The Bust-Up Pose.
Another common pose is the bust-up pose. I like to treat this like a head-
shot, except that I compose the model and frame the image to capture
the model from just beneath the breasts (the bottom of the bust).
This reminds me of the more traditional “one-and-a-half buttons”
formal portrait, a typical head-and-shoulders portrait that is
cropped so its bottom edge falls halfway down the second button
below the collar. Of course, this is a glamour photograph, not a
formal portrait, so the idea is to capture the curves of the bust while
still having a headshot quality to the face. (Note:Sometimes the
bust-up pose and headshot almost blur, so don’t be surprised if subjects
don’t differentiate between them.)
Before I ensure I’ve got the face looking like I want it, I make sure to
position the shoulders and bust at a slightly off-camera angle, normally
turning them toward the main light. Then I’ll turn the head slightly, avoid-
ing any creases in the neck, toward the camera. Just like the headshot,
once I have the bust, shoulders, neck, and head where I want them, I’ll ask
the model not to move anything but her lips and on occasion just to relaxI’ll ask her to simply give me
different facial expressions
without moving...HOWDOIGETTHATPOSE?109