By placing the camera high above the
model, I was able to compose the image
to suit Niki’s relaxed pose. The angle,
along with the pose, actually allows the
image to be viewed either as a horizon-
tal or vertical image. The vertical posi-
tion works best, though, as the window
edge and the car door form a check-
mark effect that anchors the model’s
legs and helps bring the viewer to her
photogenic face. (Camera:Olympus E-
500;Lens:effective focal length 37mm;
ISO:100;Shutter speed:^1 / 125 second;
Aperture:f/8;Lighting:1] Hensel Inte-
gra Pro Plus 500 monolights fitted with
7-inch reflectors and 10- to 30-degree
grids, 2] one Hensel Beauty Dish to fill
the entire image with soft light;White
balance:6000K)
POSINGBASICS25damage exists. It’s no different than when a doctor makes the wrong de-
cisions while caring for their patients, or when a police officer accidentally
shoots an innocent bystander. Fortunately, in photography, most of the
problems we face occur due to poor communication (or a lack of com-
munication). That means we should be able to avoid these issues by fo-
cusing on establishing a good rapport with our subjects.
Bodies come in all forms, shapes, and sizes, and we must learn to em-
phasize their assets while deemphasizing the flaws that all bodies possess.
Whatever your model’s physique, don’t get caught up in society’s Barbie-
doll image mandate. There are many successful plus-size models in the