choosing poses that do not point the bare shoulder closest to the camera
toward the main light dead-on. Instead, keep your main light toward the
opposite side of that shoulder.
The Arms.
Once the subject’s abdomen, breasts, and shoulders appear flattering to
the camera, you can focus on the arms from the point of where they leave
the shoulder to the fingertips. Other than the eyes and lips, the
hands are the most expressive part of the body; they reveal a great
deal of character and can also add mood to the image. In glamour
photography hands can add sensuality and often can tell a story. In
three-quarter- and full-length portraits, the entire arm (with hands
and fingers) should be included.
To get a feel for posing your subject’s arms, study how people
in everyday life place their arms when they are in a relaxed state. Then, try
to utilize these positions in your posing. For example, the model can sit
on the floor with her legs forward (in a side view), placing her hands be-
hind her (without locking the elbows) and leaning back to put some of the
weight of her body on the arms and hands with her face turned toward the
camera. This is a very common relaxed pose that also helps provide a nice
profile of the bust, showcasing the natural curves of the female body.
Bend the Elbows.Look for unflattering elbows and avoid showing
them, or have the model bend her arms slightly. Bent arms tend to create
flattering diagonal lines—a better look than locked elbows.
Separate the Arms from the Torso.
from the torso creates a slimmer look, as it prevents the arms and torso
from looking like one large mass.
Slimming the Upper Arms.For many subjects, the upper arm can ap-
pear unattractively large, so consider using a shadow to help slim this area.
Long sleeves, particularly in a dark tone, will also help to reduce the visual
impact of this area.
Using the Arms to Hide Problem Areas.
to hide problem areas, such as the tummy when the model is laying on her
side or seated. For example, when a model is laying on her side on a couch
or bed, you can lower her top arm (from the shoulder that points toward
the ceiling), then bend the elbow so that her hand points back up toward
her chin. Keep her forearm planted on top of the bed or couch and point
her hands, fingers together, forward toward her face. Bring the hand as
close to the body as possible to conceal the stomach area.
In sitting poses, you can have the model rest her elbow on the knee
closest to the camera. Then, bring her hand up under her chin or rest her
In glamour photography
hands canadd sensuality
and often can tell a story.52POSINGTECHNIQUESFORGLAMOURPHOTOGRAPHY