Posing Techniques for Beginners

If you’re itching to expand your skill set when it comes to photographing people, consider experimenting with a few posing techniques guaranteed to take you past the ordinary head-on group photo. Try a tip or two from our toolbox to transform your photos into images that speak volumes.

Comfort is Key: Being photographed is often an uncomfortable experience for people so it’s important to put them at ease in order for their true smiles to surface. Let them settle in for a moment or two before getting down to business and add a bit of extra space between your subject and the camera in the beginning of the session.

Take a Turn: When shooting a solo portrait, have your subject turn her body at an angle away from the camera but keep her looking toward the camera; this common posing technique is popular because it adds dimension to a portrait while not straying too far out of a subject’s comfort zone.

If It Bends, Bend It: Attend a workshop for budding professional photographers and you’ll hear this popular posing tip. Look at your subject and start adjusting elbows, knees and wrists. Stiff arms can project formality and awkwardness, so double-check your subject’s joints when posing!

Shoot in Series: This technique is particularly important when it comes to photographing small children or interaction between subjects. Set your camera in burst mode and continue shooting as your subject smiles, looks around and laughs. Not only is it likely that you’ll get one great image, you may get several that will result in a fantastically playful photo composite.