Poses for Portrait Photography

Video Transcript

"When taking a portrait, there are several different poses that you can choose. But you need to understand how all of them work in relation to the final image you're going to get. The straight on head shot is a typical portrait. But you need to be careful, because this only works for people that have really strong features, that are very well balanced. If you're not careful, you can end up with an image that looks like somebody's driver's license or a passport photo, and we all know how unflattering those can be. So things to consider when you're taking a portrait, not only alternatives from the head on shot, but also you need to find a way to make your subject comfortable. And you need to pay close attention to what your subject is doing with their hands or any objects they might have. The scene in this portrait, I took of a young tuba player. I wanted to show that he was a young guy and that he was interested in his instrument and still in the learning process. So, I got him out, away from the music room, we did it in some woods near his school. And, you know, I really liked the final result. I had it so it looked like he's playing the instrument a little bit, but at the same time, he's still paying attention to the camera. So you get the essence of the person, but also the essence of what they're doing. So again, it's really important when you're taking portraits to make sure you experiment with some different views, but also to make sure that your subject is really comfortable and then to make sure that you're paying attention to any objects that they have, or their hands, their eyes and their feet. One little trick I have for taking a portrait, is I'll line my camera up like I'm ready to take the shot, then I'll move it over to side and just have a conversation with the person. So, I'm still lined up how I want to be, but they don't feel as much like they're staring into the camera. And they feel more like they're having a conversation with them. But it also allows me to see their face and how they're reacting to certain things. You know, maybe say something humorous, get them to smile. Or have them, look away and look back at you and get like a bit of a glance look. But again, all part of making the subject comfortable. So again, experiment with different viewpoints, make sure your subject is comfortable and pay attention to all the objects around them."