police lineup look.) The main light should be placed at approximately a 120-
degree angle from the camera, facing toward the subject. From the position
of the subject’s face, the light is at a 45-degree angle on the side opposite the
camera. This means it is actually angling back toward the camera, so shade
your lens to prevent flare. Note the profiles can be done from either the front
or the back.
Flattering Figures.
We all intuitively understand body language, and when you’re posing a client
for a full- or three-quarter-length image, the pose sends a message almost as
important as the expression on her face. Good poses should flow and not
look strained and awkward. Early on in my career, I talked about this with
Monte Zucker. I mentioned that my clients don’t want to be posed; they
want to look candid and natural. “Bad posing looks posed,” was his response,
“good posing doesn’t look posed.” I’ve always remembered that.
Avoid Straight Lines.So how does that apply to glamour photography?
Our goal is to make a woman look feminine, alluring, and sexy.
So, in terms of appearance, what makes men and women different? The
answer is curves! Men’s bodies are typified by straight lines and angles;
women’s bodies look feminine because of their curves and roundness. It fol-
FLATTERING FACES AND FIGURES 47
LEFT—Brittannie’s shoulders are at an angle
to the camera in this front profile. Notice how
the light—natural sunlight coming from her
right and back toward the camera. This is crit-
ical for an attractive profile. Also notice how
her head is tipped slightly away from the cam-
era, revealing more of her face.RIGHT—If we
look at the classic reverse profile of Tarina, you
see her head is actually tipped slightly away
from the camera. This gives the viewer a bet-
ter view of her face. Tipping the head toward
the camera will give you a view of the top of
the head and forehead, while blocking the eyes,
nose and mouth. Notice how the profile shows
off Tarina’s hair and how the upward gaze
gives her an angelic look. You can accentuate
this by tipping the camera.