pile of muscle and bones put together but a soul inside with an emotional heart. Carrying on sessions in a positive and relaxed environment will help your models with the room to express and potentially transform the results of the project. Learn how to pose yourself and you'll be well on your way to creating genuine connection with whomever comes in front of your camera.

Keep Snappin'!

Chris From MKMI Photo