Minimizing the Apparent Size.Bare feet
can be made to look smaller by pushing up
the heels of the foot. Similarly, if the feet are
showing with open-style shoes, the higher the
heel, the smaller the foot appears. Lifting the
heels not only makes the feet look better, but
also flexes the muscles in the calves of the legs,
making them look more shapely. Muscle tone
in the legs is determined by the muscle that
runs down the outside of the upper and lower
leg. Flex that muscle and the legs appear to be
toned.
Posing the Toes.If a person is nervous,
their toes will either stick up or curl under.
Neither one is exactly attractive. Just like the
fingers, toes photograph better when they are
resting on a surface.
Shoe Selection.The subject’s footwear
should reflect the feeling of his or her outfit.
If the client is in an elegant dress, then high
heels should be worn. If the client is in a busi-
ness suit, shoes should be worn that reflect the
professional look of the clothing. As the cloth-
ing gets more casual, tennis shoes or bare feet
are the best choices. Wearing socks without
shoes really isn’t a good idea.
Most of the time, shoe fashion really only
matters with women. Men’s shoes tend to fall
into two categories (professional and casual), so there is little chance for mis-
takes. Women, however, have unlimited choices in the styles of their shoes,
and usually own numerous pairs of shoes in any given style.
Moving Forward.
In this chapter on posing the various parts of the body, we looked at how to
flatter each area individually. As we continue through the chapters, we will ex-
pand on each area as it pertains to the other elements in the portrait. If you
apply just these few ideas into your posing, however, your clients will look
better and you will sell more portraits simply because the clients will actually
like the way they look.
64 JEFF SMITH’S POSING TECHNIQUES FOR LOCATION PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
LEFT—Suits and other more formal attire re-
quire dress shoes be worn. With women,
shoes with a very high heel are extremely
flattering.FACING PAGE—With guys, shoes
tend to be either dressy or casual, so it’s not
hard to make an appropriate choice.