How to Shoot Pin-Up Photos

Taking vintage-looking pin-up photos can be a fun and rewarding endeavor for a photographer. Pin-up-style photos can test the photographer's shooting skills and technique, and finding just the right pose and lighting is always a fun challenge. Here are a few tips to get started shooting pin-up photos.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Camera
• Model
• Good studio lighting
• Props

1. Locate a good area or room to set up the shot. Open, clutter-free rooms are ideal as they afford enough space for complex poses.

2. Make certain the studio has at least three lighting angles. One key light that acts as an overfill light for the entire subject. Two other lights serve as overhead and fill lights for shadow effects.

3. Position the model at least 3 feet away from the background. This eliminates odd background shadows and flash reflection problems.

4. Pose and shoot the model in a way she is comfortable. Keep an eye out for candid, non-posed shots that convey a look of startle or surprise.

5. Move around the model and look for the best shooting angle that provides a full and complete composition. Most pin-up poses incorporate the entire body and focus less on any one particular area of the body.

6. Instruct the model to illicit a pout or wide-eyed expression to better capture that pin up quality. Models are oftentimes shot at very low angles or even top-down from a ladder for a more dramatic effect.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow the model to work with props as many vintage pin-ups did. Bear skin rugs, beach balls and costumes are common pin-up props.
• Let the model determine just how much of their body they want to have photographed. Some models are comfortable in the nude where others may insist on leaving something to the imagination. Both are acceptable.
• Take care when lighting the subjects. Studio lighting can be extremely hot and can cause burns if touched.

Resources

• A definitive pin-up photo guide can be read here.
• Here is a good Vargas girl pin-up website.

[tmirazo]

on 1/1/2010 Thank you for this bit of info. I'm getting ready to try these types of photos for Valentine's & this helps work out some of the problems I was having with shadows & props.