It is always a good idea to prepare
before the photo shoot. Just one more peace of advice – involve your subject in
the process! He will feel more confident knowing the plan, what he has to “do”
and what kind of outcome is expected. Showing this kind of posing cheat sheet
to your model is indeed a very good way to prepare your subject for a photo
shoot and make him feel more relaxed and confident at the same time.
So, let’s look at some sample poses
for men.
1. Very simple pose for a man’s
portrait: An upper body shot with crossed arms. Two things to take care of:
Shoulders should be pulled back a little, stomach muscles kept in check.
2. Crossed arms works very well in
full height shots as well. In addition, ask him to cross one leg in front of
the other. But make sure the body weight is not supported equal on both legs,
otherwise that would look just awkward!
3. A recurring question from your
subject might be “Where shall I put my hands?” The solutions is actually quite
simple. There are four places to keep in mind (mixed in any combination
utilizing both hands). #1. Loosely by the side. #2. On the hips. #3. In the
pockets. #4. Both hands crossed on the chest. And in addition – hands should
always be relaxed, which means no muscle pressure, except you are photographing
a bodybuilder
4. A casual pose for an uprightly
standing man. Men indeed have a problem with placing their hands, by keeping
them fully or partly in the side pockets, you have a sure way to achieve
natural and relaxed pose.
5. Just a slight variation to the
previous pose. Some piece of clothing over the shoulder, merely a thumb in the
pocket, and legs crossed work very well.
6. For a sitting pose, putting the
ankle of one leg onto the knee of the other looks relaxed and natural. Shoot
slightly from above.
7. Leaning against a wall is just
another variant for upright posing.
8. The sideways way of leaning
against the same wall. Works very well for both casual and formal shots.
9. Very simple pose for a formal
portrait. Items held in the hand (e.g. a laptop, books, or even tools) can work
as insignia that point at the subject’s occupation.
10. Against common belief, it is
absolutely fine to make shots of a man sitting partly on a desk. For formal
portraits such a pose might counteract rigidness.
11. Very simple pose for a portrait
with a man sitting at a desk. To reveal the subject’s profession place work
related items on the desk that can function as insignia.
12. A slight variation of the
previous pose. Very appropriate for formal portraits.
13. To show the work environment
while removing the distance created by a foreground object like a desk, take
your shot from the back side. The result will be formal but inviting at the
same time.
14. A man supporting himself on a
desk with arms crossed. Again you could place work related items on the desk to
point to the subject’s profession.
15. Using a chair as a prop can make
a portrait more engaging and interesting. Very suitable when introducing
creative people in their work environment.
16. Sitting comfortably in a chair
usually works for a corporate and formal portraits.
17. Easy and natural pose with a man
sitting on the ground. Try different shooting directions and angles.
18. Another variant of a man’s pose
while sitting on the ground. Suitable for outdoor locations.
19. An easy and relaxed looking pose
for a sitting man.
20. Informal pose. The man is
sitting on the ground resting his back against the wall or some object.
21. Finally, let your subject be the
protagonist of your picture. Never be afraid to crop tightly around the model’s
face.
That should be at least something to
use as a starting point. Again, remember that there are no absolutes, each
sample pose might and should be adjusted depending on your shooting environment
and scenario. There is no need to overdo anything. Actually, all you need for
good people portraits is simplicity. Simple backgrounds, simple clothing,
simple poses and natural expressions.
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