Jeff Smith. Posing Techniques for Location Portrait Photography. 2008

pose the body facing the shadow side of the frame and turn the face back to-

ward the main light. The size of the face in a head-and-shoulders pose is

larger than in other images, so the position of the eyes is very important, and

this will typically make the eyes appear larger.

Arms and Hands.In images that are composed closer, arms and/or

hands need to be closer to the face. This not only adds interest, it also helps

hide problem areas like double chins. Additionally, it provides a base to the

composition.

A good place to start is with the traditional head-and-shoulders pose, with

the arms brought up by placing the hands on the hips. This provides a very

classic look, as long as the shoulders are at an angle. Next, have the client

cross their arms. While there is very little difference in the pose, the look and

feel is completely different. Essentially, you are looking for ways to frame the

face—so experiment with some variations and see what works for you and

your clients.

Extreme Close-Ups.Classic head-and-shoulders images have always been

good sellers, but extreme close-ups are also really popular—especially with the

degree of retouching now possible with digital capture. To increase the num-

ber of interesting poses you offer, subscribe to fashion magazines and tear

HEAD-AND-SHOULDERS POSES 95

In a head-and-shoulders portrait, the arms
should be used to frame the face and create
a base for the composition.