this strategy makes your subject look like a mannequin from the 1960s. Also,
when you have the hands posed in such a way, it can draw attention away
from the face, the intended focal point of the portrait. While this works well
for showing off a wedding ring (or, I suppose, if you are photographing a
very homely person with beautiful hands), it is a major distraction for most
of your buying clients. Forget about bending every joint and look at the way
people place their hands while they are watching television, reading, or rest-
ing. There is a volume of posing ideas all around you. All you have to do is
pay attention.
Give Them Something to Hold or Rest On.Generally, the hands of
both men and women photograph best when they have something to hold
on to or when they have something to rest on. They photograph worst when
they are left dangling. The hands are one area of the body that clients usu-
ally pose very well on their own, if you explain where they are to place them
50 JEFF SMITH’S POSING TECHNIQUES FOR LOCATION PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
Hands look best when they have something
to hold or something to rest on.