Posing

Posing Guide: Hands and Arms in Portrait Photography
Posing

Posing Guide: Hands and Arms in Portrait Photography

Hands are the most frequently problematic element in portrait photography. They either look stiff, disappear awkwardly, or dominate the frame. The good news is that a few clear principles solve the majority of hand and arm posing problems. The Core Principle: Give Hands Something to Do Hands look worst when they hang lifelessly at someone’s sides. The moment you give them a purpose, touching a surface, holding an object, resting on a body, they look natural.

Directing Non-Models: Getting Natural Expressions
Posing

Directing Non-Models: Getting Natural Expressions

Professional models know how to find the light, adjust their angles, and produce expressions on command. The rest of the population does not. Most portrait subjects are ordinary people who feel awkward in front of a camera. Your job is to create conditions where genuine expressions happen naturally, rather than asking for them directly. The Problem with “Smile” Telling someone to smile produces a specific result: a tightened mouth with inactive eyes.