As a professional photographer, I can promise you that whoever said “Pictures don’t lie,” lied.

The truth is that angles, posing, and light do make a difference in what we see in an image.  Working the angles and utilizing the light is my job as the photographer.  I teach my clients how to move their bodies to create the most accurate and beautiful version of who they are, from the perspective of the camera.

How I pose men is entirely different from how I pose women.  A while back, I blogged about some tricks I teach women about posing, and you can read that here.  Today, I want to share some of the things I teach my guys.

 

If It Bends, Bend It: 

Our bodies are made for movement.  Stiff, locked out joints look unnatural and uncomfortable in a photograph, so get loose.

Almost no one feels comfortable in front of the camera, and we hold tension by squeezing.  I am constantly telling my clients to bend their arms, or soften their hands.  Even bending our bodies a tiny bit results in a more relaxed, natural look.

 

Teeth Together, Chin up: 

I love the look of a strong jaw line on my guys.  If we are going for a serious look in a pose, I will have them close their teeth together without clenching, and lift their chin slightly.  The result is masculine, and strong.

 

Push Back = Smaller, Push Forward = Bigger: 

It is an optical illusion that things that are closer to the camera will look bigger than things that are further away.

Women usually like for size to be minimized, the S-shape of her body maximized; that doesn’t necessarily hoId true for guys.

Where I will ask a woman to put her weight on the back leg and push her hips back, I would have a guy stand square.

If I have him up against a wall, I will tell him to push his hips forward.  I will also often have him cross his arms in front of him to accentuate his arms.

 

Just Say No to Big White Eyes: 

I often have the people I photograph look away from the camera.  But when I say “look that way,” what I really mean is “turn your chin that way.”  When someone leaves their chin forward but looks away with their eyes only, we get a huge white space where we would naturally assume the colorful iris to be… no bueno.

Once I get my shot with the model looking away, I may ask him to bring his eyes back toward me.  In that shot, I want his chin to stay angled away from the camera, while his gaze is on me.

I believe eyes can be the windows to the soul, so unless I purposely want eyes closed or looking down, I want to see them!

 

Do What You Do:

The best way to get my guys to look comfortable in front of the camera, is to give them something to do, especially with their hands.  So after I pose them the way I want to shoot them, I may have them play with their watch, or pretend to wash their hands, or rub the backs of their necks.

If they bring props from something meaningful to them, like a guitar, or a football, I will ask them to use the prop, then direct them from there.

 

 

In the end, the last thing I want my clients to do is overthink what their bodies are doing.  It is my job to worry about what I see, and correct what needs correcting.  I tell my clients that the best way to look great in a photograph in one of my sessions is to relax, trust me to make them look their best, and to have fun.  After all,  this is an experience they are CHOOSING to have, and my goal is for it to be a joyful pampering for everyone who chooses me to share it with them!

If you are interested in more information about the portrait experience with me, you can download my client guide by clicking HERE.  I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Blessings,

Lymarie

 

To see A.J.’s full gallery slideshow, click HERE.