Posing Techniques for Glamour Photography

What to Say (And What Not to Say).

Building a successful rapport with your subject requires that you know

what to say, when to say it, where to say it, and how to say it. Thus, you

often become something of a psychoanalyst.

Most of this is based on common sense. For example, if a client asks

you, “Do I look fat?” you had better know the proper response. If you

don’t know, just ask any married man—it’s always, “No!” You should

neverbelittle or make negative statements about your subject.

If your subject needs to tone up her body, do a test shoot. Then, let her

see prints where her face looks great and her body looks as good as possi-

ble. She’ll quickly see that she needs to work on her figure—as most non-

models do. After this test shoot, most subjects will work harder on their

bodies and diets before the next shoot. In fact, your initial photography

may help to motivate your subject to shed a few pounds—but beextremely

carefulhow you handle this situation. You want your subject to enjoy the

initial test shoot and the glamour photography process. That way, she will

return to your studio instead of seeking another photographer.

Similarly, you should never engage the subject in potentially con-

tentious topics of conversation, like politics or religion. If your subject is

quiet, encourage her to talk by asking about her interests. If she picks a

topic you’re uneasy with, change it smoothly. If she seems uneasy with a

topic you bring up (or your opinion on a topic she has raised), be obser-

vant of this and move on to more favorable topics. If she speaks negatively

about her body, never acknowledge it; switch to a more positive, life-af-

firming topic. Don’t forget, it’s about the subject, not you.

Be Observant and React to What You Learn.

The objective of conversing with your subject is twofold. First, you want

to make her feel comfortable—to ensure her that you are a considerate,

kind, and attentive person with whom she will enjoy working. Second,

you want her to reveal her own personality. That’s the best way to deter-

mine how you can create images she’ll truly love.

Let’s imagine you take a tour of your subject’s home before the

shoot. During the tour, she states, “This is my favorite spot—I love

sitting in front of that window while reading a great book.” Make

a mental note of that and study the area. See if you can tell why it’s

a great spot for anyone to like—perhaps it’s the tree outside where

she has a bird feeder filled with birds singing, perhaps it’s the

warmth of the light that enters through the window. If you can’t see an

obvious reason why it’s her favorite spot, ask her, “Why do you like this

area of the house?” Then, toward the end of the shoot when your subject

Never engage the subject

in potentially contentious

topics of conversation.

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