Basic Portrait Posing Rules

Basic Portrait Posing Rules

Capturing great images of people can be very rewarding and very frustrating at the same time. Beyond building the report necessary to get someone comfortable in front of the camera, you will need to learn some basic techniques to turn an ordinary picture into a quality looking portrait.

Single person portraits

When photographing individual people you need to know why you are photographing them.

Different types of single person portraits are:

• Standard Press Portraits
• Head Shots
• Editorial Portraits
• High School Senior portraits
• Fashion Images

Cropping concerns!:

Before you even start capturing images for portraits you need to consider how they are going to be printed or used in their final form. There is a difference between most cameras crop ratio and that of photographic papers.

Most cameras capture in a 4×6 crop ratio. If you are planning on making prints on 5×7, 8×10, or 11×14 paper, you’ll need to compose the framing with enough space on the sides, or top and bottom, for the difference between your cameras crop, and that of the paper print.

Photographing portraits in the “safe zone” is the preferred method so that you have freedom of choice in ordering enlargements of various sizes.

The “safe zone” is the 8×10 crop ratio. An 8×10 and a 4×5 crop ratio is the same…so if you can imagine a horizontal 4×6 print, then cutting a half inch off of each side, what remains is “safe zone”.

Unless you are hand cropping your images in an editing program before you send them to a lab to be printed on paper, it should be understood that the lab will not look at the image for the best crop, but instead will simply center your frame.

Because of this, you will want to train yourself to compose your images inside the “safe zone” of a centered 8×10 crop.

In conclusion, remember that your camera captures a wider image than what an 8×10 print can fit. If you keep the significant subject matter in the ‘safe zone’ then you will be able to print all crop ratios without cutting out anything important.

Posing people in a flattering manner can be accomplished by following some simple steps:

• Body Turns
• Creating a base
• Learning to Tip and Turn the head
• And Considering Composition and Head Size

Lets talk about the Body Turn

Pass port photos, ID Cards, and drivers licenses are the only portraits that should be captured square on. This view is extremely unfettering, but shows the most facial information.

A 1/3 turn is the standard turn and is generally flattering.

While a 2/3 turn creates more drama and hides defaults. Be careful to not overturn a thin person as they will appear even smaller.

So which direction should you turn your subject when you have a choice?

There are two main indicators; their hair and their eyes.

Most people part their hair to one side or another. The side of the face that has less hair covering it, is subconsciously their ‘good side’.

Turn their body so that the majority of their hair is closer to your backdrop.

By doing this the side of their face they are most comfortable with is more exposed to your lens. Also if your subject has long hair and you tip their head slightly toward their back shoulder you will create depth and texture as well as not having it fall over their eyes.

When you have someone that doesn’t part their hair, your next visual clue to a preferred side is their eyes.

Many people have one eye that is smaller than the other. Turn the person the direction that enables you to have the smaller eye closer to the camera. The lens will always make what is closer to the camera look larger…thus equalizing and balancing the eyes.

Have you ever noticed that some portraits look like bobble heads? The reason this happens is because the photographer didn’t create a base to the photo.

Your goal is to create a triangle with a person’s body. By placing the subjects back hand in the center of their thigh closer to their knee you will create the back side of the triangle. The front hand rests closer to their hip.

Learning The Turn and Tip – I know that everyone feels like they are back in grade school when the photographer tells them to turn and tip their heads.

By having their body turned on an angel, you need to bring both eyes back to the camera. You do this by turning their face.

Most people have not gone to their chiropractor before coming in for their press portraits. In other words, ‘most people’s heads just aren’t on straight!’

If you photograph a head tipped toward the camera, or to the front shoulder, the person will look ‘softer’, or more ‘effeminate’.

If you bring their head & nose straight they will look stronger and confident.

If you tip the top of their head slightly to the back shoulder you will capture a more masculine feel.

Last but certainly not least you need to choose the composition of your portrait.

Head size is the amount of space taken up by the face and hair in comparison to body. In a standard press portrait the head size is about 1/3 of the image.

In a ‘Close Up’ or a ‘head shot’, the face and hair constitute about 2/3 of the image.

When you are trying to capture a more causal or editorial type image the expression on your subjects face is still the primary subject. Typically hands are seen in three quarter portraits so that there is a ‘base’ to the portrait.

Full length portraits are as much about the clothing as they are about the person’s expression. Your head size is now about 1/10 of the image so you need to be aware of foot position, hand and elbow angels, as well as keeping the feet in the image.

Here is a simple rule to remember, ‘if you have knees…you need to have feet.’ No one floats in thin air (at least not on this planet.) This rule also applies if someone is sitting in a chair.

Now that you have the basic rules to portraits, it is time to have fun and capture fantastic and flattering portraits of your friends and family!